Mobile Street Hawkers vs Toddler | Indian Gooseberry Fried Rice

Mobile street hawker

Who is a mobile street hawker ? A vendor of merchandise consisting of inexpensive items, handicrafts or foods that are native to the area. Often accompanied by music, ringing of a bell, loud street cries or chants which churns the yearning of millions of toddlers all over the world.

In England we have the ice cream vans with their melodic chimes selling ice lollies ,softies and chock-bars during summers.

From the place where I come from, my childhood summers were spent in the summer heat climbing trees and playing hopscotch. My mother always enjoyed her afternoon siesta while I kept playing in the garden. We had row houses on either side of the narrow tar roads.Every house was blessed with a garden in front and a backyard.Each house had the privilege of having a minimum of two fruit trees. Hmm….those were the days when fresh air was sold for free and we inhaled as much as we wanted while playing.Getting back to our game between the street hawker and the toddler (That’s me)!

Game of Temptation : Mobile Street Hawkers vs Toddler

Round 1

Cotton candy, in all of its colorful, puffy glory, is one of those timeless treats capable of evoking childhood with one disintegrating bite. In fluffy pink bushels, it pervades fairgrounds, festivals and my humble street. The moment I saw it I imagined its airy, delicate fibres stuffed into my mouth.What I loved most was how soothingly it melted into my mouth and left a sweet everlasting love taste.Come Mum she would say NO and remind me of my cavities.

Cotton Candy Man : Score 1                                                                                                       Toddler : Score 0

Round 2

Ice cream, back then was transported by a handheld cart.The ice cream man would make a loud thud with the cart’s lid after every few steps.Those coloured ice tubes,the orange ice cream candy colouring my tongue and the melting ice cream cones all seemed too dreamy.Those simple pleasures are incomparable to modern day Häagen-Dazs or Baskin & Robbins licks. Mum’s the word, when it comes to cough and cold.She never said a yes for ice cream . Not that I was deprived of these delights , on rare occasions I ardently followed the golden rule..When Mum says No Ask Dad 🙂

Ice Cream Man : Score 2                                                                                                                Toddler : Score 0

Round 3

Bread, was and still is an integral part of every household. The afternoon bread man rode a special bicycle with a huge tin bread basket in front. Chrome plated metal handle bars and vintage bicycle horn (Long trumpet and a rubber bulb).He squeezed the rubber to produce a weird yet pleasing honk alerting the residents of his arrival.Soft fluffy white bread loaf were bought by mum for our morning breakfast and evening snacks.When my mum was in the splurging mode we were treated to tutti fruity buns and flaky puff pastry cream rolls.The day I got 10/10 in my unit tests there would be fresh cream pastries to relish.This one’s in my favour probably because of its health quotient.

Ice Cream Man : Score 2                                                                                                              Toddler : Score 1

Round 4

Pickles, reminiscent of the old lifestyles and have a tendency to make our eyes water.These dry pickles are very different from the global versions made from brine,vinegar,mustard oil and spices.These were dried pickles I know it is completely unheard of in this part of the world but even a tiny bit is enough to tantalize your taste buds.Come summer and we would have Mango Slices (dried juice of mangoes in form of flat sheet folded in mango leaf), Tamarind Lozenges (made from compressed tamarind pulp with a distinctive sweet and our flavour), Cumin Candy ( powdered cumin and spices blended to make round balls) and finally the Dried Indian Gooseberry coated with salt.This was my personal favourite as consuming one followed by a sip of water would leave a very sweet aftertaste in my mouth.I loved the way it lingered on.Mum knows best is the second key thing to memorize. She would never compromise on the hygiene and always tried to prepare me these goodies with her own hands and stayed away from buying.

Pickles Man : Score 3                                                                                                                Toddler : Score 1

Game Verdict : I am not sure for how long but the beauty of street hawkers lacing the streets with their goodies would continue.I always believe that it is an old world charm and should not be go obscure with commercialisation and big shopping malls. Mothers will continue to shoulder the responsibility of social guardians and protectors of their children.As a child it is his/her birth right to relish things whether good or bad.A little amount of moderation with balanced upbringing we can continue to appreciate the beauty of street hawkers.I always lost this match but in true sports man spirit I never forgot to congratulate the winner. Their wins marks as a forerunner of my enchanting journey into the world of food.They keep coming back and make me lose while I am trying to lay down the foundations of my motherhood. 😉

Goodness of Indian Gooseberry

Quoting webmd “Indian gooseberry is a tree that grows in India and the Middle East. Indian gooseberry has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It enhances food absorption, balances stomach acid, fortifies the liver, nourishes the brain and mental functioning, supports the heart, strengthens the lungs, regulates elimination of free radicals, enhances fertility, helps the urinary system, increases skin health, promotes healthier hair, acts as a body coolant, flushes out toxins, increases vitality, strengthens eyes, improves muscle tone and, acts as an antioxidant.Today people still use the fruit of the tree to make medicine.Indian gooseberry is used for high cholesterol, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), diabetes, pain and swelling of the pancreas (pancreatitis), cancer, upset stomach, eye problems, joint pain, diarrhea, dysentery, obesity, and “organ restoration.” It is also used to kill germs and reduce pain and swelling caused by the body’s reaction to injury or illness (inflammation).”