Ancient history

33. Ration Search

Rawat Jalan

We requested him that we have to buy wheat flour, cooking oil, milk and vegetables so take him to a departmental store. We were left with very little ghee and flour now. We had to prepare and take food for the next three days along with this evening, for which these ingredients were not enough. Fortunately the spices were still in sufficient quantity. Mr. Anto thought for a moment and then decided to take us to a mall. When we were about to reach the mall, Dad's vision fell on a large sign board with 'RAWAT JALAN' written in big letters in Roman script. Dad guessed that some Aggarwal families in Jodhpur use their surname Jalan. It may or may not be the shop of any Aggarwal family of Jodhpur. Similarly, there is a Rawat sweet shop in Jodhpur, which belongs to a gardener family of Jodhpur.

Father guessed that perhaps some Agrawal family and Mali family of Jodhpur might have opened this store together. So by asking here we will get to know where wheat flour will be found in Jogjakarta and what it is called in Javanese language! Since the road was very busy, only Vijay was sent to that shop. Vijay went and saw that it was a big departmental store of medicines. When Vijay went and asked about Rawat and Jalan, the Indonesian employees there could not understand Vijay's question. Later we came to know from internet that Rawat Jalan in Indonesian language means Hospitalization street. There those words meant a big drugstore.

Discovery of soybean oil and wheat flour

It was a big departmental store where Mr. Finally took us. There were hundreds of long racks in this store, from which grocery to vegetables and fruits, fish, eggs and packed fruits were available. We started looking for wheat flour and cooking oil in this huge store. Asked some employees also but no employee could understand our point. We found coconut and sunflower cooking oils in some racks but the problem was that these had pictures of prawns. The meaning of these pictures was that prawns can be fried in them, but how could we buy oil on which prawns are made. We asked an employee about wheat floor.

Fortunately this employee knew a little bit of English. He showed me a rack. When I picked up the packet there, I was disappointed because it was rice flour and rotis could not be made from it. I was turning from there completely disappointed that my eyes fell on the packet kept in a rack, I reluctantly picked it up and jumped with joy. Wheat flour was written on it. Now no matter how expensive it was, it had to be bought. This was the only packet of wheat flour left in that entire departmental store. We also got packets of milk, potatoes-onions, tomatoes and some fruits. Now there was only oil problem left.

In the end we decided to buy a packet of coconut oil which did not have any prawn or fish etc. pictured on it. When I had just sorted out such a packet, suddenly Vijay's eyes fell on a rack. A one liter vial of soybean oil was kept in it. Its being here was nothing short of a miracle. Father does not consider soybean oil suitable for eating, but here we found soybean oil as no less than a boon.

Preparation for three days

Our search was over. After reaching our apartment, we met Mr. Anto was given tea like yesterday. For him, the drinking of tea was nothing short of a surprising event. We made his payments for the whole day and Mr. Anto was requested to come at seven in the morning. After this Madhu and Bhanu together made preparations for the dinner of April 21, 22 and 23. Out of this, April 21 was to be spent in the train, April 22 in the hotel and April 23 in the plane.

During this time we did not expect to get vegetarian food from anywhere. Madhu opened the packet of wheat flour bought by us and saw, it had very fine flour. Madhu mixed that flour with the flour available with us. Now puris could easily be made for two and a half days. On the evening of the third day at 10:30, we had to reach Delhi. After frying the puris, Madhu boiled some potatoes and kept them with her. If unpeeled potatoes are kept in the refrigerator or AC, then they do not spoil for two-and-a-half days. Raw onions, red tomatoes and salted bhujia can also be used as curries.


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