A TASTE OF INDIA . . . and SEEKH KABABS

On our last day in India, we tried to pick out the highlights of this trip.  It wasn’t easy because every day was amazing.

  Flashback to the days of the Raj -- Bryan and Maureen, his sister, in the Maidens Oberoi Hotel . . .

Independent night walk through Chandni Chowk Market in Old Delhi,

and dinner at Karim’s

with our taxi driver.

The Rickshaw Ride through Chandni Chowk Market in Old Delhi was a hit with Bryan and Maureen.

The Taj

Maureen also liked the elephant Ride up to Amber Fort, Jaipur. 

  Ranthambore was on Bryan’s list even though we never spotted a tiger, but   we saw a mongoose and five kinds of deer . . . and got drenched and chilled by a furious lightning and thunder storm.

As we left Ranthambore in our bus, an enchantingly beautiful girl in a pink sari smiled and waved at us.

I liked seeing all the happy, independent pariah dogs in India .  In the 1970s, I was warned not to go walking about alone because I might be attacked by “one of those wild dogs that are everywhere” and I eyed every dog for possible signs of rabies.  On this trip, the dogs went their merry way and I went mine . . . my only regret was leaving behind 3 delightful black and white puppies who were so eager to be friends. 

Maureen only wished for a quiet moment away from the hawkers during the Ganges Boat Ride at dawn in Varanasi.

In the evening, a nine-year-old girl with a basket of candles embedded in flowers  followed me down the steps of the ghat to our boat insisting I buy a candle.  “No,” I said.

“Yes,” she retorted, smiling.

“No, no, no,” I laughed.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she laughed back.

So cute.  I handed her a ten rupee bill.

“Now buy candle,” she grinned.

“No, no, no,” I said, stepping into the boat.

“Yes, yes, yes.”  Then she smiled and waved happily, “Bye, bye.”

The boat pulled away and Bryan and I were sorry I didn’t buy a candle. . .

until Bryan read that the tin foil cups holding the candles are piling up at the bottom of the Ganges.

Ah India . . . poetry and problems.

*******

In 1974, I went to work in a Winnipeg library and that’s where I found two of the treasures in my life:

Bryan

and A Taste of India by Mary S. Atwood.

One of the first recipes I selected from Atwood’s cookbook was for Seekh Kababs.    My first experience of this spicy appetizer came in 1972 while sitting on a maharajah's carpeted floor.  They came on sticks and I loved them.

Since Atwood’s Seekh Kababs come as meatballs, they are very easy to make and really, really good!

1 pound ground lamb or beef

1 small onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp cumin

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

Lime wedges

·        Combine all ingredients, except lime.  Mix well.

·        Preheat oven to 350.

·        Shape into 1 and ½ inch meatballs and place on broiler pan.

·        Cook for 30 minutes and serve hot with lime wedges.