Barley Kheer
Photos by Amruta Nargundkar
26th January 2013
Australia Day, Indian Republic Day
As I settle down to watch the morning news
with a cup of tea, the hot topic for discussion on TV is the rising incidence
of drinking and alcohol related violence on Australia Day in Australia.
If Australia Day is a celebration of our
patriotism and national identity, the latest evidence suggests that we have a
major problem on our hands. Research shows that more Australians get drunk and
violent on Australia Day than on any other day of the year, says the panel.
Having a drink is
often associated with being inherently Australian. You
are un-Australian if you don’t drink. While most people celebrate in a safe and
respectful way - many with a drink or two, it’s unfortunate that so many people
think it is fashionable to binge drink on Australia Day. Many get caught up in drunken aggressive
behaviour and yet many get involved in accidents.
Others spend their Australia Day dealing
with drunken idiots in hospitals or police lock-ups, or drunk drivers on our
roads.
Is it just because the Australia Day
weekend is the last long weekend before summer ends and people would like to
let down their hair? And letting down one’s hair is always associated with
drinking binges for many? Is the traditional barbecue inconceivable without the
drinking? Is drinking an indispensable part of celebrations?
A public holiday on a festival or national
day is meant to give you time to remember the reason for celebration, meet with
like minded people and remember, redefine and relate the significance of these
special occasions to our lives today…
Then we change channels and watch the
Indian President address to the nation. Our rascally, irreverent hoots at his accented
English gradually slowly dissipated, replaced by keen attention as the
Rashtrapati candidly spoke about the recent tragedy in Delhi. His words made
impact.
“It is time for the nation to reset its
moral compass.”
“The
anxiety and restlessness of youth has to be channelized towards change with
speed, dignity and order.”
And I remember Mother, who may well have
spoken so.
When we were kids, Mother, a proud daughter
of freedom fighter parents, always made something nice (and sweet) on national
holidays.
“But this is not a festival like Diwali and
Dasera”, we would say. Mother would tell
us these days were as significant, or perhaps more, as our traditional
festivals, for they are more current and related to our immediate lives.
She would liken Dasera, celebrated to
commemorate Ram’s victory over Ravan, the triumph of good over evil to the
Indian Independence Day. Diwali marked the return of Ram and Sita to their
kingdom, signifying the return of peace and sovereignty, quite like the Indian
Republic Day. In a few hundred years
from now, Independence Day and Republic Day would also be observed like these
two days. They will symbolise freedom from bondage of whatever is troubling the
society at that time. They will entail a celebration of the establishment of
the supreme law and governance of the land for the happiness and well being of
the people of those times.
Some of this wisdom is recreated from
memory and experience, for it must have been lost on us young kids.
Wow! We would think, as we fantasised how
festivals would be celebrated in a futuristic society. Will they make sweets?
Will they perform a puja? Will they buy new clothes and crackers?
As we settle down to watch the spectacular,
larger than life celebrations at the Republic Day Parade on TV, the family
asked “So what’s for lunch, Mum?”
I try to come up with a dish that would have
elements of celebration and significance for both the countries so dear to us, one our 'janmabhoomi' and the other our 'karmabhoomi'.
I think oats, coconut and brown sugar of the ANZAC biscuits that sustained diggers (troops) during the Great Wars.
I remember the gavachi kheer, the wholesome sweet gruel made with wheat pearls and jaggery, a feast food in Marathwada.
I see oats or barley, coconut and jaggery.
I say, “ANZAC kheer!”
Barley Kheer
1 cup pearl barley
1 cup dates, chopped
½ cup chopped almonds
¾ cup fresh grated coconut (desiccated will
do)
½ cup jaggery, grated (or sweetener)
1 tbsp poppy seeds, dry roasted
½ ts fennel seeds
½ tsp powdered cardamom
¼ tsp powdered nutmeg
Handful of chopped almonds to garnish
Handful of chopped dates to garnish
1 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp whole-wheat flour (atta)
2 cups full cream milk
Ghee to serve (optional)
Grind the coconut, roasted poppy seeds and
fennel seeds together. Keep aside.
Wash and cook the pearl barley really soft with plenty of water.
I pressure cooked it.
In a suitable heavy bottomed pan, melt the
ghee and add the wheat flour and roast it well. Remove into a small dish. Then to the same
pot, add the cooked barley and some water to adjust the consistency. Add the
coconut and poppy and fennel seeds ground together, the chopped dates, chopped
almonds and some jaggery or sweetener to adjust the sweetness. When it comes to
a boil, slowly mix in the roux or roasted atta. Add the milk and bring it back
to a simmer. Adjust the consistency. Add the cardamom and nutmeg. Keep on
adjusting the consistency till you get a thick creamy gruel.
Serve warm, garnished with some almonds and
chopped dates and topped with some melted ghee.
This kheer is like the gavhachi kheer made in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
