Early one morning during my visit to Ramathara, approximately 180 kilometres from Jaipur, I woke up wanting to experience the traditional way of having chai and nashta (breakfast).
As soon as I entered the village, I could see everyone gathering to look at me: It was clear they all knew that I was an outsider. I asked a few people whether there was a chai shop and a place where I could have nashta. To my surprise the answer was no, as the village was too small and everybody cooked or ate at home.
Within a few minutes a small crowd had gathered around me, and I started speaking to them in Hindi, which reassured them that I was not a true "foreigner." People started inviting me to their homes, asking me to come and have breakfast with them. I was touched, but decided to keep looking.
As I strolled on I noticed a young boy walking about 20 metres behind me. He was dressed to go to school but his feet were bare. He walked quickly, but lingered behind like a shadow; I could feel his presence. After a little while, he slowly crept up to my pace.
I asked him where I could find a chai shop. He said nothing. I think he had never heard an Indian person with such a different accent. He kept walking beside me quietly with his face to the ground, stealing a glance every few minutes. I wanted him to relax and not be scared of me. I asked him again where the chai shop was and this time he muttered in a thick accent, "Sir ... just nearby," his right arm pointing in the direction we were walking.
We kept going. He had relaxed a bit so I asked him questions about village life and answered his about Canada. By this time, we had walked at least two kilometres and there was no sign of a village. I asked him whether the chai shop was anywhere close. Again, he pointed with his arm and said, "Sir ... just nearby."
We walked for another half hour, fascinated with each other's life (time and distance go by quickly when one is learning something). Before I knew it we had walked five kilometres, and I was beginning to feel it. All I wanted was some chai and snacks; my friend, however, was giggling and excited to show off his "trophy" to friends and family.
After another 15 minutes or so I could see the village. I was so happy I was finally going to get my nashta. Little did I realize that he had actually walked me back to the same village and to his thatched house. There, he asked his mom to make me chai and breakfast. I was touched, and sat and ate with the family on the veranda. They never asked for money.
Finally, it was time to leave. I gave the boy a hug and we went in our separate directions, looking back and waving until we lost sight of each other. I had tears of joy in my eyes, consoled by the fact that, even though we would never see each other again, at least we had walked a few steps together in life.
And I felt that, maybe just for a few days, I would give up my fame and wealth and be a child again - be with my grandparents, and play all day with kites and paper boats in mud puddles. But I already lived a few moments of my past through this young boy.
The recipe below is an interpretation of what I ate that eventful day.
RAJASTHANI EGGPLANT
Ingredients
¾ cup ghee or butter
½ teaspoon asafoetida
5 cloves
3 pods black cardamom, shelled (use only the seeds inside)
1 large fresh green chili, sliced lengthwise
1 dried whole chili
3 long Japanese eggplants, cut into cubes
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1½ teaspoons salt
5 ounces red onions, sliced lengthwise
1½ teaspoons mango powder
½ cup cilantro, chopped
Method
Melt the butter or ghee at low heat in a kadhai (Indian wok) or heavy bottom pot until liquid. Add asafoetida and fry slightly, making sure it does not burn. Add the cloves, black cardamom, green chili and whole red chili.
Increase heat to medium-high. Fry for two to three minutes, releasing aromas.
Add eggplant and stir fry. Reduce the heat after two to three minutes and let the eggplant cook for like another five minutes. Taste the eggplant; once it is halfway cooked, add turmeric, red chili powder and salt, and keep stir frying it. Add the onions. Add the mango powder and taste the eggplant; it should taste slightly tangy. Right before serving add the cilantro.
Serve with chapatis (flatbread) and plain yogurt on the side to cleanse the palate.
Serves 4.
Vikram Vij is owner and chef of Vij's in Vancouver
