The humble chikki
If I remember right, my college in Bangalore sold them at 50p a piece. We bought them by the dozens. Reluctantly shared them with friends. Reluctantly so, because sometimes it served as our lunch, or breakfast, or just time killers during those painful classes. Of course we ensured the "kishishk" noise from the wrapper was heard loud and clear.
This was about 5 years ago. When I was working in Bangalore, I had forgotten about the chikkis. The 50p ones I mean. I had chikkis that were either homemade or store bought.
The store bought ones weren't quite the same anymore. They were darker, thicker, and heavier and didn't have the light crunch that the old chikkis had. Also the new ones came in the form of fat, long bars that we had to fight with to break into a small piece. Didn't have the convenience of small, bite size individual packets the old ones came in.
The ones that were made at home didn't even have the same form. They were made into small balls. Although tasty, it wasn't the same thing. You know what I mean.
Ahmedabad. Thank God for all the Paan stores there. The original chikkis were there again, although they were now priced at one rupee a piece. Sitting pretty on the shelves sometimes next to India Kings, and sometimes next to Benson & Hedges. But they were there. After a point in time, our beloved Chhota stocked it too. Bad food at the mess? Chikki came to the rescue. Well so did Cheese Maggi, and "Veg Noodles kum vegetables and extra garlic sauce".
Okay, so the lunch/dinner at the mess WAS good, and you've had your fill. But in an hour or so wouldn't you crave for something? Something that's not heavy, not fried, not aerated, not maida, not hot, not cold and more importantly, not expensive (double of what it was 5 years ago, but still)? Chikki came to the rescue. It didn't matter if the wrapper sometimes got stuck to the chikki, and you would have to spit it out tactfully. It didn't matter that the crushed bits would fall and what would remain is half of what you paid for. It didn't matter that while you were still enjoying it, an ass (of the first/second/third order) would snatch and finish the rest of it. Whatever part of it you had, would satisfy that craving.
And then, much later, D and I had THE chikki. This was different in form, taste, everything. We enjoyed it nevertheless. Here we bought each of them individually, and willingly shared them. With P, I scaled new heights. We bought them by the boxes and finished them over a period of time. Especially during winters. These chikkis were of course rolled.
This is my first post from Seattle. I could use some chikki here. Any form, size, or shape would do. Cinnamon flavoured would do too ;)
This was about 5 years ago. When I was working in Bangalore, I had forgotten about the chikkis. The 50p ones I mean. I had chikkis that were either homemade or store bought.
The store bought ones weren't quite the same anymore. They were darker, thicker, and heavier and didn't have the light crunch that the old chikkis had. Also the new ones came in the form of fat, long bars that we had to fight with to break into a small piece. Didn't have the convenience of small, bite size individual packets the old ones came in.
The ones that were made at home didn't even have the same form. They were made into small balls. Although tasty, it wasn't the same thing. You know what I mean.
Ahmedabad. Thank God for all the Paan stores there. The original chikkis were there again, although they were now priced at one rupee a piece. Sitting pretty on the shelves sometimes next to India Kings, and sometimes next to Benson & Hedges. But they were there. After a point in time, our beloved Chhota stocked it too. Bad food at the mess? Chikki came to the rescue. Well so did Cheese Maggi, and "Veg Noodles kum vegetables and extra garlic sauce".
Okay, so the lunch/dinner at the mess WAS good, and you've had your fill. But in an hour or so wouldn't you crave for something? Something that's not heavy, not fried, not aerated, not maida, not hot, not cold and more importantly, not expensive (double of what it was 5 years ago, but still)? Chikki came to the rescue. It didn't matter if the wrapper sometimes got stuck to the chikki, and you would have to spit it out tactfully. It didn't matter that the crushed bits would fall and what would remain is half of what you paid for. It didn't matter that while you were still enjoying it, an ass (of the first/second/third order) would snatch and finish the rest of it. Whatever part of it you had, would satisfy that craving.
And then, much later, D and I had THE chikki. This was different in form, taste, everything. We enjoyed it nevertheless. Here we bought each of them individually, and willingly shared them. With P, I scaled new heights. We bought them by the boxes and finished them over a period of time. Especially during winters. These chikkis were of course rolled.
This is my first post from Seattle. I could use some chikki here. Any form, size, or shape would do. Cinnamon flavoured would do too ;)
Labels: chikki
posted by DSK at 8:27 AM
2 Comments:
I haved had chikki since that cold winter night outside MiCafe.
That's one less sin I need to cleanse myself off of, this year.
You might need some this winter... it's supposedly a good chaser. :P :P
Well chikki goes well with
- a cold winter night,
- college campus,
- Delhi home,
- co-chikki wannabe lovers
Can now look forward to a winter night.
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