Phil's Gastronomic Adventure #1

February 13th, Old Delhi, India:

At a vegetarian street-side stall in Old Delhi, it was morning. locals happily chomped away, surrounding a chaotic table of curry and dhal vats and a giant Indian-style wok making sweet roti. The combination was served on the classic Indian tin dish. Space was limited, but available: enough for a pair of elbows. All the cooks watched in wonder as I, the foreigner, tried to fit in. I ate cautiously, tearing off bite-sized roti pieces and applying curry to them with my lone item of silverware, a dirtied - but fully functional - metal spoon. As I continued, an old gentleman, somehow affiliated with this layman's F&B establishment, constantly reminded me that it was curry and roti that I was eating. "You eat curry and roti!" he repeated, pointing to the respective foods with his frail, wrinkled right index finger, not once confusing one for the other. He also happily refilled my waterglass from a distressed, mangled aqua-blue watercooler that had likely hydrated the morning masses on this street for years and years. I used my final Tapas-sized roti to proudly wipe away the curry from my mouth and fingers (sorry mom, no Wet Wipes), finally popping the morsel-turned-serviette into my mouth; the Phil Haslett gesture of gastronomical approval. I gratefully handed over my 10 Rupees, full and satisfied.