Waiting for Mirchi....

My young friend Hrushikesh Paranjape recently posted this lovely capture of  a very typical traditional Maharashtrian  meal; the sort you make at home .

Bhakri, Rassa, pickle and Kothimbir Wadi.

What doesn't show up in the photograph, is someone roasting fresh Bhakris and urging you to have one more, straight off the tawaa, and homemade white butter simply melting away on meeting the Bhakri .

This setting just misses out on one thing. Perhaps , not in homes where food tends to be of sweeter disposition.  But , sometimes, in homes , particularly , those that enjoy rural food accompaniments of the spicy crunchy zinging type, a la raw green mirchis (chillies/hot jalapeno peppers)....

गरम तव्यावरची पापुद्रे उघडून लोण्याची आतुरतेने वाट बघणारी भाकरी जोंधळे , आपल्याच नेहमीच्या लोकप्रियतेमुळे कांद्याच्या दागिन्यांनी लड्लेला मसालामय स्वप्नात दंग बटाट्याचा सोनेरी रस्सा ; एकीकडे कोथिम्बिरीच्या वडी कडे चोरून दृष्टीक्षेप टाकत , "हि अचानक इथे कशी" असा विचार करत खारात बुडलेली भोकरे . भाकरीला थोड चुकल्या चुकल्या सारख होतं , एक दीर्घ गरम श्वास सोडत ती आजूबाजूला बघते , आणि कश्यामुळे तरी तिचा जीव जणु काही तुटतो… ती हळूच भोकराला जवळ घेते, रश्श्याला भेटते, आणि कोथिम्बिर वडीकडे बघत हळूच विचारते , "आज काल शेलाट्या बांध्याच्या हिरव्या कच्च्या मिरच्या मिठाबरोबर इथे येणे बंद झाले का ?…"

Ms Bhaakri Jondhale hot and resplendent in her several dainty layers, in great anticipation of the arrival of the Great White Butter A confident Potato Rassa, feeling super confident golden and spicy, adorned by the very pricey Onion Jewels Bhokras , steeped in their own fortified pickle juices, keeping to their side, giving disparaging looks to the newly ambitious Kothimbir Wadi... The Bhaakri, wise in the ways of the world, takes a deep breath, exhales hotly, and breaks up a bit thinking what might have been. She gathers together the Bhokras, dips a bit in the rasaa, and glances at the Kothimbir wadi to ask, " How come those shapely green fresh mirchis have stopped coming here with the salt these days ?..."