Masala papad isn't necessarily someone would associate with invoking happy memories. I mean it's not like it's in the same category as my mum's cooking (and dad's special!), which never fails me to put in a happy place. But the reason masala papad brings a special smile to my face is that invokes a particular happy time in my life when I was dating my girlfriend in Mumbai.
Some evenings, when the air had cooled and the evenings weren't as sultry, we would walk from our office to the local Sukh Sagar (aptly named now that I think about it) "Family A/C" restaurant for a bite. Having seated ourselves at a cozy table and thumbed through the worn and badly spelled menu, we would invariably order a masala papad as an appetizer.
Now I should point out that I had never had masala papad in my life before I met her but having it at Sukh Sagar became a ritual with us. It was a fine masala pappad, no doubt with a perfect balance of crunchiness of the pappad, the spice of the masala chaat, and the earthy sweetness of the onions and tomatoes. But more than that I would like to think that I just enjoyed eating it because she loved it and brought a special twinkle to her eyes when she ate it.
And so we would munch on the pappad, talk about things that couple in love usually do and generally have nary a care in the world. It was our own private world in Sukh Sagar, amidst all the clanking of cutlery and loud talking waiters.
Many months later, I married the girl who introduced me to masala pappad.Since then, many moons have come and gone and our lives have changed in subtle ways, but I never fail to be transported back in space and time to Sukh Sagar whenever I see "Masala Pappad" in a restaurant's menu. And it never fails to bring a smile to my face when my wife orders masala pappad for us to share. Just like old times! Some things never change.
