Nostalgic flavours
It takes one to step out onto foreign shores to realize the importance of insignificant things like ‘kaddi patta’ – fresh curry leaves for those who pride in mastering culinary skills with the help of Madhu Jaffery’s adroit recipes. Life seemed to lack flavour as did the ‘kaddis’ and ‘sambars’ with the absence of this botanical marvel.
Excercising in the apartment gym we happened to meet an Indian brethren. Pleasantries were exchanged and the Rana hospitality extended to him. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedebad and hailing from the land of ‘sambar’, our new found friend had been working in Jakarta for a little less than a year. We hung on to every word that our erudite countryman spoke over the evening, as he filled us in with information absolutely critical for any Indian family residing in Jakarta. I could not believe my luck (and my ears) when our saviour suddenly popped the question – “And do you know where to get ‘kaddi patta’?”
“Where?” cried both of us in unison now perched at the edge of our seats, our voices brimming with excitement.
“Well,” he unraveled, “you know the apartment nursery behind the tennis court” – we nodded - anticipation writ large on our faces – “the third pot on the right is a ‘kaddi patta’ plant. The gardener leaves at 7 pm so make sure you go there only once he leaves. Removing a little twig will do the plant no harm.” We nodded in agreement. “Sangeeta,” he said sizing me up, “your hands may be too short to reach the plant from the locked gate – so it will have to be Pratap.” I nodded suddenly noticing for the first time the length of Pratap’s arm.
Was I impressed! I knew these lads from IIMA were an enterprising bunch! But this was way out! My opinion about them had suddenly taken on gigantic proportions. I now hold them in even higher esteem than I had ever before. Enterprising - and how!
The next time you see Pratap prowling clandestinely around the tennis court or between the nursery flowerpots – be rest assured that there is ‘kaddi’ to be cooked in the Rana kitchen.
Excercising in the apartment gym we happened to meet an Indian brethren. Pleasantries were exchanged and the Rana hospitality extended to him. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedebad and hailing from the land of ‘sambar’, our new found friend had been working in Jakarta for a little less than a year. We hung on to every word that our erudite countryman spoke over the evening, as he filled us in with information absolutely critical for any Indian family residing in Jakarta. I could not believe my luck (and my ears) when our saviour suddenly popped the question – “And do you know where to get ‘kaddi patta’?”
“Where?” cried both of us in unison now perched at the edge of our seats, our voices brimming with excitement.
“Well,” he unraveled, “you know the apartment nursery behind the tennis court” – we nodded - anticipation writ large on our faces – “the third pot on the right is a ‘kaddi patta’ plant. The gardener leaves at 7 pm so make sure you go there only once he leaves. Removing a little twig will do the plant no harm.” We nodded in agreement. “Sangeeta,” he said sizing me up, “your hands may be too short to reach the plant from the locked gate – so it will have to be Pratap.” I nodded suddenly noticing for the first time the length of Pratap’s arm.
Was I impressed! I knew these lads from IIMA were an enterprising bunch! But this was way out! My opinion about them had suddenly taken on gigantic proportions. I now hold them in even higher esteem than I had ever before. Enterprising - and how!
The next time you see Pratap prowling clandestinely around the tennis court or between the nursery flowerpots – be rest assured that there is ‘kaddi’ to be cooked in the Rana kitchen.
posted by Sangeeta Rana at 11:23 AM
17 Comments:
Missing the flavours of 'Home'. But hey Jakarta is full of surprises! Read on - just a little footnote here: that evening we polished of almost a litre of Scotch. Great fun while the evening lasted, but one mother of a hangover when it ended!
Went thru all the mail. The PC is, as usual, hilarious.
