Just Walking Around

Midnight Sweet Stops…

True Indian dinner is never complete without the one final spoonful of sweet dish. We as Indian are blessed with a very sweet tooth and sweet cravings , with out the botheration of the Western fads of dieting , however tough you are on the outside. We can not resist that one last bite of a sweet be it the hot gulab jamun or that all time favourite ,one scoop of vanilla ice with chocolate sauce or the rabri with hot jalebi .Sweeten our mouth and giving that one last burp of appreciation to the dinner we just ate.

To confess on my part I too have picked up this habit of scavenging for a small sweet just after the regular dinner at home. This infectious habit picked up from my dear wifey who in turn has inherited it from her Pappa and my father-in law Nitin Desai. A really sweet habit ,I say. The hunt may lead me to a small piece of Dairy Milk left in the fridge or that small price of mithai leftover in the box which came as a gift. Currently am surviving  on the ladoos Rava and Besan still around as part of the faral from Diwali which got over a couple of weeks before. If nothing else is found then the ordinary dates (khajur ) saves the day.

But if you seriously crave sweets there are places in Mumbai that can fulfil your cravings. Try Baba  Falooda in Mahim . This small establishment has been serving the most lip smacking and mouth watering falooda’s for last 20 years in a small by lane of Mahim near the Mahim dargah. At any time and more so close to mid night you will find his loyal customers lined up at his stall coming on foot ,cars and bikes . The owner manages the counter with orders and is well supported by his spirited staff who churn out the best ever falooda and kulfi’s . The best dish on the menu is the Baba Special Falooda served in a tall glass , earlier in  glass ware and now in disposable plastic glasses. Filled with rose falvoured milk , stuffed with dry fruits like cashew , anjir and raisins. Topped with pieces of malai kulfi , vermicelli (sevaiyan) , sabja (puffed black seeds). A tall glass will make your tummy so full and your heart so content you are sure to come back for more.

Besides this sweet concoction which has become a brand on to itself ,Baba Falooda serves other delicacies like the rabdi kufi , pieces of requested kulfi be it malai (hottest selling ) , kesar , anjir or pista topped up with the thick rabdi and rose syrup. Dig into the pieces and savor its flavor as it melts in your mouth..

Best place to satisfy your sweet cravings and fill your tummy with the coolest falooda…

Next on the list is that unique and a little weird ice cream parlor going by the name of Bachelor’s just near to the Charni Road Station bang opposite Girgaum Chowpatty , located at Mumbai’s famous Marine Drive or the Queens necklace. Unique because of its location , small but well staffed and serving till as late as 1.30 am. Weird due its unusual flavours of ice creams.One glance at tier menu and you will go crazy. They have ice creams like Green Chilly – regular milk based ice cream with cut green chillies for spiciness. Golden banana tastes perfectly like those small but sweet Elaichi Kela . Then for the more adventurous they have Ginger , Litchi-Jamun Exotica and  Litchi-Watermelon Fusion. If you don’t want to experiment try their ever green and most selling , Chocolate or Raosted Almond or the Choco chips or safe bet like butter scotch and anjir-walnut.

They also serve thick milk shakes , Mango , Sitaphal , Pineapple or Strawberry. You could also try their Creamy Desserts ---Strawberry cream or the Cholate Cream , Plum cream, Chic choc cream , Kiwi cream . Though the management should be advised that the cream needs to be served chilled instead of just whipping out from the can. Doesn’t do the justice to the dessert.

All in all a great place to eat your ice cream and enjoy the cold wind caressing your face at the Marine Drive.

But if you personally ask me nothing beats the experience of stuffing your mouth with true India dessert. Head to a small place near Byculla opposite JJ Hospital and famous for its India sweets. Goes by the name of JJ Jalebi, you guessed it right , famous for their Brown Jalebi’s. Yes brown as they are made of wheat flour instead of the regular Maida . Deep fried in pure ghee and dipped in sugary Chaasni .These round pieces of heaven will melt in your mouth leaving an after taste which you will remember all your life. The JJ Jalebi has been serving these delicacies from 1947 and are most sought after by sweet lovers and aficionados like me.

Eat the Jalebi hot out of the kadhai (frying pan) just like that or try it with rabdi . You are sure to lick your fingers and enjoy the sugary syrup to its last drop. Besides their trade mark jalebi they also have other sweets on which you can drool , like the Malpuwa that sweet pan cake made of flour and egg and sweetened with sugar. You need to try it to believe its softness and mind blowing taste. Or try their Phirni , the thick kheer type sweet served in earthen kulhad’s (cups). Both these items are the hottest selling items during Ramazan time. The place in front of the stall is teeming with sweet lovers , pushing and shoving each other to get to that one last piece of dessert before dawn when the fasting starts.

Take tour of these sweet shops and indulge in a little bit of desserts to satisfy your sweet pangs .And forget  about those extra calories for once you can always burn them Just Walking Around….