“Newari Bhutuwa”

I spent one winter holiday with my grandmother in Rajbiraj - a small town, in the Terai region; a narrow strip of fertile land that lies between the India - Nepal border.

In the fifties Rajbiraj was a back-water town.  Rajbiraj had one school, half a dozen temples, a small club house, a tiny movie theatre, maybe one paved road and about half a dozen motor vehicles.  There was no electricity, no running water and no bakery.  I always brought a supply of chocolates, baked goodies, and lots of books from our home in India.

We burned Kerosene Hurricane Lanterns or Petromax Lanterns.  A well at the end of the kitchen compound provided water.

I spent most of my days going for long walks and reading.  My grandmother was curious about the books I read.  That winter, every evening after the household bedded down,  I would go upstairs to her chamber and under the flicker of hurricane lanterns with a glass of her home brew on the table beside me, I would give her the nightly installments; they lasted for as many chapters as I had read that day.

She was pleased to learn of Lord Jim’s attempt to redeem himself.  She was thrilled with the Count of Monte Cristo's miraculous escape and the vengeance he wrought.  She was delighted with the Scarlet Pimpernel’s adventures.  She was amused with the goings on of Jane Austen’s English gentry.

Often the story telling went late into the night.  Our shot glasses would be refilled with rakshi.  My grandmother was renowned for her fruit based rakshi (usually it is made of millet).  The fruits she used were usually pomegranate, grape, apple and orange.  The clear beautiful hued liquid had an incredible “kick” to it.  We would accompany our drinks with Newari “bhutuwa” appetizers.

Newari Bhutuwa

Ingredients:

Spices
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
¼ cup vinegar or lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 cup water
¼ cup mustard (or corn) oil
2 pounds lamb, cut into bite size pieces

Directions:

1. Mix the spices and salt in water and vinegar
2. Marinate the lamb pieces for half and hour
3. Heat oil in frying pan
4. Drain the marinated lamb and fry in batches.