It all started with Pao Bhaji.....

T 's Pages: Chapter 1

It was a long pending plan.

Before I go ahead with our first story let me give you a small background check…In our long years of knowing each other, we made plans and wishlists, things we’d love to do and places we’d long to visit. The only obstacle was the mismatch in our lives. If I was free for a month, he’d be poring his head into books for upcoming exams and when he’d call to ask if I wanted to try out a new restaurant he’d heard of, I’d be too busy with some submission or viva to go ahead. But this we knew, the other person would the love the new place each was trying out. Hence we had a mental checklist (which almost got transferred onto paper, courtesy a nerd I know ;-) ) of places we wanted to go eat at with each other. And the end of his 5 year long course gave us the green flag. We were set loose.

So back to our long pending plan, well because this guy is a doctor and everything, I was sure he’d turn up his nose at this place I was suggesting, a street side pao bhaji place- "Maruti", very famous in Vile Parle-Andheri-Juhu, for its “different” version of the notoriously popular Mumbai dish. Its run by an old uncle who's been doing this for years now.

Because it was close to my college, I’d been here loads of times. The guy comes in at about 8 pm and you just can’t wait for him to finish setting up, even if you’re in the building across the road. The aroma is just irresistible.The bhaji here is completely different from anything you’ve ever tasted. For starters, it’s BLACK. And then it has this melt in the mouth kind of texture. And to top it off, it’s SPICY!!! Spicy like nothing you’ve ever had before. Spicy that doesn’t make you want to stop eating, it makes you want to eat more. And if you’re one of those who like leftovers, this bhaji tastes even better the next day. Its when the spices have actually kicked in. It’s served piping hot in old style ceramic plates with generously sprinkled butter and coriander, a side dish of spiced onions and tomatoes, and heavily buttered hot pao.

Hmm well, that basically covered the basics of our first food outing, which ended with a nice big slice of Mocha’s Vertigo, which C was generous enough to share (he was curbing his appetite then you see) and an almost invisible dent on our pockets.

We both went home well stuffed and satiated, unbeknownst to the fact that we had embarked on this whole crazy journey, complete with drama, hysterics, cover-ups and mauling…basically the works.

C's Street Food Diary: 1. Maruti Pao Bhaji

Hmmm…Pao Bhaji from the street?!! Although I agreed in a jiffy when she asked me, I must admit that I was apprehensive. Never done it before, had never heard of this joint before but decided to go with it anyway. A million more micro-organisms wouldn’t make too much difference to my alimentary tract.

And it was a decision well made. I was in heaven. The dollop of butter, the flavor, the aroma…all mesmerizing to the senses. It’s called “Black pao bhaji”…and it really was darker than any concoction of the famous bhaji that I had ever had.

Ok…at this point I have to describe what the guy does on the pan. He takes pre-prepared bhaji, adds heaps of coriander and butter to it (which I love) and mixes it all up together. What comes off the pan is fabulous. It’s spicy…though not too much…just right. The pao is also heated on the pan with butter and oil and served piping hot.

Then of course came the eating bit. …I can still taste it. The various flavours just came together so harmoniously. There was a zing to it which I don’t think I have experienced in pao bhaji made by anyone else. Of course, we gobbled it up within minutes. :-)

Then came the Masala Pao. Now this fellow does Masala Pao differently. He doesn’t take the normal bhaji, dry it a bit and coat the pao with it, he doesn’t use the bhaji at all in fact. Instead, he uses garam masala, lal mirchi powder, coriander leaves and loads of butter on the pao and serves it as is. It’s a brilliant idea…because it works so well!!! It’s almost melt-in-the-mouth!

At 35 bucks a pop for Pao Bhaji, it’s a great meal.

All in all, a great experience. One that I’m sure will remain with me for a long time. Thank you T :-)

P.S. There was no craziness, no drama, no story with this outing…but believe you me, as we go along, the stories and the drama happen and just keep getting better. Both of us are drama magnets. Not a day goes by that something extraordinary doesn’t happen. Keep visiting…..