Yes, ‘Manoharam’—of rice flour, urad dal, and jaggery. You may find it difficult to break this ball with your teeth, but having done so, you are sure to forget the toil and relish its taste. Must be a favorite for many. Chapathi-shaped ‘Poli’ with maida, channa dal, coconut, and jaggery, with ghee poured on it liberally. Hmm…

When I was in the typewriting institute, I got an acquaintance—I for once don’t remember how—who used to stay in a hotel opposite. Once, he took me to its restaurant and got me ‘Paal Peni.’ You pour milk liberally on the thin, crisp, brittle noodle-shaped ‘peni,’ add sugar, break it into smaller pieces, let it soak for some time, and eat. This used to be a great favorite of mine for a long time. Even in the recent past, we had ordered this. A cousin of this, similar tasting but differently shaped, is the Bangalore famous ‘Chirotti.’ After my marriage, my wife and I had been to Bangalore to be with my wife’s sister’s family. That is when I got introduced to this addictive sweet. It is poori-shaped, bulging with nothing inside, crisp, and again poured with badam milk—milk mixed with almond powder—and with an effortless boxing-like tap on the poori, break it into pieces, soak, mix, and eat. Some like to eat it crisp. For over two decades, I could not find it in any hotel in Chennai. Once, I happened to mention this to one of my younger son's friends who happens to be from Karnataka. He, being a Madhwa, got it from one of their Mandals. Not one or two, a huge sack full of them. We must have consumed this over a period of a week after liberally ‘donating’ to others. Now I recall. During this boy's housewarming ceremony, this dish had been served. I totally had forgotten that. That is how I happened to ask him. I never ask him for this ‘chirotti’ nowadays. Who knows? He may fill my entire house with this!

I have to mention the poor man’s sweet. In whichever direction you go, whatever petty shop it might be, you are sure to find this. Peanut cakes! Made with sugar or jaggery and nowadays with the healthier palm sugar. Healthy, cheap, or cheaper to be more precise, tasty. And have you heard of the Chennai-famous ‘Kamarkat’? When I used to go to school with my friend, there was a petty shop near the bus stop. And that is where my friend got me this ‘kamarkat’ for the first time. Made of coconut and filled supposedly with honey, though I think it was just sugar syrup. Tasty indeed. Chennai’s hallmark. This simple, cheap sweet had vanished for quite a few years from the city. Of late, it had made an appearance in a bit of modified form. Not so cheap now. But quite tasty.

When I was in Delhi, we used to make what is called ‘Gur ka sev,’ i.e., ‘sev made with jaggery.’ I loved this. In Delhi, there was a sort of tradition. Families would take dough, sugar, and other ingredients to a bakery, get biscuits of their choice baked, and store them in big tins. This may last for even six months. Similarly, my mother would prepare ‘gur ka sev’ and keep it in tins. But during that period, an aunt of my mother was staying with us. An old widow who has helped us in times of need. She would be strict and ration out to everyone. We would get only half a fistful but eagerly await every day the time when this would be distributed. I have searched every sweet shop now and could not find this simple sweet.

Having been in Delhi, we had also been exposed to the UP ‘Petha,’ a sweet made with white pumpkin and literally dipped in sugar syrup. When you ate it, sugar syrup would literally be squeezed out of the sweet into your mouth. Tasty but never a great favorite.

And what about savories?

Continued in 299. Bud Bugs - Part 5