ONE FINGER FOR RICE

"You have to learn the language"  said Dhamaraj, the owner of the Thali Restaurant on Jetalpur Road.  We. were  surrounded by tables gleaming with the typical stainless steel Thali trays and bowls.  The bowls are filled with two different curried vegetables, one curried pulse, one dahl and and 4 rotis, a little starter, a salad, a little bowl of something sweet and a glass of buttermilk.  These trays are constantly re-filled by waiters who watch to see which of your little bowls is looking a little low!  Ultimately, rice is served, using a special ladle and is eaten with dahl..  But today Dhamaraj was teaching me the sign language of Thali communication - I felt rather honoured at being admitted to this trade secret !  If you want more of anything, having first caught the waiter's eye, ( rather like being at an auction at Sothebys), it's one finger for rice, two crooked fingers for dahl, four fingers for curried veg., chopping motion with the blade of the hand for salad and a paddling motion, like a wave gone wrong if you want more rotis !   No more waiting to be noticed....!