Delhi, NCR
Riya woke up a bit late today. Now, she feels a pull toward her home in Delhi. But Arka, for some reason, has been procrastinating about booking her flight tickets after the earlier ones were canceled. As Riya walks into the living room, she sees Arka sitting on the sofa, engrossed in the newspaper, mindlessly munching on potato chips from a giant packet placed beside him.
Settling on the other end of the L-shaped sofa, Riya asks, “What’s happening with my ticket, Arka da? You seem totally unbothered! Crunching chips so loudly—you’re giving me a headache!”
Despite Riya’s annoyance, Arka continues reading the newspaper, shaking his knee, without pausing his snacking. Frustrated, Riya almost shouts, “Do you not have ears? I’ve been telling you I need to go to Delhi, and you seem to have completely forgotten!”
“Of course, I have ears. That’s why I’m enjoying these chips. Without them, would this be as fun?”
“What do you mean? Are you eating chips with your ears now?” Riya retorts sarcastically.
“If I were deaf, the joy of crunching chips would be lost. Just like how I was so hungry this morning and was looking for your head to chew on instead!”
“Instead of chewing on this nonsense, why don’t you just book the ticket and let me go home?” Riya says, her voice filled with exasperation.
“Arka, have you booked both of your tickets? And what’s this—you’re munching on potato chips first thing in the morning on an empty stomach?” Arka’s mother walks into the living room, pulls a chair, and gives him a sharp look.
“For both of us, Aunty?” Riya asks, surprised.
“Why, didn’t Arka tell you he’s going to Delhi with you?”
Riya exclaims in joy, “Your son is such a mischief-maker! He didn’t tell me anything.”
“Did you even give me a chance? You’ve been chattering nonstop since morning. Yes, I’m going. There’s a seminar at the Delhi School of Economics. My guide is sending me to attend it. It’s a three-day seminar, and I even have a paper to present. I’ll stay at your place for a bit. And if you think I’m heading back right after, think again. I’m staying for at least a week to annoy you more. After all, you’re still a kid. If you went alone, you might get lost. That’s why I’m going with you the day after tomorrow.”
Ignoring Arka’s sarcasm, Riya says, “That’s amazing, Arka da! This time, I’ll take you to every corner of Delhi.”
Patting Riya on the head, Arka says, “This is my first trip to Delhi. You’re going to be my guide. Now, take this as guru’s blessing and have some chips.”
“You’re already ruining your stomach and now mine too?
Hurry up and eat something proper. I have the day off today. I’ll go to New Market and get something to send to your elder brother and sister-in-law,” Arka’s mother says, urging them.
“Then how about biryani for lunch at Sabir’s?” Arka suggests.
“All right, all right. That works. I’ll treat you to biryani there. Now, get ready quickly,” she says, leaving the room.
Setting the newspaper aside, Arka pours the remaining chip crumbs from the packet into his mouth.
Meanwhile, questions about chips crowd Riya’s mind. She asks, “What’s the connection between eating chips and ears, anyway?”
Taking a sip of water from the bottle on the table, Arka replies, “Listen carefully. Chips don’t contain water, so they’re crispy and crunchy. Beyond taste, the sound of chips breaking in your mouth is linked to our brain. When the chips crunch between our teeth, the sound stimulates the brain's nervous system…”
“Leave some chips out of the packet for a while and then eat them; you won’t like it at all. When exposed to the moisture in the air, the chips lose their crunch, and without that crispiness, where’s the fun in eating them?” Arka explained.
“Exactly! I love eating chips too, but soggy chips are no fun at all. What fascinates me, though, is the method of making chips. But no matter how much I try to make French fries at home, they never turn out like the ones at restaurants,” Riya added.
“That’s because making good chips requires some scientific understanding. Suppose we’re making chips. First, we slice the potatoes thinly and wash them thoroughly, draining out all the water. Then, we coat the slices in salt and refrigerate them for a few hours. This step dries out most of the moisture from the potato slices’ surface.
