Surati Food : It’s not just a food, it’s an emotion!
Hello all,
What is a life without little little cute fights with near and dear ones? This little nok-jhok and bickering makes any relationship stronger. When I was a teenager, one of my father’s friend’s son and his wife used to meet us at different social gatherings. I used to adore them as a couple, and I still do. They usually would start a conversation, and in between, they would complain about each other’s habits, good and bad and sweetly start a cute fight. But there was an unspoken and unconditional love in those fights. I used to think a relationship should be like this. This is a different level of intimacy!
And our one such banter last Sunday led me to this blog. We argued about where we should go as I had no proper place to write down the blog. After a bit of silent treatment to Sheel, he made me understand that we are not going anywhere for the blog. The blog is there because we are going. And we went for Bhajiya in Dumas, Surat last Sunday… so here I am with this blog.
Our food is one of the most important parts of Surati people’s life! No, even after 14 years of marriage, in the matter of food, I am still Surati. After so many years, I have not found a single hotel or even Lari in Baroda that matches the taste of Surati Pav Bhaji and Pulao, especially Mahesh’s. So yes, I am a proud Surati in the matter of food! Every time I visit Surat, my first food is Khaman. My parents take Khaman for my sister in the USA, and she has it as soon as they start the car! That’s how our love for Khaman is. And I hope every Surati will agree on this. We have a khaman shop at every nook and corner. Locho is more famous than Khaman, but my first and last love and comfort food will be Khaman.
And don’t even get me started on Collegian Shing Bhel. It was the major stress reliever for Sheel and me during PG entrance exam days! You won’t find that taste in any green chutney. Surti Undhiyu is famous all over India, and you will get many recipes on that, but I still love my mom’s Undhiyu. It’s the best! What can I say about Mysore Masal Dosa? In Surat, you will get one of the best Mysore Dosa…
Surati Khaja and Surati Khari, Surati Nan-Khatai and Surati Ghari, you won’t find these delicacies anywhere in the world as delicious as you will eat in Surat. Dotiwala to Umrao and Jani to Ramji Damodar are famous shops; every Hurati knows these names. People tell themselves, Surati Lala, as they live for eating and love eating! You will see people walking down to Dumas and having tons of Deep fried Tameta Puri at Lashkari or Panchvati!
Sunday mornings worldwide may be laid-back time or extensive exercise time. But not for us! You will see lines and lines in front of all the Farsan shops. And that was our routine too! But my sister, being the younger and naughtier one, always had a condition that she would be sitting in the car (we can’t park on the road, of course! How responsible citizens we were!!) And I had to stand in a long long queue at Madhi ni Khamani. (Because that’s the only place where we can get relatively less spicy Khaman suitable for Papa.
And then comes December! The entire surat will have stalls with green, red, brown and yellow sev… yes! Four types of sev just for one type of Ponk! Here in Vadodara, we get routine yellow and Nimbu Mari sev. But are they enough for us, Surati? No no! We have one red chilly and one green garlic flavour in them. And from Ponk, I remember Ponk wada! Deep-fried fritters of ponk. The taste of Surati ponk wada is unmatchable.
You must be thinking that I am exaggerating. So what? Every city has their famous food. All Barodians will fight that we have our Sev Usal! Mumbai has Vada Paav. So what is so special about Surat?
It is.
It is because here, food is not just a food. It’s an emotion. We have food for every mood and every occasion. Late night Chowpaty juice centre at Athwa or Cold Cocoa at Chowk, Surati Idada, or Ganda kaka na Samosa. Famous Frankie or Sabu Dana Khichadi, we have street food of every kind.
All these things have been famous for ages, and they are still. But with newer generations coming, our Surat is also evolving! All my nieces and nephews, who are no longer kids, are now fans of Aloo Puri! And we have stalls of the same in every lane!
So this is the place where you will get everything for everyone! My kiddos, who were not a big fan of khaman, now want Locho as soon as we enter Surat. We usually decide on our menu a week before planning a trip to Surat. For every Surati, our food is special. we can be in any part of the world, but we miss food of our beloved city. You will not find any Surati, who is not a fan of Surati food.
Let’s celebrate this love and this passion because for us, our food is Pur emotion! So ensure people, whenever you visit Surat, don’t just end your trip without eating these drool-worthy dishes. And no, you won’t have to visit any special place for these. Take a stroll on any street, and you will get this and that without a dent in your pocket! I am sure you will defiantly thank me.
Here is my ode to Khaman which I wrote when I had cooked Khaman for the first time…
Khaman to Surati….
Khaman to Surati is like wind in the ocean
Like flicker in the candle
Khaman to Surati is like colors of bougainvillea
Like floral design in mehndi
Khaman to Surati is like Jay Vasavada’s spectrometer on Ravipurti
Like mask in corona pandemic
Khaman to Surati is like Amul ad during Ramayana
It is like folded pages and dried flowers in books
Khaman to surti is like ginger in tea
Like fragrance of lemon tree oil in Kerala shops
Khaman to Surati is like hashtag in Instagram,
like likes in Facebook
Khaman to Surati is like manja in patang
Like square drive in Sachin’s 100
Never came across a single Surati who doesn’t like it…
Never came a across a single Surati outside surat who doesn’t miss it..
Never came across a single shop in Baroda (or anywhere for that matter) who makes it like Surati….
For all suratis… for all khaman lovers…
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I miss Surat !!
😍😍 yes! That city is special..
Very very true dear,even my sil,who lives in nasik,,,misses surti food….like hello……
Of course. Tame pan to have Surati food na fan chho…
કાંસી નૂ મરન સૂરત નૂ જમન
So true!!