Talai vaazhai ilai poattu...

H, S and J were my first friends in Mumbai and thanks to facebook and SMSes have been in touch with all of them.

H called me last week after almost three years. "Come for lunch on Sunday, ela saappadu!". My first question was, "What's the occasion? Gruhapravesham? son's birthday? Appa's Shashtiabdapoorthy?" "No occasion, just land up at 11.30!" he said.

B and I promptly landed up at 12 . H and his lovely wife S greeted us and the strong vengaya sambhar manam welcomed us. H mentioned that everytime he'd call his folks in Madras they were busy attending some kalyanam, nischayathartam etc. to have ela saapadu. We folks in Bombay hardly enjoy this privilege. One ends up travelling to the distant suburbs of Vashi, Thane yearning for Ela saapadu in attendance-compulsory-family-dos and the food comes at a price... answering umpteen relatives' boring questions which are as predictable and boring as 'Tiraiulaga Kalai nigazhchis' in Sun, Kalaignar TV etc.

So, H decided to call all his friends and organize an ela saapadu lunch."Who needs an occasion for ela saapadu?" So true. Why wait for a wedding, kaadu kutthal, gruhapravesham to have namma ooru saapadu?

Yesterday's menu was - Rice, paruppu, moar kozhambu, arachu vitta onion sambhar, rasam, urulai curry, koottu, beans, moar, aviyal, vadai, paal payasam and ofcourse nei. The quality of any tamizh meals can be judged instantly by the paal payasam that is served on your banana leaf, first. It has to be creamy, thick and not white but beige-ish in colour. Yesterday's payasam passed this test and was soo yummy that I had to miss my favourite thayir saadam to have an extra helping of paayasam. The lunch was extraordinary!

We were around 20 of us and there was complete silence after the first pandhi. None of us could get up and everyone waited for someone to help them get up. I was soooo full that I couldn't manage a pic from the cellphone. The image above is courtesy this blog .

Have promised H and S that very soon we shall have the next party. Where's the party? Vennpongal, vadai, idli, masala dosai, chutnies, sambar-oda party at my place. Can't wait!