A Sandwich like no other

My Plating, inspired by countless hours of watching “Top Chef”

No other food conjures a more comprehensive set of variegates images, memories and smells then the innocuous Wada Pav. It is Western Maharashtra’s greatest contribution to the culinary discipline and perhaps the most fulfilling snack of the ever growing middle class.Helping Priya make a very unusual Christmas Eve dinner, I could not help but think of the infinite wada pav’s that I have golfed down and very few of those ever disappointed.She started with mashing boiled potatoes together with chopped green chillies, chopped garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander seed powder, fresh coriander and salt. Meanwhile I busied myself with making green chutney. I took a handful of garlic cloves, couple of green chillies a fistful of fresh mint and a bountiful of fresh coriander/cilantro (without them stems, of course) Salt to taste, and off the blender went, and all the ingredients came together as I blended in water. For the batter, there was complete agreement over the chickpea flour being peppered with even more turmeric, green chillies, a bother of Garam Masala along with salt and cumin seeds. The consistency of the batter matched that of boiled milk which would result in the thinnest of coatings.Hand made small rolled up balls of the potato mix were then rolled in the batter before being released in piping hot oil. We both knew that we were minutes away from the original hot pockets. I began slicing open dinner rolls and rubbing them over a hot pan lined with clarified butter until they were crisp.I placed the golden brown “wada” in between the bread on which I had already spread the green “chutney” and then waited exactly no time at all to bite into absolute heavenly hotness.What makes the Wada Pav so absolutely superb is that each bite comes with just a bucketful of memories. I am certain that whilst someone expressed their love over a wada pav, some one other surely must have been broken hearted while munching this snack. For me, it was breakfast, a cheap lunch, or sometimes a forced cheap dinner outside my hostel. I had one after writing a difficult exam or after playing the fool in the afternoons. We made plans for movies over wada pav or settled petty squabbles between the warring factions. It being a non judgmental snack is certain plus, as sometimes, amongst many times, you would eat the damn thing alone.Of course, versions differ. The one I described is perhaps the southern California version which even Lauren Conrad from The Hills would approve for her southern California frame. But the true wada pav experience usually involves refried wadas, ridiculously spicy red chutney, reused oil with Trans-fatty acids, green chillies fried and salted and bread surfed over wave of low quality butter. And as bad as that sounds, I assure you, the amalgamation of taste is unique and exquisite.Welcome to pleasures of being middle class.