1. 17 / My Food Habits
Friends, I had mentioned in my school days that English was introduced for the first time in
5th standard. Nowadays, students of 3 years are able to write ABC. We had to cover the
syllabus ranging from ABC, reading English text books, reciting poems, and answer text book
questions etc. It was an uphill task to comply in one year considering that most of the students
had not even learned ABC prior to admission in 5th Standard. Obviously we used so many
words without knowing the exact meaning. One such word was ‘food’. May be after 3-4
months of learning English, I found the meaning of the word ‘food’ by referring the
dictionary.
Friends, society can be divided into various groups and sub-groups depending on various
parameters such as age, caste, religion, education, sex, wealth etc. etc. Society can be divided
based on role of ‘food’ in their Life. I am not joking. Don’t get confused. Based on ‘Food’,
society can be divided in to following categories namely those (i) Who Live to Eat (ii) Who
Eat to Live (iii) Who do not get enough Food (iv) Who get Enough Food but waste the same.
(v) Who get Enough food and are aware about poverty in the country.
Friends, I belonged to categories ii & v. Which class do you belong to?
Now let me turn to the subject proper.
I was born in a middle class Hindu Brahmin family. Hence, by birth I was a vegetarian. In fact
God has made our body best suited for vegetarian food and hence eating non-veg. is not
conducive for good health.
The word ‘habit’ has acquired glamour in recent times. Those days, there was no room for
such words. Incidentally let me share the secret that inter personal relationship to a very
large extent depends on your ‘habits’ if you take ‘macro’ meaning of the word.
We were happy with whatever food offered to us by our parents. We ate all types of
vegetables and preparations done by our beloved mother. However, I was bit fussy about
cooked onion being used in the vegetables or in the Dal. There was no problem with eating
raw onion but I was not comfortable with the very sight of cooked onion swimming on top of
the vegetable or Dal. I had no problem of onion nicely chopped and dissolved in oil. However
I had no guts to refuse due to fear of my father. He was very strict in such matters. Once I told
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my mother about it. She confessed that most of the time it is not possible to chop the onion
finely due to paucity of time. She had to cook food for about 8 people in the house. Guests
used to pour in our house regularly. Hence, she had to spend most of her time in the kitchen.
Having understood her plight, I never grumbled in future. She also tried her level best to
avoid the use of onion wherever possible.
My favourite food in the childhood was Rice and thick Dal. Potato bhaji was a bonus.
Saturday I had to attend school in the morning. I used to come home by 11.30 am. My mother
used to cook special rice and thick Dal, especially for me. After marriage, my wife also
pampered me with this menu. What an easy way to conquer a man? The road towards ‘Love’
goes via ‘Stomach’. Isn’t it?
Sabudana Khichadi and potato vada was another favourite dish. I still remember the taste of
these items served in our school canteen. My father used to give 50 Ps. as pocket money on
every Saturday. I would spend that amount for these two items. Of course, My mother would
also cook Sabudana Khichadi on ‘Sankasthi Chaturthi’ every month or on Sunday evening.
I am also fond of ‘Hot Chapattis’. My mother had obliged all of us with hot chapattis. We
used to take our lunch or dinner one by one in quick succession and hence every one had
enjoyed hot chapattis. My beloved wife has happily continued my habit till date. Thank you
Mom & Sumitra. Two sweet words to conquer a lady.
These were the memories till the age of 11 years. We then shifted to newly constructed
building. My father’s health was also getting worst day by day. My mother used to be under
tension most of the times. She also suffered from serious asthma attack once. My father hired
the services of a lady cook. My Mother soon recovered but could not continue with the same
zeal to satisfy our tastes all the time. I understood this situation more than any one else in
the house.
My Father was advised to consume egg every week. It was really a tough job to get rid off the
egg shells. My mother was worried about the reaction of other residents in the building.
Brahmins were not supposed to eat non-veg. food. Friends, you must have guessed rightly
by now. I had tasted egg in my childhood and let me admit that I enjoyed the taste. During
1971 onwards, it was my main food due to paucity of time. My problem of Piles got
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aggravated due to this but I had no choice. Ready food items like Oats/corn flakes etc. were
not available at that time.
