Baji
Encyclopedia
Baji is a type of beaten rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

 eaten in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

. The most common word for it, and the one visitors to Nepal will generally encounter, is "chiura." "Baji" is the term used by the Newar culture in the Kathmandu Valley. Rice, of course, is a staple in Nepal, as well as the rest of South Asia. The grain is incorporated into everyday life, festivals, and rituals. Chiura is a common snack among farmers and workers in rural Nepal. The snack is made by pounding rice.. The dish can be served with yogurt, curry, and or meat. Often chiura is paired with tea as a mid-morning snack in the fields.

Chiura holds an important place in the traditional Nepali wedding ceremony. Chiura is usually included in the brideprice, any valuables or wealth given to the bride’s family by the groom. After the initial wedding ceremony, the families escort the bride back to the groom’s house. During this procession, the pounded rice ceremony occurs. The bride and groom are seated next to one another, and the bride is given the chiura. The groom then formally asks the bride to give him the chiura. He will ask this two more times, each time using a form of “you” that indicates a lowering of her social status. This ceremony reiterates the fact that the woman’s social ranking has dropped far below its original status.

Types

  • Red (Nepal Bhasa:ह्यांगु बजि Hyangu Baji): These kinds are prepared by traditional hearthing technology. Instead of processing everything in the mill, the initial phases of milling is done traditionally and then paddy is taken to the mill for further processing. The result is a reddish beaten rice that is crispier than the white one.
  • White (Nepal Bhasa: तुयु बजि Tuyu Baji)
  • Samaybaji (Nepal Bhasa: समे बजि)

Consumption

It is usually consumed during the daytime with lentil or other vegetables with soup. It is the main food served in Newari feasts. The red type is considered better type. Samaybaji is specially consumed in Newari Festival
Newari Festival
Newari Festival refers to the festivals that are celebrated by the Newars. Newars are well known for their lavish festivals. The word Jatra is used for carnivals.- List of festivals :Based on Nepalese calendar, Nepal Sambat, the different festivals are:...

s. According to strict Hindu rules, baji can be freely consumed in company of any 'clean' caste, whereas eating boiled rice (bhat) in lower-caste company is ritually polluting. (Needs citation, please limit personal opinions)

Liquified baji is also used in Chinese folk medicine as an aphrodisiac.
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