VEGETABLE CUTLET Dear friends,
This is a nostalgic interestingepisode of vegetable cutlet with slight exaggeration for humour occurredrecently during my train travels by Bangalore Express to Bangalore and returnto Chennai. Hope a humorous reading. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 18-12-2011 Reposted on 15-3-2021 after editing and updating. R. Gopala Krishnan. 1. Effect of feeling fever and cough. I reminded my wife, about theexperiences in Satabdi express to Bangalore, giving one water bottle, newspaper,coffee and uppuma for the hefty chargecollected along with ticket charge withfree food. But she desired a 2ndtrial now with Bangalore express to Bangalore where though journey is in ACChair car, food had to be paid. Even when I was booking the ticket, she hadslight cough, I reminded of the AC. She said the cough syrup she would take without forgettingwould take care of. I desired, cough should stop sothat the journey could be pleasant. How can it be with daily head bath? Whenthe AC was switched on she started more cough and fever. I took from the bagthe sweater and the woollen cap for her. I was partially happy that the weightof the sweater goes from my luggage, but a little bit worried whether my paracetamolwould be alright. I found no medical shop inRailway station and took the available cough syrup from the Book shop availablein Chennai central running to it. I had to be back in coach within minutes. Reason- Though she assured she would not forget, forgot it and recollectedwhen our car was about to reach the railway station. After the train moved I desiredto take the curd rice (thair satham) packet from the bag as I was feelinghungry. Being not well she did not wantthair satham, and I said- OK you relax, I will have my thair satham. She started giving instructions howto consume thair satham in the AC coach. I kept quiet fully knowing it was dueto her irritation, I simply nodded my head. Finally she said- Do not take the ticket and keep in hand. Ticketexaminer will come to seat. 2. Bajji vada….. Contrary to my expectation,probably being well paid for the food items, the items started to come one byone from the pantry car attached in hot condition. I never knew so many vendorsare maintained by IRTC. Water bottle, biscuits, ice creams, thair satham,sambar satham, coffee and tea passed one by one. Some of the items repeating byanother vendor. Now one vendor appeared withmasalvadai and Vazhakkai bajji. The sweet smell of newly prepared vada andbajji was making me watery in tongue. But just then I completed the home madethair satham, and cut apple. Looking at me she said- Thereshould be control of stomach. Just now only you completed thair satham. I donot know how she read my mind or simply told. As the vendor passed three times,I felt, I should have my seat elsewhere so that without her knowledge I couldget them. There were vacant seats. 3. Milagai Bajji Uzhundu vadai, masal dosai… To my wonder the next vendor was coming withMilagai bajji. I think probably, it is easier to prepare vazhakkai bajji thanmulagai bajji. Or lengthy mulagai may be lesser in stock. Easy to prepare and more available items would first come from dining cars as once told me thelate elder brother retired fromRailway in charge of pantry carcaterings. It was about 3.30 PM two hoursafter train started from Chennai. My wife woke up from her fever sleep andsaid- Get me Mulagaibajji and tea. I feel hungry. Thinking I should not worry about homemadethairsatham, she added- It may foul smell now. We would through it. I did not understand the philosophy of the best thair satham before twohours would get contaminated within 2 hours. I was sure she was for Mulagai bajji and itssmell has attracted her to have it. She again instructed - you cantake a single bajji or vadai- and separate tea. I was not in dilemma- EitherBajji or vadai, some thing. Something is better than nothing. I ordered twoplates so that out of three bajjis or vadais, I could take two. 4. Cutlet, cultlet vegetable cutlet My brother’s information now came to me. Being full with coffee andvadai, even I could not order cutlet. While I was thinking on the lines- my wife said- We could have gotcutlet. The family next to us morefamiliar to Bangalore express serving, waited for cutlet and got three plates including for their kids. Theslightly hot ketch up was served and what to say – Cutlet smell was attractingme like anything. I desired after one hour again heshould come through, but it never occurred. All cutlets gotsold in the first trip itself. I found again- Masal dosai, vazakkaibajji rounding. Now I understood, either they are more prepared or freshprepared or not so moving. I kept the memories of vegetable cut let and gotdown at Bangalore city railway station. 5. Pongal. Masal vadai…. After ten days I was in my returntrip in the same Bangalore express- Now from Bangalore and in the morning. After usual water bottle and tea, Masal vadaivendor appeared. I thought in mind- Now it cannotdefeat me. I am notfor masal vadai and keeping its bits in teeth gap. After some time anothervendor passed through announcing Iddali- Ulundu vadai. I did not felt for anyinstructions. I purchased two aluminium foil packets and immediately openedwith water bottle keeping aside. After coffee, I was happy with the enjoyment of iddali vadai.Being waked up early morning I was little sleepy. I specifically told daughter,coffee is enough in the early morning. 6. Bajji, masal dosai, pongal vadai…. The sound of vendors announcingBajji, masal dosai and pongal vadai had no attraction to me. As usual therewere vazhakkai bajji and Mulagai bajji 7. Vegetable cutlet… hot vegetable cutlet I practically got up from theseat on hearing the words of the vendor. I was little bit apprehendwhether he may exhaust before reaching me. More people were taking and thevendor least bothered other than a smile seeing my standing pose. Normally my apprehensionappear correct. My wife commented- It appears cutlets are hot and I too likeit. In the mean while coffee fellow came to me. I took coffee in advance totake along with cutlet. Finally the cutlet fellow came tomy seat…. I ordered two plates. He was having three and a broken one. He gave me as free gift the brokenone and collected the money for a single plate. He saidif available he would come again from the pantry car with it. In fact I felt charging was moderate.Rs 20-00 for three good size cutlets. Hotels we may have to pay at leastRs30-00 to 40-00. As expected my wife said- Theseare very hot. You takethe free bit and one more. Iasked if the 2nd plate arrive in the mean while. After tasting hotcutlet she said- It tastes very good. We would take that also. I ate the free bit, my singlecutlet bit by bit zipping coffee waiting for the vendor. I finished the fullcut let also, coffee got exhausted, it was sure CUTLET is exhausted from dining car also. With good memories of the cutletI got down in Chennai. My wife said- Bangalore express is good- We get goodfood items and in variety. I asked - No more sathabdi andrushing to railway station in the early morning 6 AM waking up at 3 AM? SheOkayed half minded. I am thinking now of my nextBagdad express trip to Bangalore and full plate of vegetable cutlet leavingbehind all masal vadai and vazahkkai bajji. Update= with covid 19 trains were not running for months. About twomonths back the trains have started again. From IRTC food items packedin plastic tin sealed only available with in train. Cold items. Most purchase the available hot pongal,dosai, iddali vada from the Adyar Ananda bhavan stall in Chennai paying highcharges. At Bangalore only IRTC approved stall. Cutlet appear cold brought byvendors in some stations. He finish sales within 2 minutes, before the train leaves. Similarly hot iddali vadai in some stations.We have to catch them.. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/792486544.741503.1615791760688%40mail.yahoo.com.
