Monday, January 26, 2009

Kadab Kadab

There was once an old Brahmin who poor but very devout. He used to go people's houses and perform pooja, eat there and go home with whatever donation that was offered to him.

One day he came to Ak's house. Ak watched him perform the pooja, and was eagerly waiting for food to be served.

She ran excitedly to sit on the floor cross legged. The server first put banana leaves on the flour. Ak, the expert quickly sprinkled water and cleaned the leaf. Then they were served salt and a piece of lime on the left of the leaf ,this was followed by chutney and salad went right under it, potato vegetable to the right, then" gooju" a sweet sour vegetable, BHaaji, and plain dal rice and ghee on it. Lastly a little kheer was served as prasad.

When everyone said "Venkat Raman Govinda Govinda" Ak started eating her food. First she ate the Kheer, and then she took the piece of lime and squeezed it on the rice and daal and ate it. By then they were serving rasam, a watery but tangy dal to be eaten again with rice.

Ak who was sitting opposite the Brahmin was by now excitedly jumping about in her place for she knew now Kadab would be served. The Brahmin was puzzled for he had never eaten Kadab, in fact he had never ever heard about it. He was wondering how to eat it, for he was feeling quite embarrassed about a small girl knowing about it and him not now knowing. He finally decided to follow exactly what Ak did.

The Brahmin was first served the Kadab. What did he see? Nothing but a semi circle puffed up in between. He looked at it carefully Hmmm. … . It was a poori that was folded into half with some stuffing in it. But what was the stuffing? And how did one eat it? He looked at Ak.

What did Ak do when Ak was served the Kadab? She used her thumb and made a hole in it. The Brahmin did the same.

Ak's mother came with the ghee and poured it in hole made in the kadab.

Hmm what did Ak do? She picked up the kadab and ate it! the Brahmin did the same.

Yum yum yum did it taste nice?

Yes. He loved the flavour it had and tried to identify the ingredients in it there was hoorna which is mixture of chana dal and jaggery, with cashew nut and raisins all stuffed in then folded into a semicircle.

The Brahmin ate 4, 5 6 till he was feeling quite stuffed.

Before leaving for home he asked Ak's mother what the sweet was called.

Ak's mother told him that they were called kadab

So the Brahmin left, on the way he went on muttering to himself,"Kadab kadab." His home was far away so the Brahmin went on and on,"Kadab, Kadab."

Dhadam….! !!

down fell the Brahmin! .There was a stone in his way but he did not see it so engrossed he was in his thoughts of kadab.Quickly he got up and looked around. Thankfully there was no one around he dusted himself and started again.

This time he went on say ,"Bidee bidee…." This in kananda means I fell down.

So on reaching home he called his wife, Shanta, and told her ," I have eaten a wonderful sweet today its called bidee bidee .I want to eat more of them so make it."

Shanta was surprised and told him,"Bidee bidee ? what is it ? I do not know this .How can I make it ?surely there is some mistake."

"No", roared the Brahmin, "it was bidee bidee and I want it."

Shanta was at a loss the more she tried to reason with him the worse he became and finally he slapped her on her cheek.

Now Shanta decided to leave him alone and went off inside without a word.

In the evening she went to the well to fill water where she met her friends.

On of the ladies said,"Arre Shanta why is your cheek swollen?" It's as big as a kadab.""

The Brahmin heard it and started yelling ,"yes yes it was kadab and not bidee bidee."

Shanta struck her forehead and said, " You should have told me earlier I would have made it."

The next day Shanta made kadab and her husband ate to his hearts content.

1 comment:

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    ReplyDelete