[Reader-list] Chouk Tshoont te Wangan

[Inder Salim]

Chouk Tshoont Te Wangan
( sour apples and brinjals )
                             For S

Cook tonight few Majarej Apples with Brinjals,
You may know, these days
how nostalgic i am about my past in Kashmir.

They are round, with red on cheeks.
But look-wise they are simply 'countryside'.
A simple bite would paint your teeth,
with a thick layer of iron compound.
That is raw, but if coocked, it is different.

 A 'maharaej' is still there in each orchard,
But like a scheduled caste, usually
offered to cows, if production exceeds..
Elite vendors, you know dont
let them sit next to 'Delishun', 'glas' or 'toung'

'Delishun' is grafted, but now it is fully Kashmiri,
so is the sound Maharej, although a little unkashmiri,
but quite embeded in the vernacular. Well
whatever the storey of  both,
I like Mahareaj, the sour one,
 which my mother once cooked with brinjals:

Chouk Tshoont  with Brinjal:
 Ah, that taste with hot rice.
She never peeled while slicing them,
and i often asked for more, and she would
gladly fill my 'thal' with more.

In Delhi, i saw Majarej only once, that too
on a raede, near seemapuri slum .
I instantly bought 5 Kgs in one go,
and offerend few of them to those who
merit Majareaj over other sugary ones.

Never mind, if you fail to find a sour one,
to coock them with a brinjals
 for a kashmiri meal in your home.
Just wish me back in kashmir
to buy few for you.
They are quite travel resistant
and dont decay for long if stored at room temp

.......................................................
Some words with meaning:

Mahjaraj= name of the sour apple,
chouk =sour,
 tshoot= apples
delishun = deliscious sweet apple.
glas= cherry
Toung= pear
thal= plate.
raede = cart on four wheels,



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