“Serve some hot pappu charu with pelala vadiyalu to Gangadharam”, instructed my father as they were having a heavy lunch.

Gangadharam is our distant relative and has been a frequent visitor to our home lately.

“Pelala Vadiyalu?”Gangadharam exclaimed, with a confused expression.

“Trust me, they taste good. Three years back, we visited Arasavalli. As soon as we got off the bus, Nanna hurried towards a cart and returned with something packed in his hands. He explained to us that these are called Neyi Vadiyalu, native only to Uttarandhra. They have a crunchy texture and melt gradually in the mouth. That afternoon, we enjoyed these crispy vadiyalu with our home-packed sambar rice. Since then, they have become an integral part of our kitchen”, I said.

“Hmm..so delicious!!”Gangadharam said, experiencing the same nutty and spicy flavours melting in his mouth with pappu charu.

“Could I have another?” he hesitantly asked for more.

As my mother served him, my father gestured to her to pack a few for Gangadharam so that he could enjoy them on his way back home.

As Gangadharam left with a pouch full of vadiyalu. I slipped into the kitchen and enjoyed the remaining placed on the platform.