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Sluicing off juicy golgappas...
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With the influx of bottled water, golgappas are fast finding entry into restaurants straight from the roadside. Though, standing by the road to savour this juicy mound is an experience exclusive, says SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY... .
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Golgappas... anywhere, everywhere delight. Photo: S. Subramanium.
THE HOLLOW of a well-bloomed mini puri, the belly wobbly with tangy-hot masala water, a small chunk or two of potato hand mixed well with mashed chick peas floating therein... and that burning desire to pop it in as soon as the seller dollops it on to that small leaf cup you are asked to hold. Wah! That first feel of it melting in your mouth! Oh, dear, it's just out of the world!
By the way, does it need saying that what's being savoured is the undisputed queen of Indian chaat world - the ubiquitous golgappa?
Well, for a true blue golgappa buff, is not it a sheer delight to bite into this small circle of desi wonder snack? But, never mind taking along the others too who also open their mouths extra wide to fit this luscious, juicy bit in one piece.
Available in two varieties - suji and aata - golgappa, despite its mass popularity, specially in North India, hardly evokes any intellectual inkling in the majority to bother about digging into its origin. But labelled as `pani puri,' `puchka,' `pani ke pathake' or a rather Anglicised name `water balls,' this easy to make hollow mound of a bite is an unanimous choice when it comes to after-shopping release or just a lazy roll-and-stroll evening spree to the nearest market and like situations. Many would try to sell you this story that women are fonder of it than men, but tell them to take a round of the city if not anywhere else.
In Delhi, the best place to stop by for a plate of golgappas since long back have been the lanes of the Walled City, and stretching a bit towards the comparatively new part of the city - Bengali market. But, a roadside golgappawallah in every colony market now is nothing novel, though, one would still add that a shopping bout in Lajpat Nagar Central market is never complete for many without a stop-by for a Rs.10 plate of six golgappas from numerous shops lining up there.
`Gosh! In our days, we used to get 10 pani puris for Rs. One,' someone from the Generation Grey might throw up, seriously knitting the eyebrows. But never shilly-shally in shooting him back with this shot: Did he ever imagine golgappas coming in see-through plastic foil and the masala water being made from `liquefied pesticide'... oops no... mineral water and all other necessary add-ons in similar plastic cups? Places like Eatopia at the India Habitat Centre are in the denizens' list of places to gobble `safe' golgappas. Some places else too claim to have `mineral water wala golgappa' but better not allow the claimant to have the last word on it.
But then you would say, how do I find out whether the water used is hygienic or not? Well, when the branded bottles themselves are under scanner and nobody knows what's actually happening in the bottled water world, then perhaps taking out a ten buck note from the wallet to ask the roadside turbaned vendor: `Bhaiya, zara ek plate golgappa dena... suji ka hai,' won't be a riskier bet. After all, let you be reassured again that however clean and safe golgappa is being tried to be turned into, the one popped in from the roadside seller with the salted masala water dripping by your mouth, is the best tasted.
`Bhaiya, thora extra pani dena, please.'
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