The Barb'E'que

Bar beku

Once upon a time, around 100 years ago, a person from faraway lands who happened to be searching for local delicacies was walking the streets of a major city at night looking for new cuisines that he can make as per his palate.

On the first night of his creepy crawly hunt, he saw a merchant by the road side turning various meats from recent hunt over red hot embers of coal which spread aroma all over the place and that churned the juices of the foreigners stomach as well as of the many onlookers and patrons who had jam-packed around the place for parcels and door delivery.

Exerting his new found foreigner diplomatic status and due to that lack of color that shown bright from afar in the dim light, he asked the merchant 'What is that ?' with palm facing upwards.

The merchant pointed and then gestured with palm facing down, closing and opening, he replied in his local language (which you have to speak compulsorily in that region even if you are a foreigner or short visit), from far he said "ಬರ ಬೇಕು ಬರ ಬೇಕು" " bara beku bara beku"meaning 'come want come want' or welcome or come inside or come in anyway.

The foreigner declined the invitation gestures and thought the merchant stated the name of the dish and assumed it to be 'bara be ku'. He registered that name in his mind and continued watching the process of making the exotic delicacy turning over again and again in its sides. (There were no mobiles, YouTube or Instagram at that time and age to capture the event live and monetize it) He decided to make it at home the next day with his own spices, taste and definitely with less spice and salt. Preferably sweet he thought with some herbs and spices from various countries his country men visited and sold to him.

The next day which happened to be a Saturday, he called all his friends and colleagues over to celebrate his tiring work of discovery of the week and witness the new culinary delight he had discovered (like everything that was discovered and patented since then).

Using his new found influence, he had confiscated the merchants equipment and made his help clean it thoroughly and fill it with wood charcoal and had already started the fire. He made them coat meat with exotic herbs from china to south america, a mixture of sugar honey vinegar soya garlic cinnamon pepper clove tamarind ( the concoction was later named after his city Worcester). The meat was cooked and layered again with the sauces.

Meanwhile the guests had already settled down with their sparkling red fermented grapes and yellow barley in their hands and cheese spread on salted and baked wheat flour dough. By the time the meat was cooked, most of them were tully, or baked from inside due to the alcohol in the hit summer. The charred meat was presented and everyone enjoyed them with fresh breads from make shift ovens. They were overwhelmed by the spices and loved the pairing of the meat with red wine and yellow fizzy beers. They queued for many helpings and asked what the dish is called.

In his heavy western accent, he said meekly Bar beku. People down the queue were unable to hear his voice and enquired again and again.  The person of foreign origin, rolling the r's and q's said out aloud "Bar Be Que, Bar be Que". Everyone acclaimed aloud and clapped in happiness and appreciated the wholesome burnt flesh that they could gouge in plenty into their innards and happily went to sleep.

The court jester and official documenter wrote this event along with the recipe and sent it immediately to various newspapers and from then on the ritual is still followed every weekend in many places to showcase hard work (hardly any) done throughout the week by lazing around charcoal with beer and calling it Bar be Que.

All this is figment of someone's imagination, namely mine and conjured while on an evening walk near someone grilling meat over red hot embers of coal. No animals were harmed while writing this except for consumption of tea powder in sachet dipped in hit water and milk, packed spiced peanuts and oil fried baked potato slices.

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