There are foodies. And then there is K. I have not seen anyone so driven by food. He would have had a full meal, and if he sees something delectable, he will have it - the full portion( not just taste) again. I prepare our lunches after finishing dinner. If the lunch is something that he likes, he will have a meal again. He tells me to hide food, so that he does not end up consuming them and feeling bad ( not guilty bad, physically sick).
Once in Paris, we were going through the Louvre. K had his mind on Shree Krishna Bhawan, which was half way across the city. He had given up on French cuisine cos duck and soups and breads wee not to his taste * rolls eyes*. To think about it half the works travels to Paris to eat precisely that. K has exacting standards. He wanted good food. He tried an Indian place which according to him was ' too gourmet and too fake'. So Shree Krishna Bhawan it was! We spent an hour traveling with a bored and tantrum throwing toddler in the pram. Had our food at the place ( which I agree was delicious - so much that we spent an hour eating). Trekked back to the Louvre. Only K had the stamina to walk through the corridors enjoying the museum on a full belly. I was beat.
It's not just Indian food he craves. He can write poems about bean baha chalupa, go to town at a carvery, stuff himself like an anaconda with Pad Thai noodles or sweet chilli tofu and dessimate grilled whole chickens. His love for food is legendary.
The day we were to return from India, K wanted to pay homage to the great Indian Street food. We made the trip to the place which hosts all sorts of them. He started with a plate of papri chaat, followed by aloo tikki chaat, then had pani puris ( countless). We were exhausted by then. K had to conquer momo s - all of them. The fried and the steamed versions. After plate full of them ( he was getting tired by now, since he had started offering us some). Down but not out. K had to wash all the food down with a glass of laasi. And he never says no to betel leaf. Lichie's new husband who was a spectator to K's super human capabilities was impressed and appalled at the same time. He confessed that he was a foodie too but K's passion was at a different level!
Last Saturday we hosted some friends at home. We had 15 people (which included kids). Thanks to K's estimating skills, we had food for at least 30 people. So the contest began between the remaining food for 15 and the remaining 3 hosts ( K, amma and I). With K on our side, the chances were 50-50. We persevered trying to tackle one dish per day. K came back from work the next day and had the paneer pakoda and onion pakoda. He said he was too full for anything more since he had had 3 pieces of each. When he saw us eating, he came back and asked for a heated aloo and onion paratha with kadhai paneer and chole. I asked him if he wanted Rasmalai and he said 'of course'.
Around 2100 I heard K groaning like a pregnant lady. He confessed he had too much. I asked him if he had kept the remaining Rasmalai in the fridge. Pointing at his stomach he said 'those babies are safe here'. I was aghast! There were 5 pieces! 5 huge pieces and this man who was saying he wouldn't eat any more after the fritters ate them all! I asked him how could he! And he said ' I thought if I was going down, I rather go down with glory! '
My salute to this marvel of a man!
