Chat-Pat 2.9 MB - Language Building Blocks

__________________
Chat Pat:
A Taste of Hindi
Anita Pandey
0
०
Dedication
To my mother,
for her chat-pat cooking
&
To chat-pat memories of our dear colleague
and friend,
Dr. Deloris Monye
who loved Indian cuisine,
enjoyed trying new things, and
never stopped learning.
We miss you.
May God's blessings continue to
shower you in the after-life.
Inspired by
Sarika Pandey Kapadia (Age 4)
&
Project ABCDE
Author’s Note
In Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, and many other Indian
languages, chat-pat is the term for food that excites all
the taste buds. “Chat-pat” means tasty, yummyyummy (as we say in Indian English), spicy, spicytangy, stimulating or palette-pleasing. This bilingual
alphabet book presents the letters and sounds of
Hindi using the English alphabet sequence. By
focusing on popular Indian foods, my goal is to give
readers a taste of Indian culture and language.
The hustle and bustle of life in America often makes
fast food the preferred choice for many families.
Many children whose parents emigrated to America
prefer American fast food to foods from their home
countries. The food habits of some of these
youngsters reflect their attempt to fit in. This book
aims to interest families in healthy and tasty Indian
dishes by familiarizing them with the Hindi terms.
Children are also introduced to the Hindi words for
their grandmothers and to “–ji,” a mark of respect in
Hindi that can be added to the end of any name.
Food is a key cultural ingredient. The food(s) we eat
define us culturally. Each Indian spice (masala) has
its place in our food culture, as well as medicinal
value. While these details are not explained here, the
wide variety of vegetarian Indian dishes, each with a
unique taste and aroma are shared with families
through a four-year-old bilingual, Sarika.
The goal is to familiarize readers with the letters,
numbers, and sounds of Hindi. In Hindi, each letter
makes a single sound. In English, learning how our
26 letters can make over 65 sounds makes reading
and spelling especially challenging. By using soundbased Hindi letters, we hope to get parents, children,
and teachers interested in letter sounds—the
foundation for success in reading.
This book is also for those who enjoy Indian food. It
identifies common ingredients and expressions.
Some believe that “curry” is an essential ingredient in
Indian cooking. This is not the case.
Finally, by starting with the number zero (which we
borrowed from Sanskrit, the parent language), and
including numbers in both English and Hindi, side
by side, we hope to further interest our readers. In
English, we generally start with the number 1.
Without zero, however, we would be missing much in
mathematics, algebra, and so much more.
I’ve been trying to teach my two and four-year-old
Hindi. They always look for Hindi books and videos
at our public library. While they sometimes manage
to find a Bollywood movie, they have had no luck
finding a children’s book that uses Hindi. I hope this
book temporarily fills this void for many children and
families. May your reading of “chat-pat” be “chatpatty.” As we say in Hindi, “bahut bahut
dhanybad” (i.e., Thank you very much!). Gustave
Muhoza, a very special thanks for your technical
assistance!
Anita Pandey
Morgan State University
Feb. 1, 2008
1
१
अ & आ (A:a:)
(Aa)
In Hindi, short A is
for ANGOOR, grapes
Long A (a:) is for AALOO,
potato, and
AAM, mangoes,
my favorite fruit.
I help Mama put away
the aaloo.
2
२
ब (B, b)
B is for BADAAM — almonds.
And BURFEE!
Burfee is sweet
and tasty.
Really yummy!
It’s cut like diamonds, rectangles,
& squares.
3
३
भ (BH)
Hindi also has bh, for
BHATURE, fried bread.
I love bhaturé with cholé.
Cholé is chat-pat chick peas.
I help Mama make bhaturé.
I stand on a chair and roll away.
Mama fries and baby cries.
She always wants to use my
belan (rolling pin).
4
४
क
(C or K)
Hindi C is for:
COOKIES and KISHMISH, raisins.
When Mama is happy, she calls me Kishmish.
We love kishmish cookies.
We count kishmish in Hindi and English:
shoonya, ek, dho, tiin, char, panch, chha, saath,
aath, nau, das! 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
Can you count in two languages? Try it. It’s fun.
5
५
च
(CH)
Hindi has a letter for “ch.” “CH” is for
CHAWAL, rice,
CHEENI, sugar
CHAI, Mama’s ice-creamy tea,
and CHUMMI, kisses!
