Uppuma and Pongal

The two things that I positively detested were uppuma and pongal. I used to hate the mornings when Amma used to prepare these two dishes for breakfast. Somehow she never managed to entice me into savouring her culinary expertise with uppuma and pongal, all other dishes that she made were demolished in super quick time by me; but uppuma and pongal-no way sir-those mornings I would manage with corn flakes or oats.

It is poetic justice today when in my great company I get uppuma or pongal three to four times a week for early morning breakfast. I have no other choice but to eat the gooey preparation that is a cross between porridge and homemade gum. The only compensation is the crispy vada and the generously coconuty{a new word:)} that accompanies the uppuma or pongal.

When I try to force the uppuma down my throat I long for the uppuma that Amma would make> Damn! you never know how Fate takes its course of action for the seemingly careless blunders and idiosyncrasies of childhood.

My all time favourite uppuma joke is from an old Malayalam movie starring Mohanlal.

Mohanlal plays the role of a fake English teacher teaching in a primary school. A student asks him-"Sir uppuma inde English enda?"{Sir what is the English word for uppuma?}

Mohanlal thinks for a while and replies-"Salt Mango Tree":)

[Uppu-Salt, Maavu-Mango tree.]

Hope that the canteen serves idli tomorrow:)