Curry For The Indian Soul

The hype surrounding the humble chicken soup never ceases to surprise me. As does the fact that it seems to have taken half the world by storm in more ways than one. I can understand, and occasionally concur, with the vehement claims about Chicken Soup warming your insides on a cold bleary day or while working late at night. But, for the life of me, I just cannot figure out how chicken soup combats the germs within, when you are shivering feverishly under your blankets. Perhaps it has everything to do with me being a hard core Indian lass who loves her spices.
For me, fever or any illness for that matter, inevitably means generous helpings of my all time favourite meal - Kanji or the rice gruel with fiery Chamanthi, the coarsely ground Coconut accompaniment which is well flavoured with tamarind, red and green chillies and curry leaves. When laced with cumin flavoured yogurt and some tangy pickle, it definitely is the most delicious meal in the world.
I figure people all over India would have their own personal picks when it comes to 'invalid' meals but the one thing I can safely bet on is that not very many would be slurping chicken soup in the face of a microbe invasion!!! Why, even the Fast Food Giants - Pizza Hut, Subway and McDonald's - have had to bring on the Tikkas and Kebabs to satisfy the Indian yen for all things hot and spicy.
So when I stumbled across a whole damn rack of 'Chicken Soup For the Indian Soul' in my favourite book shop, I was quite speechless with indignation.
Chicken Soup indeed!!!...
Agreed that the 'Chicken Soup For the Soul' series have been a runaway success all over the world. But this is India.... The land of Curry, Kanji and Butter Chicken!!!. ..All of which demand and deserve just tribute from the literary world. Frankly, can you imagine anyone of us* reaching out for a steaming mug of Chicken Soup as a pick me up??? Rasam, perhaps. Biriyani, maybe. Curry & Kebabs, most definitely......
In my considered opinion, the title should have been Kanji for the Indian Soul or perhaps, Kichari....or even better, Curry For the Indian Soul... It has a nice ring to it.....And is just what the doctor ordered!!!
Beats me why neither the editor nor the publisher bothered to stretch their imaginations outside their itsy bitsy boxes!!!..
And about the book? Well, I decided to give it a fair read ...And guess what? It was as bland as the soup!!! Perhaps, the title was not a bad choice after all.....

* Author's Note: You qualify for the 'anyone of us' category if, and only if, you posses the average Indian palate....Read that as Spice, More Spice & Even More Spice!!!