Enjoy Bhang at Begum Bazaar

India - Bhang, the drink patronised by Lord Shiva is the same drink with which Amitabh Bacchan tried wooing Rekha on screen in the ever green song Rang Barse in Silsila, it is also the official drink of Holi.

Bhang, which is prepared from the leaves and buds of the female cannabis plant, has become synonymous with Holi. Bhang that is otherwise hard to get in the city and banned, somehow finds a place in many household as part of the holi celebrations.

Begum Bazaar the commerce center of the city has a variety of shops selling bhang clandestinly during this time of the year. Additionally, there are plenty of families that get their bhang supply for Holi from places outside the state.

“Drinking Bhang is one of our Holi customs.

But we get the Bhang, which comes in the form of small round tablets from Bidar. Apart from the bhang thandai, bhang kachoris are also very popular in my family,” says Prakash Soni, a businessman.

Even though Begum Bazaar is a popular destination for Bhang in the city, it is sold only to the regular patrons of the shop. Sometimes the bhang thandai are served for free to friends and relatives as a part of the Holi celebrations.

“We have been celebrating Holi with Bhang for the past 30 years. We get the marijuana leaves, dry them and make it a powder. Then we mix it with water to make it a paste,” explains Kamal Kishore, who insisted that he doesn’t use bhang for money and it is only for celebrations. “When relatives and friends come over to our house for Holi we offer them bhang,” he adds.

Explaining the process of making bhang thandai, Kamal Kishore says, “Bhang along with almonds and pistachios and a glass of milk is enough to give you a high. It takes about half an hour to one hour for its effect to set in.” The bright and varied colors of Holi and the intoxicating euphoria of Bhang and the festive spirit in the air combined together is what reminds one of the lyrics of the evergreen Amitabh Bacchan’s Holi song from Silsila Rang barse bheege chunar wali, rang barse Are kaine maari pichkaari tori bheegi angiya O rangrasia rangrasia.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: Expressbuzz
Author: Sohini Chakravorty
Contact: Expressbuzz
Copyright: 2010 Expressbuzz
Website: Enjoy Bhang at Begum Bazaar
 
Ok....now tell me how it's made again? Pretend I'm a second-grader.

take this recipe to your mommie and tell her you need help with it :yummy:
Bhang Recipe

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup water
2-1/2 cups warm milk
1 tbsp blanched and chopped almonds
1 tbsp chopped cashewnuts
1/2 tbsp chopped pistachios
1/4 tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 tbsp melon (kharbooj) seeds
1/4 tbsp saunf
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 cup dried rose petals
1 tsp rosewater
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1/8 tsp ginger powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
15 gms cannabis leaves and buds (this is banned at many places and available in limited stores, one may not use this ingredient)

Method:

Clean the cannabis leaves and buds by removing any stick and seeds
Wash it thoroughly
In a pot, boil the water
Add all the ingredients, except sugar and milk
Let it boil on slow flame for 10 minutes
Strain and keep aside the liquid
The solid part is grinded in stone grinder by adding 1-2 tbsp warm milk
Press through muslin with back of palms, extracting the liquid into vessel
Repeat the previous two steps till 1 cup milk is consumed and the residue becomes dry and husklike
The extracted milk should be smooth
Mix the extracted milk and boiled water which was kept aside
Add remaining milk and sugar
Chill for 2-3 hours and serve
 
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