Simply Soornoli !

My friend Deepak Amembal recently completed a two month long, three country, pan Indian motorcycle trip, along with a friend. He is now currently visiting his native place for a special annual celebration of the family deity.

This is clearly a time to enjoy native delicacies as well, which may be made in Mumbai as well, but simply taste different, when made in places full of family, history, and memories of childhood.

 Deepak just posted a photograph of a Soornoli that he had for breakfast. A delightfully ventilated pancake/dosa, sweet with flavors of coconut, jaggery, and dahi, and pohe (rice flakes).

Clearly, it isnt just us who are impressed with his motorcycle trips and photographs that he posted throughout.

Sometimes, those in the photos also react ..... :-)   In English and Marathi.   Too bad I cannot speak Konkani .....  :-)

तान्दुळाबाई आणि मेथीताईंची स्नानानंतर हळू हळू २-३ तास कुजबुज , मग पोहेकाकांचे अचानक पडलेले लक्ष , आणि इतकी सर्व मंडळी काय चर्चा करत आहेत हे ऐकायला धावत आलेले ताक्शेठ , नारळीआजी, आणि गुळोजि राव. रात्रभर चर्चा, कुजबुज , आणि सकाळी लोण्याकडे फेकलेले प्रश्नार्थी कटाक्ष … शेवटी गरम तव्यावर पडताच छोटे डोळे चक्क उघडले, आणि मग समजलं . दुचाकी वरून भारत भ्रमण करणारे दीपक आपल्या गावच्या देवाच्या त्यांच्यावर असलेल्या परमेश्वरी कृपादृष्टीबद्दल आभारदर्शन प्रार्थना करायला आले होते आणि चक्क समोर बसलेले . धन्य होउन सुरनोळी तव्यावरून निघाली ती थेट त्यांच्या थाळीत ….

Confabulating Lady Rice and Fenugreeka, fresh after their baths, discussing something with great alacrity, an inquisitive Poha uncle trying to join the proceedings, and unwilling to be left out, Buttermilk Singh, Shrimati Coconut, and  Vittal Jaggery Rao, falling in with the group. Unsuccessful night long discussions, attempts to question the Stuffy Butterbhai sitting aloof in the morning.  And then a grand descent onto a hot tawaa, a bubbling mind and a clear opening of eyes as the edges curl in gold, in honor of the new realization. Sitting right in front of them all is Deepak, now visiting his native place, doing a thanksgiving pooja, after his amazing Pan-India motorcycle trip. An impatient Soornoli, loosening itself from the tawa hold, simply slides on to the spatula and on to a plate, along with heart melting butter.