India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress since its Independence. As the 7th largest country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the Great Himalayas in the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.
Literacy -According to the provisional results of the 2011 census, the literacy rate in the Country stands at 74.04 per cent, 82.14% for males and 65.46% for females.
Side note: I’m very excited that we are going to be continuing this reading challenge in 2023.
COFFEE
For a lot of Indians, there are few caffeinated beverages that prove as potent and satiating as a cup of good old filter coffee. Brewed extra strong with plenty of sweetened milk and served in steel cups that sit atop containers known as dabarah, this local coffee has been fueling parts of South India for centuries now
EQUIPMENT
- A small pot
- A dabarah/tumbler set (see notes)
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder or finely ground coffee or finely ground coffee
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the coffee in the upper chamber of the coffee filter. Attach the upper chamber to the lower one. Use the built-in tamper to compress the coffee slightly.
- Pour boiling water into the upper chamber until it is completely filled. This will be about 1 cup of water.
- Leave the coffee to sit for about 30 minutes.
- While you’re waiting for the coffee, boil ¾ cup of milk.
- After 30 minutes, mix the boiled milk, coffee, and sugar in the dabarah.
- Now the fun part. Pour the mixture back and forth between the dabarah and tumbler at least 3-4 times. The goal of this step is to aerate the coffee and produce a thick, creamy texture. Use a high, arcing pour.
NOTES
A dabarah is a small cup shaped like a tiny milk jug with a curved lip. Unlike the coffee filter, you don’t need one of these to make genuine Indian filter coffee. Any pair of small mugs or cups will get the job done.Instant coffee is extremely prevalent in India, and authentic South Indian coffee should be made with instant coffee powder to get the full experience. However, if you don’t have instant coffee powder, you can substitute finely ground coffee.
RICE
Indian Style Rice
PREP TIME
5 mins
COOK TIME
25 mins
RICE SOAKING
30 mins
TOTAL TIME
60 mins
SERVINGS
4 to 6 servings
If you don’t have whole cardamom pods or stick cinnamon, add a pinch of ground cardamom and ground cinnamon with the cumin in step 4.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain basmati rice
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom pods
- One 2-inch piece cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee if you have it)
- 1/2 teaspoon dark mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Method
- Rinse and soak rice: Place rice in a sieve and run cool water through it to rinse it until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in cool water for 30 minutes. Drain.
- Boil rice with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon: Bring 8 cups of water and the salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the rice and stir. Add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.Note that not all of the water will be absorbed!After 8 minutes, taste the rice, and test if it is done to your taste; rice can take more or less time to cook depending on how old it is. If still too firm, cook a few minutes longer.
- Drain rice and rinse with cold water, remove spices: When the rice is cooked to your liking, drain the rice into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop if from cooking.Remove the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and discard. Set the rice aside to drain.
- Sauté mustard seeds, cumin, chili flakes, then onion: In a pan large enough to hold the rice, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and the chili flakes.Cook until the mustard seeds start popping, then add the chopped onion. Cook until the onions begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic, then rice and turmeric: Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and mix well. Sprinkle the turmeric over the rice and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
BREAD
Ingredients
- 1 .25 ounce package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 4 Tbsp sugar, divided
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tsp salt
- 3-1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp minced garlic, optional
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and 2 Tbsp of sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Set the mixture aside for about 10 minutes, until it becomes frothy. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar, the milk, beaten egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board; knead for 6 to 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl; cover with a damp cloth. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free location and let it rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in volume.
- Punch the dough down and knead in the minced garlic, if using. Pinch off golf ball size pieces of dough; roll into balls, and place on a baking sheet. Cover the dough balls with a towel, and let rise until doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, preheat grill to high heat.
At Grill Side
- Roll one of the dough balls into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill using long tongs to rub with an oil soaked cloth or paper towel. Place the dough directly on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it becomes puffy and lightly browned. Brush the uncooked side of the naan with a little of the melted butter; turn over. Brush the cooked side with some of the butter, and cook until the second side is lightly browned, about another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill. Continue the same process for the remaining naan.
BOOKS
The Jungle Book was written by Rudyard Kipling, future Nobel Laureate and child of colonial India, and published in 1894. Rudyard was the son of John Lockwood and Alice Kipling, who had come to India to seek opportunities in the mid-19th century.
Kipling may be a rather divisive figure today, the poster child of imperial arrogance -but what one can’t deny is that the world he wove through his stories was magical. The tale of the human child raised in the lap of nature, in the most elemental environment, has a visceral appeal for all.
The animals that play a role in the story are a mix of real and imaginary creatures, with some imbued with the characteristics of different animals. Bagheera, a black panther, is a colour variant of the spotted black leopard found in parts of Asia and Africa. Baloo, probably derived from the Hindi word for bears, ‘bhaloo’, has the physical appearance of a sloth bear but has the eating habits of the black bear. Shere Khan, Mowgli’s arch enemy in the story, is the Bengal Tiger, a species once found all over the country but now are endangered. Mowgli’s adoptive mother Raksha is an Indian wolf, a species found across the country which is similar to wolves across the world. Kaa, the hypnotic snake, is an Indian rock python, which is non-venomous and can grow up to 21 feet long. The Bandar Log, the troupe of monkeys that kidnapped Mowgli, is probably the long-tailed langoor, a species found extensively in Western and Central India.
Three of these books were gorgeous – the Disney book was purely to remember childhood fun.
India is so fascinating.
Colonialism is abhorrent.
* Colonialism is defined as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.” It occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people.
One day when Sampat Pal Devi, a simple woman living in a village in Northern India, saw a man mercilessly beating his wife. She pleaded with him to stop but he abused her as well. The next day she returned with a bamboo stick and five other women and gave the rogue a sound thrashing.
The news spread like wild fire and soon women started approaching Sampat Pal Devi in droves requesting similar interventions. Many women came forward to join her team and in the year 2006 she decided that the sisterhood needed a uniform and a name and thus the pink sari was chosen, to signify the womanhood and understated strength.
The Gulabi Gang kept a watch on all community activities and protested vociferously when they saw any manifestation of injustice or malpractice. On one occasion, when Sampat Pal went to the local police station to register a complaint, a policeman abused and attacked her. She retaliated by beating him on the head with her lathi. On another occasion she dragged a government official out of his car to show him a crumbling road that was in need of urgent repair. After all, what cannot be endured must be cured!
A MUST READ. 💕💞💓💗
Grateful to have found this while looking for Feminism in INDIA or women’s stories.
The books pictured are some of the children’s books I took out of the library for this months reading. The library has been a wonderful resource for this challenge the last two years.
