Lunch for the Soul

A quick holiday meant escape from Urban to rural. We crossed assorted cities, traffic, street vendors whose regional accent changed every time we touched another highway. A little after mid night, finally touched a little - developed shoreline that trims a tiny part of West India.

Konkan, is a low-budget beach getaway. It is a rugged rural area with a blessing of beautiful beaches. Because of its remote location, makes it exclusive for a traveler. I knew the local language well, something that my co-travelers (My mother and a friend) were proud of. As I'd like to keep it low-key most of the time, I was glad they had each other’s company to discuss and admire the rest of the holiday.

I sneakily enjoyed the company of crisp blue skies and chose to listen to the waves that were undivided and unitedly made perfect tunes. We observed the life of the villagers and if given any attention, they were more than thrilled to share their stories with us. I recorded every minute in my journal because it seemed fair to capture their humble life.

It was on the last day that the extraordinary happened. A walk from the beach to our guest house, we spotted a group of fishermen. They sat quietly and ate their meal outside a small house with a board that read ‘Konkani Jevan’ which meant ‘ Konkani Food’ The board looked like someone had had painted it eon back and the immediate monsoon would wash away its identity. The ordinary setup screamed that someone needed the money and was earning hand to mouth. They kept some plastic chairs and tables at the lawn for the locals could eat. No fixed menu. It was plain home cooked meal. For me, this was the time to really experience the place through the food.

My mother did not find the entire situation 'safe',but I insisted. The odd wait was cut short when the lunch arrived within seconds. The aroma made it perfectly clear that it was cooked by someone with experience. The staple food was served and every bite made perfect sense. There was a celebration of spices on the plate. The chilies blew my mind, literally! This lunch clearly served my ardent search for soulful food.

Coming back to my urban jungle, I started a hunt for regional food. It gave me a purpose along with stern instructions on tradition. Only if I could go back and thank those hands or maybe ask for a secret recipe or two!

My mind is now tuned to a rule: If the food doesn’t look good, it probably tastes bloody brilliant!