It’s said that you’re not a bonafide Mumbaikar, if you haven’t hopped or clung on to a local train or didn’t relish the ‘Vada-Pav’ of the wayside stalls thronging outside offices and suburban stations. In a similar fashion, almost every metro, city or place has it’s own culinary flavors (notably Kolkata, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur & many others). Call it nostalgia or loyalty to traditions, Lucknow apart for its architecture and culture, must rank high on that count. It’s street food is not for masses, it’s for all classes here !
Top of the list of major attractions has to be the mouth-watering ‘Chat Stalls’ (most big eateries have special counters outside) but addiction to garam ‘Samosa-Chai’ combo for ‘aam’ office-goers, students, lawyers, tourists and shoppers, is the ‘sine qua non’ of true Lucknowites and is most sought after in all the cities of Eastern UP. Till date my love for ‘samosas’ remains strong, yet with age ‘the spirit might be willing but the Mrs isn’t’. Also let’s admit, like all good things that were vintage, the ‘samosas’ are no longer the same. One must discover the few places in and around Lucknow, that roll out real ‘samosas’ !
Also there’s the common tea-stall’s sweet offering called ‘Gulab jamun’ that sells like hot cakes and is served in ‘donas’. Like it’s quintessential namkeen counterpart (samosa) ‘Gulab Jamun’ has a colouful history that’s most fascinating. While it’s exact origins are debated, it is widely believed to have been introduced to India during the Mughal era. It’s been most popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent, encompassing countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh & also found in other places like Myanmar and the Maldives. The name “Gulab Jamun” is derived from Persian and Hindi words, referencing the rosewater-scented syrup and the black plum-like shape of the dessert.
Why the flashback to ‘Samosas’ and ‘Gulab Jamuns’ after all these years, one may ask of us who’ve been out of Lucknow for decades. For one, no one makes them any more, like they used to (in the 70s). Second, Zindagi has become complicated, fast and uncertain. Therefore, in bustling, big cities, we must try to rediscover the ‘choti choti’ khushiyan !
Working on Living 