What’s Cooking ?

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The college canteen does not do lunches normally. It is a small set up(every year there is talk of expansion).Oh well, now it has moved out of an unused wood shed…. The peak hours are devoted to making all types of oily junk food that the students thrive on. Chow mien smothered in ludicrous coloured sauces, samosas , egg chop(potato covered boiled egg and deep fried), ghugni ( a type of pea curry) ,sweets and deep fried savouries. Towards the late afternoon, the teachers make their way there. The menu goes through a drastic change. Cups of unsweetened tea and dry rotis with the vegetable of the day. The veggie dish can be anything and in any mix.Though usually it is tasty , sometimes the combination sounds too unbelievable and then we just say,”Make us an omlette instead”. But there are days when lunch has to be made. Like college election days, practical examination days , workshops, seminars and so on. These are whole day affairs and there is a lunch break. The canteen boy, sets up his temporary kitchen outside. Firewood is a plenty .Lots of waste wood from constructions going on and tree branches which the electricity people come and lop off when they go near the wires. The big vessels are dragged out from storage. A temporary helper hired. And , a tasty lunch for all. I particularly like the wood fire taste which can’t be got on a gas burner. photo: Mine during a lunch at college