Highway on my plate too!

Now that the show has almost ventured into most of the places in the country, still, my comment keeps the entire 'highway' incomplete. And here it goes..Being born to travel freak parents takes you to all the nooks and corners of the country making sure that nothing was left to be unseen. Right from the time when I was a toddler, I have been travelling pretty well and kept guesing why India is so diverse. The big question was answered on the way to South India.We all know the fact that Idlis, Dosas, Sambar, Rasam and related items are a staple diet in South while they happen to be our first preference on the menu card in North.At a point when we are in search of forks, knives and spoons to eat South Indian cuisine, Madrasis (as we call them so with love) venture alone into the pool of rice with the enitre hand in it.Must add, they dip into the mountain of rice without swimming lessons and swimming suit too. Maverick is the one who leaves no stain on the plate and that it can be used to next serving without wash. Jokes apart, South Indian food is identified by the little sour element that they have as tamrind is a significant ingredient in most of the items. To top it all, all these delicacies are mostly made in coconut oil unlike mustard and refind in North which gives a certain flavor and aroma. This is why the food in the land of South India differs from rest. Talking of Rasam in particular, which can be described as South Indian soup is extremly healthy and good for digestion. The menu card in Dakshin is incomplete without curd rice or well known as 'Tayir Saadam' in Tamil which is another staple dish. No wonder, meal is totally half done when curd rice is not in the list. This cookery bite is a single traveller unless the drinks join the caravan. It pretty striking that people prefer more fresh juices than aerated drinks which is why lemon, lime, orange, water melon and others are frequently ordered for juices. Adding to it, butter milk too is a common drink here and infact, one can see hawkers selling butter milk alongwith chilli fry on the road side.Well, when it is a land next to the port side, how can the blue waters be navigated away from the topic. Standing next to the sea shore, one can see a gallery of stalls meant for mushy snacks. The variety here is splendid. Its really hard to resist things such as peanut chat, malga(chilli) bhajji, potato bhajji and many more pakodas and fries. Cherry on the top, are the fish fries offered which are deep fried with a layer of red chilli paste on them which you simply cant let go until you are a vegetarian.Food alone is not the only thing why you get inclined towards South but its about the culture, history, architecture, scenic beauty that the land is blessed with. It builds a certain level of craving for it that not many places on Earth do. Signing off!