Rashmi Rekha Das, OP
Tiffin shop owner Rabindra Kumar Rout amazes his customers as he fries snacks with his bare hands, nonchalantly dipping them in hot oil
Rabindra Kumar Rout does not need an introduction when it comes to the street food business in Bhubaneswar. Not only is he famous for his culinary skills, but he is also known for his ability to dip his hands into boiling oil unscathed. He shocks people with his high tolerance to heat – the man can fry badas and alu chops with his bare hands, dipping them in a wok of boiling oil. The 63-year-old runs a snack shop on Internal Road behind Capital Hospital, where he serves snacks to hordes of customers daily. Sunday POST visited his eatery to watch him make snacks, nonchalantly plunging his fingers into hot oil.
Hundreds of spectators throng Rabindra’s tiffin shop every day to see his astonishing ability to dip his bare hands into cooking oil heated up to 200C for frying fritters.
“People come from far away to see me frying snacks without burning my hands. I have been doing this for almost ten years but have never suffered blisters or any burn injury,” he says.
How did it all start? Rabindra recalls, “One day, there was a throng of customers at the shop. In a rush, I mistakenly put my bare hand into a pan with hot oil thinking it was water. I immediately took my hand out expecting blisters to cover my hand but surprisingly there was nothing. Ever since that day, I have been making snacks with my bare hands and have abandoned using a spatula. I have never been hurt, it only feels as if I am putting my hands in water.”
Hailing from Kundisa in the Mahalpada panchayat, Konark, Rabindra is popularly called ‘Rabi Bhaina.’ As a teenager, he started selling deep-fried food to make both ends meet.
Recalling those days, he says, “I came to Bhubaneswar 51 years ago. Before starting my eatery, I used to prepare samosas and sell them door to door. After doing this for 12 years, I worked in the Unit VI Girls’ High School canteen. One night before the annual sports day, the sweeper of the school beat me black and blue over a petty issue. I was rushed to SCB and 18 stitches had to be put. After I recovered, I began thinking of starting my own business. But I did not have enough money for that. Then, three friends came to my rescue. They had a tiffin stall which had been suffering losses. They wanted me to run their stall and I agreed without a second thought. But that stall was damaged by some local goons following which I decided to open my own tiffin shop. It was again not easy as I did not have land or enough money. I approached former Mayor Urmila Mohanty and launched my eatery in 2007 after she gave her consent to open the shop on Internal Road.”
Interestingly, his priority is not to make money but to satiate the hunger of people and win their hearts. “What matters for me is that no one should return from my shop with an empty stomach. Everyone must have something to eat at my place. They say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. It’s the same with everyone. I would be happy if I could serve human beings this way.”
Rabi Bhaina, who does brisk business almost every day, is a very down to earth person. “People are amazed to see me doing this. They keep asking if I have done some magic – but I simply smile and say this is all the magic of the Almighty,” he says, adding, “I would like to pay obeisance to Lord Jagannath for everything. Whatever I am today is because of him.”
Rabi Bhaina, however, regrets that he does not have his own land to open his tiffin shop. “The place where I have set up my eatery belongs to the government. I would be obliged if the state government provides me land for the purpose.”
Over the years, Rabi Bhaina has acquired a large fan following for his snacks. Tigmanshu Narayan Bhanja, who works in an MNC, says, “I am a frequent customer at Rabi Bhaina’s stall. It really surprises me when I see him pulling the fritters straight out of the pan. One has to see this to believe. But, he does not do it to attract customers. This gift is God-given.”
This is no miracle, says Jitu Patnaik, head of physics department of SKCG Autonomous College, Parlakhemundi. “An insulating layer of vapour is formed when you dip your cold fingers in boiling oil. This is an example of Leidenfrost effect. Heat transfers very poorly through this layer which is protecting the skin. Mind you, if you don’t get out quickly you will burn yourself. Scientifically, this phenomenon can be termed “leidenfrost effect, adds Patnaik.’’
Babool Das, a businessman, says, “I cannot even think of touching boiling oil but astonishingly he takes out crispy bada and alu chops as if they have been fried in cold water. And the fritters taste really good.”