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Food at hostel

Reading of Balzac's childhood hardships in Balzac's omelette, regarding the bad food he had to live on, I was reminded of my relation with food at hostel.
The students who ate meat were seated in a different section. under the tubelight, the chicken pieces glistened with tiny hair. Lemon cucumber curry was our least favorite. My sister would throw some of her share under the table.  Sappadi pappu was my favorite. Its a simple runny version of boiled lentils with salt added. My love for it had made rounds. seniors asked me if I liked it, I said "yes". Then they dumped all their food into my plate. I had already had my fill. when I said yes, I meant in general and not limitlessly. Thats my first gorging unpleasant memory. Goduma rava upma in huge quantities turned out perfectly dry with no icky sticky business. Tamarind chutney with its red tantalising color and red chili pepper seeds in it, I wasnt grown up yet for that taste.

Before being sent to the hostel, my playmates scared me that there would be worms in the hostel food.

While reading of quarters in Balzac's Omelette book, it suddenly flashed why the housing at an Ordinance Factory was referred to as quarters.

10.22.11
At the grocery store, we are looking for cracked wheat.
A: "Whats cracked wheat #1 and cracked wheat#2?"
Theres no way to tell them apart with list of ingredients.
we pick the one with finer size, given the infamous long time this upma takes to get cooked.
 Today, after cooking the upma, I can relive the food we had in hostel. The smell and taste just like then.

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