Small Bites

Schools in India are highly competitive, and it’s difficult to gain admission to professional schools in fields like medicine and engineering. So, my parents hired a tutor to help me with my course work for calculus and chemistry. I’d spend three evenings per week at the home of my tutor, Mrs. Ghoshal. While I was not too keen on spending so much time with my books, I always looked forward to the little snacks Mrs. Ghoshal would serve, because everything she made was delicious. Sometimes we’d eat mini samosas. Other times, she’d offer up bowls of a rich, aromatic mutton stew with a side of warm parathas (a type of Indian flatbread). It was there, through her little savory and sweet snacks, that I first learned the pleasure of beginning a meal, a conversation, or even a study session with a small bite.