Aniruddha Deshpande, Singapore/18 Feb'05:
Pratap, while you had mentioned this one to me before... it was hilarious to see it written up. Sangeeta dishes out amazing narratives.....she shud seriously start compiling some of this. I was in splits....the picture in my head was of a large Rana being imperiously dispatched on this mission. He is seen valiantly embarking on a journey in search of the elusive leaf........working very hard on his surreptitious mission... sidling behind pillars and ducking into hidden niches to avoid the eye of various passers by and security personnel..... narrowed eyes darting left and right and then left once again to gauge the lay of the land.. making sure that the uncontrollable (some wud refer to it as jelly like!!) anatomical parts at the midriff are well concealed during this perilous journey........and all during this picture I was hearing strains of the "Pink Panther Theme" playing in the background. All toward the bright glory of consuming a consommé belonging to a cuisine type that I thot you were not particularly fond of in the first place. But hey! Add that into the long list of "Why - do- I- bother- doing- this?" things that we all do anyway. Keep them coming.
Chandrima Gogoi, USA/22 Feb'05:
hey..ur postcard is HILARIOUS!!!!
Leena Sharma, Mumbai/18 Feb'05:
Pratap, the only thought that struck me about the kadi patta tale, is you skulking and tip-toeing in the shadows for a few leaves....... Sorry sir, the image is too incongruous with the Royal Rana. Solution???? Next time someone arrives from India....request for your own kadi patta plant which you can tend at your leisure...... and distribute in your inimitably regal manner.............!!!
Lenny D'costa, Mumbai/24 Feb'05:
Pratap, the kaddi patta may just be an excellent excuse to get a glimpse of the lovely ladies of the apartment. The garden could be an ideal camouflage I must say! Anyway, this postcard was an excellent one. Keep them coming.
Manish Chaturvedi, Delhi/21 Feb'05:
Have fun, and keep the post cards rolling.
Mona Shipley, Delhi/23 Feb'05:
Wish we could taste the exotic Rana cuisine with the smells and flavour of the Indonesian Curry Patta! :) lol lovely to see yr spirits up about and chirping.
Neena Jacob, Delhi/21 Feb'05:
I was hoping to have received a new postcard from you this morning when I thought of checking my yahoo account. I was so pleased to see an e-mail from you, not to read your msg but to read your postcard...sorry for being mean! It is hilarious....you guys seem to be enjoying Jakarta to the fullest.. keep it up! You won't mind me forwarding your postcards to one of my friends who hv shifted to Shanghai last month for two years.
Neena Jacob, Delhi/22 Feb'05:
am forwarding my friend's response to your postcards. I support her views and encourage you to publish a RANA's jokes book in near future, you can very well compete with Kushwant singh's book on jokes.
Dolly Malvai, Shanghai/22 Feb'05:
Tell Sangeeta these are some great works of writing. Save them to have them published later. I guess we all go thru such xperiences while settling into these new places, but to be able to write them out so well is the art. The tantrum ones are great. Language - yes is the hurdle but in retrospect provides with such humour. You have to have the ability to laugh at yourself too. Great ones keep forwarding them to me. These are great.
Ruma Sen, Delhi/22 Feb'2005:
Next time I see kaddi pata or sambar Pratap will be the man popping up in my mind:)) Take care & stay close to Kaddi patta's :)))
Shipra Ogra, Delhi/4 Mar'05:
Are you really looking forward to working after spending time fruitfully gymming, talking to son and writing these lovely postcards!
Sohini Bhattacharya, Kolkata/21 Feb'05:
This post card was really hilarious - please think of publishing these once you are back! They will make a great book
Vineet Anand, Sydney/24 Feb'05:
Pratap, working that hard in Jakarta mate!! That does not go down well locally.. You will definitely need some 'Sambar' tonight.. so good luck with the Kaddi Patta hunting.
Wallace A Shah, Delhi/28 Feb'05:
Pratap, do you know what they do to people caught steeling kaddi patta in Indonesia? You may end up losing more than a bottle of scotch...! Sangeeta, are you sure kaddi patta is the only plant of interest growing around the tennis court? Please check - you may fine some mistletoe as well - and the
gardener's daughter!!!
Yamini Kalyan, Mumbai/1 Mar'05:
Lotsa love and keep the chirpy hilarious emails rollin' in.
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