Today was a historic day for Bengal and Bengalis. The day when Mamata Banerjee, or Didi as she is known, won the Municipal Elections in Kolkata. This was the first defeat for the CPI (M) or the Reds in more than twenty years. For those of us who lived in Calcutta in the 80s and 90s, and left because ‘life was stuck in second gear’, this seemed as impossible as the fall of the Berlin Wall.
(Photo credit: MSN)
This was also a day when I finally had my first phuchka in Mumbai after more than a decade here. A “Biktori oph the peepool, phor the peepul and bai the peepul” as Didi said.
It all started when Irin put up the news about Hangla, the harbingers of rolls and biriyanis in Mumbai, serving rolls. I wasn’t too sure if the Bandra outlet served rolls. Irin called and found out that they did. I was given the job of finding out the truth. Couldn’t say no to Irin so I set off with a search party. A fellow Bengali who too has spent time in Calcutta and a Kashmiri Mumbaikar.
We went to Hangla at Bandra. Were told that the phuchka shop was ‘Shopper’s Stopp’er shaamne’ (in front of Shoppers). Couldn’t find it. Came back. Mohan, in the red shirt took us. There it was. Right in front of Bandra Shoppers Stop, beside the bus stop and the cigarette shop. Diagonally opposite the Hangla Roll Shop.
We ordered phuchkas and gave our specifications… ‘ extra kaacha lonka’ (green chilly).
The Mumbaikar in our group asked for mitha (sweet) water and was sternly told that ‘Phuchkas don’t have sweet water’. Nor do they have moong sprouts, boondi, onions and tomatoes. They are not Paani Puris. They are not gol gappas.
There was lust in our eyes as we saw the phuchkas getting made. The first bite was sheer joy. An emotional moments for us two Calcuttans.
For me it was a flashback moment with images of my maid buying my first phuchkas on Dhakuria Bridge, 12 for Rs 1, when I was eight. Having phuchka outside the Presidency Gate after years with the girls in my class. Throwing my mom’s reservations away. Hogging on the Lindsay Street Phuchkas during my first trips back to Calcutta with one of my best friends from College who’d returned from the UK. Introducing the newly wed Kainaz to phuchkas at Lindsay Street. Seeing her fall in love with it. Years later two of us popping phuchkas before Dolly’s at Dakshinapan. And my mother leaving her phuchka and girlfriend reservations behind sneaking phuchkas with her son and daughter in law.
Then the tasting begun as the sepia settled.
Our verdict: there but not quite there yet. Needed a bit more salt. The tamarind water needed to be a bit more sour. The phuchka shell needs some work on. The oil tasted a bit awry. Probably lacked the honest sweat and snot (sic) of the Bihari and UPite phuchkawallahs of Calcutta. But all said and done, the phuchkas at Hangla brought alive fond memories and showed promise.
As Didi enigmatically said on TV “workaars can be leedaars too”.
This is what Arnab had to say on the Finely Chopped Facebook page after sampling phuchkas at Lokhandwala Hanglas this evening.
Arnab Chakraborty nah,hangla’r phuchka jomlo na :/ 5/10
i guess notun shuru korechhey,aaste aaste better hobe. maalik ke kichhu useful tip diye elaam (Not entirely there yet. 5/10. Guess they are new. I gave them some useful tips)
We followed the phuchkas up with ‘choor moor’, the dry mix of crushed phuchka shells, masala, potato and tamarind water. Generations of pony tailed school girls in Calcutta have grown up on this.
Oops, who put that photo there ???!!!
And then the police van came and did what the police do world over. They took the phuchka cart away. Something I had seen happen at Istanbul too to the earnest young man who was sending film posters on the streets of Istiklal Cadesi. Anyway the guys at Hangla reassured me that they would get their cart back.
So off we went to CBTL to celebrate the discovery of the Penultimate Phuchka with Ulitmate Mocha.
Note: This is not a blog about politics. The observations on Mamata Banerjee were light hearted so please don’t become too Bengali and get into a debate about her and her politics. Instead let’s celebrate the entry of phuchkas into Mumbai.
For the factually inclined, a plate of phuchkas with 6 phuchkas is Rs 20 (0.5) USD. Ditto for choor moor. The stall opens post 5 PM
To see the interest aroused by phuchkas amongst Bongs, look at the responses on Irin’s page. 43 and counting!!!
Irin Chatterjee Hanglas is now selling authentic kolkata fuchka. Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
Pratyush: yes, it should be so.though i’m yet to try it out.
@sasha n ginidi: amar ek bondhu amake daitto niye notun notun exotic ranna sekhachche…dabba gosht was the first one…oshadharon khete…tomader jonne recipe gulo post korbo bhabchi…next in line is nihari…
Kalyan, how do you think we can find out whether it’s available at the bandra outlet? they don’t have any contact number? or do they? can you use your contacts to get this info pleaaseeeee.
Now its with fuchka! Kothai eyi Hangla bhodrolok?
I like Calcutta Club. The food is more like home food…luchi, chholar daal, kosha mangsho, bhetki patoori, khir patishapta, mochar ghonto recommended
Is this Puchkawala still around?