My elder brother had tasted non-veg. food. After passing Inter CA in June 1973, he took me to
a hotel at Lamington Road for a non-Veg. treat. First time in my life, I tasted Chicken Leg
Masala. It was the flagship dish of that hotel. I liked the dish immensely. Thereafter we
regularly visited that hotel. Friends, let me tell you that I was getting the stipend of Rs. 45/-
pm during CA Articleship days but I could enjoy the luxury of non-veg. on one or two days in
a month.
Therafter, I made further progress in the direction. I also tasted sea food. I searched various
joints for eating non-veg. One such joint was ‘Hotel Delhi Darbar’. The hotel was famous for
Chicken Biryani. Hotel Gomantak was famous for sea food. You would read about the hotel
in another article ‘My Health’. During outstation visits, I enjoyed non-veg at Baroda, Poona,
Delhi and Chennai etc. I also remember having regularly tasted ‘Mutton Kababs’ at Girgaon
Chowpatty, followed by Maghai pan. During college days, we had celebrated our exam
success with Omlette party in an Irani restaurant at Chowpatty. For Veg food I had visited
‘Thakkar hotel’ at Marine Lines over 100 times in those days.
I joined Crompton Greaves in June 1975 and my tongue could taste non-veg. preparations of
our canteen. Highly trained cooks were in company employment. The cost of lunch those days
was Rs.50/-. The food was subsidised to staff for a coupon of Rs.1/-. I still remember the taste
of that lunch. This luxury soon ended in 1978 as our department was shifted from Kanjur
Marg to Fort. I once again moved to my favourite dish of Rice and Dal.
I left Crompton Greaves Ltd and joined Indu Nissan Oxo- Chemical Industries ltd. in February
1981 as Financial Controller. Our office was situated next to Balawas Restaurant, New Marine
Lines. 4 Star Hotel West End was just 100 feet away. No wonder, I enjoyed my food and
office work simultaneously. I remember having enjoyed buffet lunch/sizzlers with Japanese
Engineers at hotel West End on regular basis. I was so much in love with that hotel that
I organized my marriage reception / lunch in that hotel on 11-05-1984.
‘Hotel Pritam’ at Dadar was also favourite joint when I was staying at Wadala. ‘Tomato Fish’
was fabulous, followed by Kiss me Quick Ice Cream. (Combination of Jelly, fresh fruit salad
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and ice cream) It was an up hill task to consume it on a full stomach.
Bloody Mary was my favourite drink. I also enjoyed Teachers brand whisky. Sorry Teachers.
I have already given a detailed account of my ‘drinking habits’ in a separate Article - ‘My Bad
Habits’. What an outspoken attitude of openly writing on bad habits?
I shifted to Borivali in January 1983. I tried all hotels in Borivali and finally settled down on
‘Hotel Leisure Point’ situated near the railway station. I was regular visitor to the hotel atleast
once a month. I was given red carpet welcome. They knew my preferences and likes. It is a
wonderful experience. This also displays my ‘Loyalty’. This quality has practically
disappeared.
Incidentally let me share few words on ‘Loyalty.’ I was loyal to my employers. I did not
jump from one company to another company for sake of money. I joined CG and became
master in Management Accounts. I joined INOCIL for getting Project Execution experience.
I left the company after project was executed in time and on commencement of commercial
production. Subsequently I joined Superphone to get the experience of a running company.
I improved the financial condition of the company within a small period of 2 years. I left the
company as it was to be shifted to Poona. The MD had sold off the Kandivali Premises.
I started my CA practice from June 1985. I continued with most of the clients for over 10-15
years. In fact I left my clients one by one from 1995 as a part of retirement strategy. I did
survey work for over 10 years. Offered my services as paper examiner for about 20 years. I had
continued my Tailor from school days till he shifted out of Mumbai in 1990. I have now settled
on another Tailor in Borivali since then.
I purchased almost all electronic equipments from one shop since 1984 namely Gala
Electronics. Well let me not bore you with my Loyalty list. I am probably saying this after I
have driven you to boredom.
However I have changed my lifestyle after Stress Test in April 1994.
Let me just summarise the food I like.
Food I like (not necessarily I eat this often): Chicken Masala, Egg curry, Fried fish, Rice &
Plain Dal, potato-bhaji, Kheer, potato vada, potato pakoda, Sabudana Khichadi, Puranpoli,
Infact, I eat all sorts of food.
My wife is a great Chef. Thank you GOD~~~~!!!!! Or shall I say ‘Thank God’.
