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Have you organised for the 'Diwali eve'
lunch, asked my husband who had just got into his new clothes he
purchased for the festival.
Oh, yes, the caterers will deliver the food
any moment, I said.
What is the menu, I hope it is something my
friends would like, he said.
Of course, I know they like a typical south
Indian, traditional lunch and I have ordered accordingly, I
said.
That’s good, you know we are the only south
Indian friends the Kapoors have. In fact, they were a little
diffident in accepting my invitation for lunch but agreed when I
promised them a traditional menu, he said.
Personally, left to myself, I would have
preferred something north Indian, I observed.
Remember that you are a typical Chennaite now
and you should adopt yourself to the culture and food habits of
the place, he remarked (he always made it a point to have a dig
at my preference for north Indian food).
By the way, what is the menu, he asked again.
Well, kootu, bhendi porial, rasam, vatha
kozhambu, dhal, cabbage vada, mango chutney, puliyodarai, pal
payasam. I read out the menu as per the list I had given to the
caterer.
That’s good, I am glad you are familiar with
the traditional menu. What about the sweet, he said noticing I
had not mentioned it.
Oh, its laddu, because I am yet to know what
are the delicacies exclusive to this part of south India, I
confessed.
Of course there are several, he declared.
Why don’t you tell me, I asked eagerly.
Badusha, Mysorepak, jelebi, jangree,
athirasam - oh so many, I can reel out many more, he said
proudly.
As far as I know, all those you mentioned are
rather universal and not exclusives, I argued.
Before he could say anything, the caterer
arrived with the food and I had asked him to transfer all the
items into the casseroles I had placed on the table. He left
collecting the amount.
My heart missed a beat when I slowly opened
each casserole. There were rotis and nans and other items
included aloo mutter, palak paneer, fried rice, spring rolls,
navaratna kurma, etc., etc. The menu appeared diametrically
opposite to what I had ordered.
I could notice my husband’s expression of
shock.
What am I to do now, I said helplessly. I
think it’s a terrible mix-up. The fellow would have reached his
destination by now.
There is still an hour’s time for the Kapoors
to arrive. I am sure the adept cook that you are , you can turn
out a good south I ndian spread in a jiffy, suggested my
husband.
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