A date with Maoz

Where is one most likely to be introduced to falafel? In the Middle East, of course, where it probably originated and is available as street food. There's a theory that falafel originated in the Indian sub continent and then travelled to the Middle East, but Indians love to lay claim, as an ancient civilisation, to every great and glorious tradition, so I don't lay much store by that theory!!

My introduction ----and a very hesitant one ----to falafel happened in Amsterdam! It had been a hectic day of negotiating with the obdurate Americans, and we returned to our hotel in the evening only to be informed by the delegation leader that we'd be meeting in half an hour to discuss and draft and finalise our position papers on the issues that had so far vexed and vitiated the discussions.The meeting stretched late into the night and after several cups of coffee/tea and tasteless cookies, most of us would have gladly settled for a sumptuous Indian dinner than the FATF membership that we were in Amsterdam to obtain! Lunch too had been meagre because for some unfathomable reason, Europeans seem to think that cold meats are a great meal in a cold climate ----even the coffee is lukewarm, at best !!So, around 11 pm, we stepped out into broad daylight, in search of a hearty dinner.

It was June, and eerily enough, the sun had still not set at 11 pm . A friend who had lived in Amsterdam while pursuing a fellowship steered us all to a Maoz outlet. It looked suspiciously like a Subway restaurant and having had my fill of Americans during the day, I was quite clear I wouldn't settle for a Subway as my meal of the day. What I was given to eat was a freshly baked pita pocket filled with steaming hot falafel balls, eggplant and hummus, topped with salads and sauces(including really delectable tahini). On the side were crispy Belgian fries. The fries were crunchy, just right. Then I bit into the pita pocket -----and what a gastronomic experience that was. Absolutely delicious felafel, those crisp balls of chick pea that taste so familiar yet so different, fresh, juicy cucumber and tomatoes , tangy pickles, the sharp flavours of tahini ---- sweet mixed with sour, salty with astringent, the felafel was warm, the salads and sauces cold. This is Lebanese cuisine, someone remarked. Its Egyptian, said someone else. Lets just enjoy it, I suggested. Three felafel pita pockets later, I sat back content. Do we have Maoz in India, I asked my knowledgeable friend. We don't. Alas!!

The next five days, I would wait eagerly for the day to pass, so that I could reach the hotel, dump my laptop and papers, and walk down to Maoz for my fill of felafel !! Twice we took half the day off to go sight seeing ----twice I refused to have dinner at any place other than my neighbourhood Maoz, travelling back from from Delft one day and from The Hague another just to have felafel at Maoz!

Back home, my serach for felafel has been in vain ---- if I could but find an associate with business sense (of which I have none though I don't agree with my husband when he makes that statement), I'd beg, plead and harangue Maoz till they agreed to make an entry into India !!!