My baby sister, Sahara loves chawal, and
I love cheeni.
We both love chummi, and chewdaha chat-pat snack with chawal, kaju, kishmish,
salt, and cheeni.
My grandmas, nani-ji and dadi-ji make the best
chevrah!
6
६
Hindi has 3 letters and sounds for “D.”
The first D, like English D, is for
Dalda
Like margarine or Crisco
And
Daddy!
We love Daddy,
and
Daddy loves us.
7
७
द (like “the” in English)
The 2nd Hindi D is for
Doodh (like English “the” + “oodh”).
and dhahi, yogurt.
Baby loves dooddh. She calls
it dudhu!
Lord Krishna loved dahi and doodh.
8
८
ढ
(DH)
Hindi “DH” is for
Dhaniya
Fresh and dried cilantro.
I help Mama make fresh dhaniya
powder when we cook.
I smash the golden dhaniya seeds in
Naniji’s “khal” (spice grinder) for
Mama to throw in a dash.
Then I wash some dhaniya leaves and
decorate our food with it.
Dhaniya makes Mama’s food more
chat-pat.
9
९
इ (E)
E (like I in India) is for
sweet and sour EMILEE
(tamarind), and
sweet-smelling ELAYCHI
(cardamon) in chai, pies,
and yummy mithai (sweets).
Hindi has short “e” इ and long “ee”
Which E is in emilee and elaychi?
ई
९0
10
फ (F or “Ph”)
F is for
Fal
(Fruit)
I love FAL.
It’s good for you.
I eat at least two fruits every
day.
Santra, tangerines, and kela,
bananas are my favorite.
11
११
ग(g) & घ (gh)
G is for
GAJAR
Carrots, Sahara’s favorite snack.
GAJAR KA HALVA is Mama’s
favorite dessert.
Daddy loves GULAB JAMUN, yummy
syrupy Indian sweets.
Hindi also has the letter GH as in
gheecooked butter. I love ghee on roti!
Mama says ghee makes you moti (fat!) so I try not to eat
ghee.
12
१२
ह (H)
Hindi H is for
Halwa, a yummy sweet snack.
We have halwa after we sing the Aarti,
a Hindu hymn.
Halwa has sooji (cream of wheat),
ghee, elaychi , and nuts.
H is also for
Handwo, perfect for picnics!
— a baked Gujarati snack made from rice
and yellow dal (lentils).
Haldhee
Tumeric powder that’s good for you.
When my throat hurts, Mama
puts a little haldee in my milk.
13
१३
इ
(short “I”)
I is for
INDIA
India’s flag has three colors,
orange, white, and green.
I like learning about flags from
different countries.
14
१४
ज (J)
J is for
Jalebi, another yummy sweet!
Jalebi is an orange spiral made from flour soaked in
syrup. J is also for
Jayphul
Nutmeg
Jamun
Sweet plums from India and Indonesia, and
Jeera
Cumin. Mama says jeera helps you
Remember, so we eat lots of it.
I like roasted jeera in dahi (yogurt) with
some salt and rice.
15
१५
क (K)
K (like C) is for
Kulfi
Delicious Indian ice-cream
Koft h a
Veggie balls soaked in delicious masala sauce.
Kaju Katri
Daddy’s favorite burfee made from crushed
almonds.
Karela,
an Indian vegetable —good for your liver—and
Kala namak
Black salt used in pani puri and other chat-pat
snacks.
16
१६
ख (KH)
KH is for
KHEER and
KHARBUJA, water melon.
Kheer is rice pudding--sweet
and delicious.
KH (with an “h” aftertaste) is also for
Khatta
Sour, like green mango powder and limes.
Khana
Food, and
Khajoor
Dates from desert areas, sweet like raisins.
17
१७
ल (L)
L is for
LADOO, Sahara’s favorite sweet.
Sometimes Mama calls me ladoo.
She says I’m just as sweet.
L is also for
Lawang
Cloves
Lesun
Garlic, and
Lassi
Sweet or salty drink made from yogurt
I help Mama peel lesun and
I love mango lassi!
18
१८
म (M)
M is for
Malai, the creamy skin of boiled
milk.
We love malai.
When Mama boils doodh (milk) for
dahi (yogurt) and kheer,
she gives us the malai.
Malai also tastes good in ras
malai and other mithai
(Indian sweets)
19
१९
न (N)
N is for
NAAN, tasty
Punjabi bread.