Next, heat oil in a pan to just above 100°C. If the oil gets too hot, the potatoes will burn; if it’s not hot enough, the slices will absorb oil, ruining the chips entirely. When the potato slices hit the hot oil, a reaction occurs between the starch and sugar, creating a crust on the surface. This crust hardens, preventing the oil from seeping into the potatoes. At the same time, the proteins in the potatoes denature and solidify during frying.
However, remember not to crowd the pan with too many slices at once. If you do, the oil temperature will drop, and the crust won’t form properly,” Arka explained.
Riya asked, “Does the same process apply to finger chips too?”
“Absolutely! With finger chips, the slices are thicker, like the size of fingers. That’s why, even though the outside is crispy after frying, the inside stays soft. Notice how, after frying, finger chips are placed on a paper napkin?
Here’s why: while frying, the crust forms on the outside, but moisture remains inside the potato slices. This moisture turns into steam, which keeps the inside soft but can’t escape through the crust. Steam creates pressure inside the chips. Once removed from the hot oil, the steam cools and condenses back into water molecules, reducing the internal pressure. This allows the oil on the chip’s surface to seep inside, making the chips soggy. Placing the fried chips on a paper napkin absorbs the oil, preventing it from entering the chips.
So, keeping these scientific factors in mind is essential when making chips. That’s how you get chips that break with a crunch and create that amazing sensation!”
Riya, with a thoughtful look, said, “Even when we fry potatoes at home, they don’t always turn out crispy. Sometimes they become soft right after frying, and they’re no longer enjoyable.”
“You’ve touched on the main issue. Not all potatoes are suitable for making chips or fries. It depends on the water content of the potatoes. Potatoes with around 80% water are perfect for frying. Good companies also monitor the carbohydrate and sugar levels in potatoes. In our state, Chandramukhi potatoes are commonly used by chip companies. Elsewhere, similar varieties are sold under different names.”
“So, you’re saying I can’t just buy any potato from the market, slice it, and make chips?” Riya asked.
“Selecting the right potatoes comes with experience. Now, come on, get ready. Let’s go to the market and gain some experience.”
“But we’re not going to the market to buy potatoes; we’re going to shop for clothes, which I don’t enjoy at all,” Riya grumbled.
“So what? Mom promised to treat us after, remember?” Arka said, crumpling the empty chip packet in his hand and tossing it into the wastebasket.
“By the way, Riya, did you notice something? When I crushed the packet just now and threw it away, it made a crackling sound, didn’t it?”
"That happens with any chip packet! What's so surprising about it?"
"Of course, it’s surprising! Just like the crunching sound when you bite into chips, good companies design their packets to create a similar sound. This sends a signal to our brain, enhancing the craving to eat chips even more."
"Wow, Arka da, there’s so much to learn from you! I never noticed these things before," Riya said, looking at her brother with admiration.
"With this perspective, you’ll grow up to be a true scientist. Though I’m gradually becoming just a dry, boring economist," Arka chuckled. "Now, hurry up and get ready, or mom’s scolding is inevitable."
As Riya stood up to leave, she said, "The thought of you coming with me to Delhi makes me so happy that no scolding will bother me anymore, dada."
"Here’s something else that will amuse you. Did you know a scientist received an Ig Nobel Prize for researching chips?"
"What Nobel?"
"Ig Nobel! This award was introduced as a parody of the Nobel Prize. The name comes from the English word ‘ignoble,’ though the two have different meanings. It’s given for amusing and unusual scientific research. Even the award ceremony is filled with laughter and jokes.
In 2008, two scientists—one Italian and one English—were awarded the Ig Nobel for their research on chips. They conducted an experiment where they made university students eat stale, soggy chips. However, using headphones, they altered the crunching sound through machines to make it seem like the chips were freshly fried and crispy. Their research proved that not only taste but also sound significantly enhances the quality of food."
"That’s hilarious! I must read more about the Ig Nobel," Riya exclaimed.
"Yes, even if you don’t win a Nobel Prize, you can aim for an Ig Nobel in science. But keep in mind, even these quirky studies require a lot of hard work, experience, and research. The primary condition of the Ig Nobel is to make people laugh first and then think. Isn’t that fascinating?"
Riya repeated "Ig Nobel" and "ignoble" to herself as she walked away to her room, a thoughtful expression on her face.
(To be continued)
