Do not disturb - furiously tucking into sambhar rice here

I love coming home to bangalore because I get the opportunity to unleash myself on all the rasam-sambhar out there. I love south indian cuisine. Its my soul food. Infact when I got home, my mother asked me what "special food" I would like her to make and without blinking an eye lid, asked her to keep the sambhar and rice coming. It feels like truly coming home you know when the familiar taste of the hot sambhar kicks in. I don't know what "Home" is, but it gives a feeling of security which feels most odd.

For the past 2 years (almost), I've been on an alien diet. Roti, rajma, unfamiliar curries and tastes. It has dulled my palate and made it indifferent to food. I hate eating in Pune, I don't know why though. I'm sure living on your own does this to you, together with working 14-16 hours. I hate coming home after a hard day and dealing with the fact that I have to make dinner. Being the lazy person I am, I just nibble at some brown bread or when I'm feeling particularly industrious, make some pasta. But still, I hate eating the food. This realization just hit me when I was asking for a third helping of sambhar rice. I was surprised by how much I was enjoying my food. It filled every dull pore in my palate and energized it. Thanks to all the copious amounts of rice consumed, I feel like a thoroughly sated beached whale.

I have also been tucking into some awesome sea food. I guess that's one of the advantages of being managalorean, sea food is par for the course. Lots of pomfret, tuna and sardine and I'm more than making up for the 6 months that I went without having any sea food.

Thats why I love coming home. I'm treated with so much indulgence by the parents. Every request of mine is acquiesced to- even the TV remote is handed over to me. THAT in my family is HUGE. Its a great responsibility and I have discharged it with great character by watching repeat episodes of America's Next Top Model and Big Boss. Watching the TV with my parents has scared me though. Scared me because I've realized that my parents watch the very same programs as I do. My dad mentioned how much he liked Bones and Prison Break and my mother knew all the goss on Big Boss. Infact, I was filpping through a Susheela Raman interview on TV and my mom asked me to keep it on because she liked Susheela Raman. Infact my parents sound more erudite than the RBI Governor. Its very very cool that they are so current, but it somehow feels like invading into my territory.

I love their coolnes though. I worship their nonchalant attitude to everything. After spending time with them, I realize how fortunate I am to have such liberal parents. Parents who are not insistent on marrying into the right background and shit like that. Parents who are okay with me staying out late. It may sound trivial but after interacting with prudes in Pune, I know I am fortunate to have parents who'll even mix weird cocktails for you. Mom shocked the wits out of me by mixing wine and sprite. Its btw a most awesome mixture and we are planning to call it "Write". That was another scarily cool moment because, now my whole experiment of adding vodka to cough syrup last month seems genetic. EGAD!!

My parents are weird people and I love them for that because that has in turn has contributed to me being weird. On being confronted with a cocktail mixing Mom, most children would be alarmed, but not me. I'm thinking of introducing her to Tequila and Bombay Sapphire gin and can't wait to see what she comes up with in the next 6 months hehe

*raises a toast to quirky parents all over*