Indian Food- Foreign Palate

Last month, there was an annual international food festival at Vishal’s office. During this fest (read feast) everybody brings a dish of his/her native country for everyone else to taste or relish as the case may be.After a little deliberation, we freezed on Aaloo bonda and tamarind chutney.I got up really early (Yes, 6:00 Am is really early in my case) and prepared them.I Had Vishal taste one and he said they were excellent. (Well, it couldn’t be otherwise)

When the dish was placed at the table along with the others, it came to be known as “Indian meat balls” While, I don’t know how that name originated, nevertheless it was very innovative. Being a vegetarian that I am, I don’t know whether it’s a compliment, if I can make a vegetarian dish taste like a nonveg one.
Vishal told me it was amusing to watch people eat this (the only one) “spicy dish”
Someone commented “One of these could take a week to clear from the digestive system”.
While I was having a hearty laugh at this one I was reminded of an incident in a train while we were traveling to Venice. We were feeling very hungry and luckily my mom had packed lotsa food and pickle. (Vegetarians can sure have a tough time in Italy).An Italian was seated in the next compartment. He came to us and asked if we were having Indian food, to which we replied in the affirmative. He again asked if it was pickle, we were surprised that he knew the name of an Indian delicacy.He appeared again after 5 minutes, which had us thinking that he has a liking for Indian food .we were jus about to offer him when he told the smell was so pungent that it was making him giddy.!!