ByAKSHAR PEERBHOY
Director, Operations, MAA Communications
So they eat dogs in some parts of our world... Unlike goat, fish and birds and whatever else we tend to consume as food, we call dog man’s best friend. But sure, in some societies, dog meat is just another food. It’s that simple.
Fly to China and it’s incredible what they actually consider food. While I haven’t had the honour of experiencing that great country, I have been close. Hong Kong, an amazing city and every bit worth its reputation, has the variety of food that I imagine is comparable to what one finds in China.
Walk down the back streets of Hong Kong and prepare for a feast of smells that will give your senses a jolt. Not all of them are pleasant; some are so overwhelming that you hold your nose as you walk through. But if you’re a foodie, then Hong Kong is a place you must visit.
Walking down King Street in Causeway Bay area (called New Hong Kong), where my hotel was located, the city seemed like another tourist destination with many Americans, Indians and Europeans wandering about from store to store, looking for great bargains. But as soon as the sun set, the ordinary street with ordinary shops morphed into a world filled with life and lights. From the buzzing street markets to the food stalls spread all over, it was incredible to see how fast it went from a buzzy trafficfilled road to a flea market carnival of sorts.
Around every corner, I was surprised at the variety of food I found – duck and pork were the most visible, but goose, eel, octopus and turtle too were as common as terrible roads in our country. While dim-sums seem to be the favourite of the locals, eel, octopus and goose are among the top-sellers, said one of the food stall-owners in the little English that he could muster.
Can you imagine sliding a piece of black, slimy, slithery eel - either steamed or fried and served with a side sauce and noodles - into your mouth? And not to win a test on a Fear Factor episode, mind you, in which you may consider doing things like this for a grand prize!
At times like these, seeing the familiar golden arches of McDonald’s makes you really thankful for the multibillion-dollar fast food industry of the developed world. Two double cheese burgers, a large fries and Coke later, as I walked back to my hotel, my mind wandered to the street food of our beloved India.
Each part of our country has its own unique ‘rasta’ food. I don’t think I have met anyone in India who doesn’t like chaat. From aloo tikki to paani puri and bhel - spicy, sweet and hot flavours are blended to perfection and served as the tastiest treats. It made my mouth water just to think of them.
But why just chaat, kathi rolls, street noodles, sandwiches, samosas, kachoris, bread and omelettes - I could go on and on about India’s street food.
I was to fly back to Bangalore the next day. I couldn’t wait to have a nice home-cooked meal of rice, dal and mutton curry. There really is no place like home. More importantly, there really is no place like India.
Recently, I visited Indore for the first time. This city, apart from being historic and amazingly surreal, has the best street food business. Although mostly vegetarian, you can eat a variety of food that truly defines the word ‘yum’!
Feedback: akshar_p@maa.co.in
