Watch: American workers gets a tasty surprise from Indian homeowner

When people migrate to new places, they don’t just carry suitcases—they carry their culture, habits, and food with them. These everyday pieces of home quietly blend into new surroundings, creating moments of connection that transcend borders.

A recent video from Minnesota is a perfect example—where an Indian woman’s warm gesture of offering vada and chutney brought smiles to an unsuspecting group of American workers.The surprise came for a team of American construction workers from The Sealcoating Guys, an asphalt company, while they were busy working outside a home. Out walked the homeowner, an Indian woman dressed simply in her nightwear with a dupatta casually thrown over her shoulders—carrying two plates piled with freshly made vada and coconut chutney.

The crew's reaction was pure joy. “Thank you so much,” they said, smiling widely as she handed them the plates. One curious worker asked what the dish was. “Vada,” she replied, pausing before adding with a smile, “Like a donut—but not sweet. Spicy only.”The men dove in, savoring every bite. “Fire,” one of them exclaimed in appreciation, clearly enjoying the crispy, spicy treat.The video, shared by the company on Instagram, quickly went viral—not just because of the food, but because of the gesture.

The video has about 13.6 million views and thousands of comments.

One user commented, “This is the beautiful culture of India. Atithi Devo Bhava (The guest is equivalent to God).” Another wrote, “In India, during housework or any type of home work, workers get a free midday meal with water and snacks.”A third user explained what Vada is. They explained, “That's Vada with spicy coconut chutney. It's one of the famous everyday evening snack here in my state, Tamil Nadu. There are some varieties of vada, but the one you had is the famous one called Ulunthu vada, crispy outside, soft inside,” another person explained.”