Soan Papdi!!!

Darlings, I was so excited. And then it got even better! LT has been talking about the Asian supermarkets on the Oxford Road and we visited one today. And you know what I’m like, so you can imagine how happy I was with wonderful vegetables and lots of spices and all sorts of things I either can’t buy at all in Yagnub, or have to get in dispiritingly small quantities for an unrealistically large price. I managed not to fill our basket with things I wanted but didn’t necessarily need at that minute.

But the butchery section didn’t open until noon, so we had ten minutes or so in hand for me to browse a bit more … and then I remembered the sweet that I have only been able to buy when leaving Chennai Airport (actually, I looked it up on the internet once and I could get it here, but for an absurd price and even I don’t like sweets that much). So I explored a bit further among the Indian sweets (and a lot of Indian sweets are frankly too sweet and not greatly appealing, as far as I’m I concerned, though I have had nice ones) and, when I was finally reaching the completely unEnglish last resort of actually asking, I found it. Haldiram’s Soan Papdi. I was thrilled. It wasn’t exactly the same packaging that I’m used to, but it contained pistachios and cardamom,so I bought it.

Meanwhile, LT was buying the ingredients for a delicious chicken and coriander dish and an aubergine curry, which was also delicious and had a seriously hot sauce, which was lovely. We like spice.

And his neighbour Clare came in for a drink before dinner – I’ve met her a couple of times before, at Tim’s parties – and then we had dinner and then, though I’d put the Soan Papdi in a bag ready to bring home, I couldn’t resist.

Darlings, it’s quite possible that moans of delight passed my lips. LT was greatly entertained. Just lovely. We shared just one piece, though there’s no real reason to ration it, except that I’m a master of self-control and I wouldn’t want to get addicted or anything.

Actually, I’ve just looked again and you can get it on Amazon now (though I’m not sure if it’s the divine cardamom flavour). But it’s still overpriced by a couple of pounds. Come to sunny Reading and go to the Exotic Supermarket on the Oxford Road.

4 comments on “Soan Papdi!!!

  1. chairwoman ros

    New life, new dress. Good for you.

    I enjoyed your pickling post, took me back to childhood autumns. My Polish Grandmother, with my father (her son-in-law) as her sous chef, spent every evening chopping and pickling red cabbage, beetroot, cucumbers (3 different pickles), onions and white cabbage (sauerkraut). She also had 2 gallon stone jars full of fruit, grapes for wine, cherries for a sweet fortified port-like drink, and apples, for what she called cider, but was served in a small glass, and was reputed to be inordinately alcoholic.

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  2. Z Post author

    I bought a jar of “bread and butter pickle” back in the autumn, which was delicious. Basically onion and cucumber, I’ve looked up a recipe but I think I need summer cucumbers, best outdoor ones if possible, so I must be patient. If you have any good recipes, I’d be grateful, I”m in the pickling mood.
    And my life is less frenetic now (notwithstanding the wish to visit Tim frequently, or for him to come here) so can we fix a date to meet, soon? That it didn’t happen last year was my fault, but I’d like to make this the year of kept promises.

    Reply

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