[sadhuji]

The other day there was this photograph of a kid vending cauliflowers to passing motorists on VIP road in Kolkata. It is a common sight there because the road that connects the city to the airport has for its company the vast waste dumping grounds nearby – better known as the dhapa, this expanse of land is ideally suited for cultivation of seasonal vegetables due to the manure rich soil.

Seeing the photograph I was reminded of the movie Sangam where the heroine Vijayantimala sang and danced to that famous song which when translated means – when I asked my man to bring me flowers, he returned home with a cauliflower. It was in the sixties and her provocative dance looked shocking to many viewers – no one objected since it was from the house of Raj Kapoor. It was also in the sixties that I tasted the cauliflower pakora in Kanpur for the first time. It was a hit with practically each and everyone in the Air Force canteen run by a person named Bhasin. The cauliflower would be separated into smaller ‘flowers’ which would then be dipped in a batter of besan, deep fried and served hot. The cooking vessel was large enough to accommodate at least twenty of these ‘flowers’. The taste of the final product was divine because the basic item was not artificially enlarged and was as natural as they come with their distinct flavor.  

In Bengal, the charm was of the fulkaphir singara – or samosa with stuffing of cauliflower. The cauliflower would be cut into small pieces and cooked with potatoes and various types of spices – the resultant mixture would be inserted into the shells made of maida and deep fried. The heady aroma of the triangular shaped products would entice even the diehard who normally shies away from fast foods that do not meet the basic requirements of hygiene.

[jyotirmoy]

Not to forget Caulliflower dalna....