Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-12-09
FOOD IN NORTHERN INDIA.
Women who Wok the Mill Cookihs
without Stove or Range.

Women who wok the Mill Cooking
without Stove or Range.
Wheat is the chief food in Northern
India. although rice and coarser grams
are also largely used Very ear y IN the
morning 1.-THE sound of the grinding Is
heard in the houses of the natives.
Some woman a servant, a widow, OF the
mother of the family is grinding wheat
for the days consumption. Sometimes
two women work the mill, which is
rude but serviceable contrivance, within
the means of most families. The coarsely
ground -four is kneaded with water INTO
a mass of stiff dough, covered with
piece of muslin and set away.
Meanwhile the men, having repeated
the prayer to the sun at the exact mo-
ment of its rising, so to their daily aVo-
cations. The children, if they wish, re-
ceive little food that was left over from
the dinner of the previous evening, and
20 to school or to play in the court yard.
The women make the rooms tidy battle
and dress and await the return OF the
men. About noon they come, battle by
the well in the court yard and perform
worship by placing a little food or a
flower before the family idol, burning a
little incense, and mutterlng few
prayers, after which they repair to the
place set apart and consecrated to the
sacred act of eating, They sit on the
floor with their knees near the chest,
wearing only single garment wrapped
about them, which they wash themselves
so that it shall not be contaminated by
the touch of a man of low caste. Their
other garments must not be worn when
they eat. because they have been detiled
in this way
A metal plate is given to each man, a
lota, or metal cup, filled with water is
placed by his side, and the women bring
the food and serve it out to their lords
and masters In the hot season woman
twirls one of the huge fans, OF punkahs,
in a very delft manner, creating little
breeze in the close hot room. When the
men have finished and gone out to take
their usual whifs at the hookah, the
women bring in the rest Of the food and
eat their breakfast by themselves.
They cook without the aid Of a stove
/ VI itlli-N' anu EtIltid NlNilblll tttll a
chimney. Two or three sets of chulhas
which are merely little standards built Of
/ brick or mud, are in one corner of a little
/ kitchen. The little kettles rest upon
them Fires of small sticks are kindlet
in these chulhas whenever wanted. the
food is cooked quickly, and the fire i'm
mediately cXtinguished. Flat cakes
/ flattened out in the hands, are made Of
the wheaton dough and baken on an iror
plate over the fire, first on one side. ther
on the other. 1t is reckoned a nice ac
complishment 10 do this gust right. i
e., to have the cakes perfectly baked, bu
not burnt.
With these cakes, or chapatis, they
serve steWed vegetables or a pulse. calel
dial, highly seasoned and enriched witt
ghi, or boiled butter, or oil Their only
beverage is cold water They use ut
china, glass, spoons, knives, forks Oh
chopsticks. They convey food to the
mouth with the right hand alone, using
/ pieces of the flat cakes as spoons to scoor
up the stewed pulse At the evening
meal they have Il little more variety, rice
in some form, perhaps, with a curry OF
fish or vegetables, and a dessert Of fruit
or sweetmeats. They are extremely fona
OF sWeetmeats, and have them in great
variety. They are made Of rice, sugar
Hour, butter, cocoauut ami other fruit,
Some kinds are very good but most Of
them are 100 heavy and oily to be digest
ible
Some women smoke the hookah. and
all OF them chew pan large portion Oh
the time This i, composed of betelnut
a little shell lime, cudamon seeds. cto.
wrapped in a puugent leaf After chew.
ing tins awhile blood red juice escapes,
which colors the teeth and mouth in q
very unpleasant manner Mrs. L. J.
Humphrey in Demorest's Magazine.