The Tossed Salad

The aloo ka parantha melts in your mouth, quite like the pool of melted butter on top of it. No need to chew, no need to bite – just savor the taste. And if you get a bowl of dahi along with it, nothing like it. It’s an ideology that’s pet with these dhabawallas lining the shoulder of the National Hhighway 1 – to be content with bare minimum. But then, who’s complaining?!

Earlier, these highway Dhabas, were confined to the palette of the average north Indian, but now, you see them diversifying to include South Indian, fast food and of course, the Indian-Chinese. Business is bigger and better, as traffic along this corridor has increased manifold in the recent past. Stopping at one such dhaba on my way from Chandigarh to Delhi, called ‘Viru di Hatti’, was indeed a holistic and enlightening experience. The dhabawalla was a big, round jovial man, who seemed to have consumed the lion’s share of paranthas from his dhaba.

Mr. Viru in all his loud enthusiasm, told me about his seemingly booming business as well as the secret behind the lip-smacking lassi (a visit to the nearest gym is recommended, given the fact that the very lassi is prepared from 100% fat milk!!). Such was his prosperity that he claimed for huge food marts, along the same highway, of not having made a dent in his business whatsoever. This, since they happened to be slightly more commercial and served food of questionable price and quality, than his business. Yet, they hardly prove to be competition for Mr. Viru – he didn’t compromise on either and I testify.

Anyway, should you find yourself in this stretch, famished or not, in one of your trips, do try out the mixed Vegetable made in these dhabas – it’s worth the stop! The rajma-chawal is a very good bet and the lassi is heavenly.
But if you ask me what I eat around here, far from the madding crowd, I would say it’s the Aloo ka Parantha!

PS: Forgot to click the dhaba, so this one’s just to give a rough idea to the ones who don’t know what a highway dhaba looks like.

Akashi Kaul

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[image courtesy: http://flic.kr/p/789fLw]

Author: Akashi Kaul
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