ID :
501213
Mon, 08/13/2018 - 07:46
Auther :

India's Big Spice Bazaar

By Shakir Husain Bernama's correspondent in New Delhi shares his take from the Indian sub-continent NEW DELHI, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Traders in the spice market in Delhi's historic old district have no time to exchange pleasantries. They want to avoid curious onlookers, and "window shopping" would invite disapproving looks. For these wholesale businessmen in the Khari Baoli market, located near the Fatehpuri Masjid, one of the city's oldest mosques, time is money. You can watch them tending to retail shopkeepers, taking orders over the phone, talking to suppliers and discussing payments while allowing their eyes to wander in search of more customers. They have a good eye to assess their potential customers and one question is enough to determine whether you are a genuine customer or not. "How much do you want to buy?" you may get asked if you enquire about a spice, herbs, nuts, dry fruits or any of the goods displayed. Some shops are just a hole-in-the-wall operation. Most would sell to retail customers but some are strict wholesalers who only sell in bulk. One trader refused to sell me two kilogrammes of clove, which is a considerable quantity for an average individual buyer, while another happily sold 250 grams of almond in a polythene pack. Khari Baoli is a busy place near the Chandni Chowk shopping area in historic Delhi. With the centuries-old Mughal monument Red Fort being a major tourist attraction in Old Delhi, the markets in the area get many foreign tourists wandering through their crowded streets for experience. In Khari Baoli you mingle with local spice shoppers, bulk buyers and labourers transporting sacks on carts and on their heads through an unending jumble of traffic. For the traders, the focus on money gives them the equanimity to ignore the surrounding chaos and cacophony. With its collection of domestic and imported spices, grains and salts, flavouring agents and herbs, pickles and chutneys, this market offers a unique exposure to visitors. India's agricultural diversity is well represented here with tea leaves coming from the Northeast region, black pepper, cardamom, clove, cinnamon from the south, and walnuts and saffron from Kashmir. The market is among the world's top spice hubs by size. For local shoppers, the place offers great choices to spice up their cooking, but tourists have to be careful about what they want to buy and carry home. The whiff of some spices can also cause coughing and sneezing. It's better to maintain a safe distance from red pepper sacks and turmeric bags. Heeng (also spelt as 'hing'), or asafoetida, is one such ingredient that tourists are better off not carrying in their luggage. It's commonly used in Indian cooking but releases a very strong smell. It's also known as devil's dung and stinking gum. A few grams of heeng is enough to contaminate the air in the entire aircraft cabin. However, it's prized for its medicinal properties and expert cooks use it to create enticing food flavours. Visitors may be curious to know more about the trade and the vast array of Indian spices, but your conversation with the shopkeepers would probably be restricted to what you want to buy and how much quantity you want. As soon as you finish your purchase, the next customer has the trader's attention. Edited by Rema Nambiar -- BERNAMA

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