Nurungukal…

    The other day while glancing through the Yu tube, I came across a pair’s innovative style of selling sherbet, a favorite drink of the Keralites during summer. They have given a fancy name to their not so popular recipe, kutam kalakki and mola sherbet. When one is served in an earthen pitcher the other in a piece of bamboo, attractively chiseled and polished. To give a Midas touch, they ventured to mix all and sundry spices, mangoes etc. and claimed it as a wonder drink !!.

       This reminded me of the taste of a drink served when the thatching of the third floor of our house(ullendemukal ) is finished during every summer. It is commonly known as panakam, basically a concoction of jaggory (karippetti ), ginger and coconut scaling in water. Tastes well when served in palm leaf kumbil. We used to wait patiently to grab our share till the last leaf is fixed and the coconut is broken. It’s a wait, from the previous day when the old and brittle leaves are removed from the roof, usually carried out on a full moon day, and a sound slumber looking at the glittering sky and the cascading moon through the bamboo frame, while our mother in her husky voice unravel the puranas, in her own inimitable style.

        Over the years sherbet has acquired a special position among others. It is a common man’s delicacy, freely available as you wish for it, at any nook and corner, claiming reasonable consistency in taste and quantity and economical in terms of utility. These are some of the plus ticks I prefer. Like any other product, sherbet has also undergone changes in many ways. Kulukki sherbet is one such.You may ask me a Shakespearean question “what is in a name?” Once you see the process of fixing it, you will be convinced. Similarly in the case of the two drinks mentioned earlier, their distinct identity is hidden in their names.

                 There is a shops in Kozhikode where people line up for hours to enjoy a sherbet, even during rainy days. Patrons queue up there, just to enjoy the exclusive taste. The legacy of it was set by the father is now carried forward by the son in a greater magnitude. Another such drink which has hit the market is the sugar cane juice. As you navigate through the national highways, at critical intervals you can hear the metallic sound of a motor, squeezing rolls of sugar cane, pieces of lemon and ginger. A pair of hands will be busy in inserting the cane sticks through the roller umpteen times to squeeze out even the last drop of juice and  serving the lemony juice to satiate the thirst of the patiently waiting customers. When electrical energy is used here to operate the machine, I was told that in Poona –Mumbai high way there are many ox driven chucks for extracting the juice.. This traditional system while ensuring zero pollution also provides the waiting public a chance to enjoy witnessing the rhythm of the churning process.

                  During my journey to distant places, a break to taste a hot tea and a short intimacy with the shopper, used to provide me with an intense feeling of togetherness and refreshment. Perhaps such bits of exchanges to have a peep into their pathos and struggle gave me immense satisfaction much more  than what I used to enjoy, behind the wheels, while wading through the vast landscape.

                 On the Ooty road there is a small tea shop run by an old couple. It is a must stop for us. A cup of hot tea along with a double egg omelette and a gossip with them nourish me than a five course dinner from a star hotel. To be frank, such relationships always facilitate me to resonate with divinity, because I feel the ‘x’ factor in their existence and efforts. Unknowingly they permeate or reflect a feel of happiness and contentment to others. I have come across with many such relief spots, which have over the years earned a special tag and patronage. Another one that comes to my mind is the breakfast stop, on the way to Thirunelli temple. They serve you hot idlis and sambar under a thatched shed. The unniyappam , which they sell in great numbers daily, have found an entry in some book of records. Deep fried in pure homemade coconut oil, their appams are simply a delicacy. I always used to wonder how they are able to maintain such consistent parameters of their products. May be the result of high standards of ethics they adhere to in the production chain. Not only at the roadside, very often we used to enjoy a traditional drink from some of our friend’s house also. One such drink that I always relished is the tharikanhi, a delicacy served during Ramzan days. Especially the one fondly offered by the ummuma of my college mate which had a very special taste and satiating level. Similarly the best ever filter coffee I enjoyed is the one prepared by the maamy of my Brahmin friend.

              Yes, my culinary tastes are deeply imbibed in a traditional upbringing. Being a gourmet of ethnic style, I am a sure misfit in a modern cafeteria. Yet I am proud of my preferences…..!!