“
Tika
Day Parathas”
(Story)
In just
under 35 hours my pattern of daily life underwent a dramatic change from a
staid American suburban life to the bustle of Kathmandu, Nepal. My
nephew picked me up at the airport and drove me to Dad’s home, who
lives in the outskirts of Kathmandu in a quieter area of town.
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 |
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Brother PK and sister-in-law Basanti with
grandson |
I arrived in the midst of the Dasain festival, the biggest festival in
Nepal. Long gone were the days when the family celebrated Dasain
with all the traditional fanfare. This was when my grandmother and
mother were still alive. They were no more, nor was
Raj, my favorite
brother when he was around.
Other siblings have gone their own way. My sister, Vidhea now had
cancer,
her son Yanik was in London, and Dad was fighting congestive heart
failure. But that did not stop the ones who were still there from
celebrating Tika Day with enthusiasm!
The tika (a mixture of rice, yogurt and vermilion) is used in a ceremony
that has potent social meaning. To receive tika from an elder
affirms that you belong to the lineage; it also symbolizes blessings of
fertility and/or abundance to the younger relatives.
After Dad, I was the next “elder” in line. Besides the blessings,
the two of us had to give the younger ones, we were obligated to dispense
“dakshina” – cash; and our younger relatives heartily accepted both with
great fervor.
We then trooped into the dining room, to a table laden with the most
scrumptious feast ever! It had been eight years since I'd been home,
so all my favorite dishes were laid out. Dad was tired so he went
off to bed. The rest of us visited and reminisced late into the
night.
Perhaps it is only by returning to one's roots and being part of even a
single simple, traditional ceremony that one can truly feel the strong
ties that still bind families long separated by time and distance.
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"Tika Day Parathas"
(Recipes)
Aloo
Paratha
6-12 servings
Ingredients:
3-4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cumin powder
¾ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 small onion minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ghee or corn oil
1 cup water
Salt
Directions:
1. Combine flours, cumin, and salt.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and water; a little at a time.
3. Knead until smooth, adding flour or water as necessary.
4. Cover dough with plastic wrap and set aside for half an hour.
5. Add chili powder, onion and oil to the mashed potatoes.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
7. Divide dough into 12 equal portions.
8. Roll each piece into about a 4-inch circle.
9. Spoon 1-2 tablespoon of potato mixture into each; fold over
edges.
10. Pinch dough closed and press down to distribute filling evenly.
11. Apply some flour on both sides and roll it out gently.
12. Heat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
13. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil.
14. Cook each roti for about 3 minutes per side, until it turns light
brown.
Serve hot or room temperature.
Note:
If you prefer, you can sauté the onion before mixing it into the mashed
potato.
Substitute grated radish or mashed peas
