Whenever
I have mentioned in my prior blog posts about Idli and Sambar, I have always
mentioned “bucket” of sambar. Even today, in Tamil Nadu marriages, all
items on the menu – idli, chutney, sambar, rasam, koottu, curry, payasam, and
even buttermilk – are served from the buckets.
So the popular saying of “bucket of sambar”.
I
have eaten in Indian restaurants all over the world including India. But none of these restaurants serve sambar in
a bucket. They serve sambar in a bowl or
a katori.
Last
week I was having dinner in an Indian restaurant in Greensboro, North
Carolina. I ordered a masal dosa. When they brought the masal dosa with 2
different chutneys and sambar, there was a pleasant surprise, surprise,
surprise. The sambar was served in a
small bucket. This is the first time
anywhere in the world I have seen. Here
is the photo.
It is also served similarly in rathna cafe, triplicane. But lucky you :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Rajesh. I am glad the Rathna Café in Triplicane serves sambar in a small bucket. The last time I visited there was 10 years ago.
DeleteWhen you say food is served in buckets, do you mean it is served to people sitting as in a langar? Or do Tamil marriages have 4-5 different small buckets per person?
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of small buckets, some restaurants here in Punjab/Haryana/Himachal/Delhi serve daal and subzi (with gravy) in buckets. I have noticed most such buckets have a thick base :-)
I have never had sambhar in a bucket, though. Such small things go a long way in making the food experience worthwhile. Otherwise we could all get stuff delivered to our homes or hotel rooms.
Hope your dosa tasted as good as it looks!
Thanks for your comments Karunesh. In Tamil marriages, they are served from the buckets and poured on the banana leaf. There is no 4-5 different small buckets per person. Yes, that dosa tasted delicious.
DeleteA few questions asked in jest.
ReplyDelete-a bucketful of sambhar (bucket looks disproportionately large for dosa and the quantities of chutnies) may not be economical for the restaurant.
-may result in wastage
-may be the bucketful of sambhar kept with a ladle for several helpings and not meant exclusively for the one customer unless the bucket is of a size of katori
Nevertheless the dosa accompanied by side dishes and sambhar is mouthwatering
Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. The camera is deceiving. It is a small bucket exclusively for each individual. That bucket will hold only one cup of sambar. In the photo you can see another bucket for my dinner companion.
DeleteAgreed. A novel way to serve sambhar and i hope others will follow suit.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your blog for the wide range and diverse nature of your posts !
Thanks for your comments and complements Mr. KP.
DeleteMany hotels serve saambaar in buckets but just bring them and pour with karandis into our plates or cups...not one bucket per person, though it is small. It looks tempting. My husband would love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Sandhya. Those small buckets were so cute.
DeleteI agree to what Sandhya says..I have seen them serving from the buckets in the plates ..it like some north indian restaurant serve vegetables in Kadhahi or pateela but small version.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Renu. You are exactly right.
DeleteWow! small buckets do look very attractive. just like the North Indian hotels serve everything in a small kadai and their tandoori dishes also come in small coal burning thing
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Rama. Yes, those buckets were very attractive.
DeleteA bucket would do for me and also a nlce crisp dosa.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Indu. Ahhh. A nice crisp dosa and a bucket of sambar is heaven.
DeleteI am craving for that dosa and bucket of sambhar now.
ReplyDeleteHave never been served sambhar in a bucket but some restaurants serve north Indian food in copper/steel buckets, kadais and handis.
Haha that's such a cute bucket. Drooling over the Dosa. Must visit this place.
ReplyDeleteNostalgia enthused you, SG. It is heartening for all of us to experience what is embedded in our reminiscences. I liked the topic.
ReplyDeleteHaha nice na! Something small and familiar sometimes makes us so happy :)
ReplyDeleteI can sense the emotions what an NRI could feel seeing a bucket of sambar. What a wonderful presentation idea!
ReplyDelete