We eat naan with subji and a little
ghee.
N is also for
NAMAK
Salt , and
NAMKEEN
Salty snacks
I love mithi (sweet) things.
Sahara loves NAMKEEN.
20
२0
ऑ ओ (O, OW)
O is for
Om, Lord Vishnu’s name.
I can write “Om” in Hindi.
Can you?
I can’t think of foods that begin
with “o” and “ow.” Can you?
21
२१
प
P is for
PANEER, Indian cheese, and
Palak, spinach.
We love palak paneer!
Then there’s PAKODA, an
Indian appetizer (vegetables fried in batter),
Papad (pronounced “paapar”),
a thin wafer, and
Pani,
water. Sahara loves papad
and pani.
Daddy says we should drink lots of pani.
P is also for
Puree, f ried Indian bread—tasty but not
healthy.
Pani poori, a tasty snack of chat-pat
water poured in crisp, puffed purees.
Pishta,
pistachios, and
Pilaf (pronounced “pullau”)
Chat-pat rice with jeera, elaychi, cinnamon, cloves,
and vegetables.
Hindi has no “Q.” Don’t ask me “kyoo” (“why”).
22
२२
र (R)
R is for
RAJMA, yummy red beans cooked with
masala (spices), and
ROTI, Indian wheat bread.
We love to eat them hot
with some ghee on top!
Mama’s rotis puff up like
balloons.
Rus malai is a delicious dessert made
from milk.
Rayata is a healthy
yogurt salad with roasted jeera/cumin, cucumber, and
fresh mint and cilantro. We love rayata with roti and
rice.
Rus is mango juice or pulp. It’s a heathly
dessert, and you can add milk to it.
23
स (S)
S is for
SAAG , healthy greens, like spinach
and mustard, and for
SUBJI, fresh or cooked vegetables.
Let’s not forget my favorite snack,
SAMOSA. My masi (Aunt) makes the
best samosas!
I like mine stuffed with chat-pat potatoes
and peas, and dipped in Nani-ji’s yummy
chutney (Indian salsa).
Mama loves to eat SAUF , aniseed.
She says it helps to digest your food.
Did I tell you that we eat lots of
SOOJI (cream of wheat), in halwa and
other dishes?
२४
25
Hindi has 4 letters & sounds for T
ट (“T”) & त (“T H”)
T (like English “T”) is for
Tamatar,
Tomato/tomatoes, and
Tomato Rasam, a sour and spicy
South Indian soup.
T h (like Spanish “th”) is for:
T h awa
an Indian griddle for making roti and paratha, and
T h aja Khana,
fresh food,
T h il or T hilli
Sesame
T h il barfi is a dessert made with til,
and
T h arka is when you fry mustard, jeera
(cumin seeds), garlic &/or onion, with
masala (Indians spices).
२५
24
Hindi has 4 letters and sounds for T
थ (TH)
TH is for
the first two sounds in
“THANK YOU!” and
Thali , a stainless steel plate of
Mama’s chat-pat food,
and Dadiji’s
Thhaepla
Gujarati rotis made from fresh or frozen methi
(asafoetida) leaves and spices.
Thheapla is great with chai.
26
२६
उ (U)
U is for
Uthapam
A South Indian roti like salty pancakes with
green chilies and onions, and
Upma
A tasty South Indian dish made from sooji.
I can’t think of other dishes with
“U.” Can you?
27
Hindi has no “V” and “Z.”
व (W)
W is for water, and
WADA,
a chat-pat snack of fried
black lentils with pepper corn.
It’s yummy with coconut chutney or
sambar, a lentil soup.
W is also for WAH, “wow!”
We say “wah!” when we eat
Mama’s and Nani’s food.
You can also say “Aré wah!
after a chat-pat meal.
28
२८
य
Y is for
YUMMY and
Yãdé
Memories of chat-pat food.
29
२९
Z
Z is not a Hindi letter
Sometimes we use Urdu words with
Z, like:
ZAMEEN, mother earth.
We don’t eat meat.
Mama’s chat-pat food fills us
up and put us to sleep.
Here is a photo of Sahara in
deep sleep.
Do you like the ZZZssss?
The Hindi Alphabet (from omniglot.com)
VOWELS
CONSONANTS
NUMERALS
Proposed back cover design