Posted 04 December 2008 - 12:42 AM
It's weird, on my practise trip for India, I was offered a spicey Egyptian breakfast by someone I'd gotten to know really well. Yuch was the overriding reaction but I had to at least try it, as he was a friend showing me his culture.
Anyway for years in India, toast and masala omelette was my standard fare (I loved the hazy green pepper/hot chilleeeee taste of green chillis early on in my wanderings.
Then I hit Goa, after years of avoiding it as a cool traveller (confession time)
My mates, true budget bums had scoped out the cheapest breakfast in town.
I thought I'd give it a twirl.
So there's a scotch Broth type affair laid in front of me and a paw, which looks like a pistolet to me, but what the fuck do I know.
The Scotch Broth has got tomatoes and are they little bugs (mustard seeds) I dip my paw and rip off a chunk of bread onion and veg. Hmm quite good, not Scotch Broth but what can you expect.
Whaaahh, the fearsome chilli kicks in and it's only 8.00am, my pupils dilate, beads of sweat threaten a torrent and instant dehydration, bloody helllllll.
The steaming hot sugary Chai, is first within my grasp, whoosh, I get a mouthful down me, then I gulp another, and splutter, AAhhhh now I've got a scalded throat too.
This isn't English breakfast.
Suitably calmed (with curd) and embarressed, I vow, that's it cornflakes tomorrow.
And it was for a couple of days.
The place was great though, the morning paper under a palm tree with virtually the whole village passing through to pick up Samosa or Bhaji (Goan veg curry in this case, the offender)
Loads of old heads sitting around talking aboutIndia of 60's 70's, 80's, plus a few of out friends breakfatsed there.......
Slowly we got used to spice for breakfast, and it's really the only way to go for blasting out the nose, eyes and throat of a morning.
Now we eat only a good stodgy, spicey Indian Breakfast wherever we go. It's a bit of a mission with us both sometimes, let's go find a poky working class breakfast place.
Goan Paw Bhaji though now that's the dogs bollix. The bhaji is really a choice of veg (often dried peas with a heavy hint of clove) in a masala sauce, the variations on this are endless as it's the masala that makes the dish.
I've seen mung bean, mixed root veggies, tomato an onion....................... It does kind grab you by the booboos though, planty of green chilli and mustard.
Sets you up for the morning though..
Now let me think, two bhaji, two paw two big Chai, 20 Rupees, as a Scotsman, you've got to love it.
Really try it sometime in Goa, it's a treat.
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