My excellent adventure to India, El Salvador

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/01/2020 (2297 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The cold Manitoba winter I have come to know and not quite love melts away, and I suddenly find myself deep within the exotic heart of India.

My nostrils are immediately filled with the unmistakable smells of curry and other spices, while women and children in brightly coloured costumes hurry past.

And all this without even suffering from jet lag.

My journey to India is part of the cultural extravaganza known as Westman Multicultural Festival, an annual event in Brandon that kicked off Thursday and runs through Saturday.

The India Pavilion at the Dome Building on the Keystone Centre grounds is alive Thursday night as a crowd pours into the massive Exhibit Hall.

The frenzied rhythm of Indian music fills the room and I can feel my body begin to sway to the beat.

I probably stand out in my parka and winter boots.

As the Canadian and Indian national anthems end, a young girl takes to the stage, and as she performs I feel like I’ve walked into a Bollywood musical.

After she’s finished, we are regaled with fun facts about the history and culture of the country (My memory is poor: please don’t ask me to recite any of it).

Hungry for a taste of authentic Indian cuisine, I check out the menu, where I discover many delectable dishes I have never tried (I’m usually a little timid that way), including chicken curry, which apparently consists of boneless marinated tender chicken in a creamy curry sauce with a mellow flavour, and shahi paneer, chickpeas cooked in a tangy tomato-based sauce. Both are served with rice and handmade naan (that’s bread for those of us who don’t speak any of the 22 recognized languages).

I love my protein, but for those who don’t, there’s vegetarian thali, described as “a lot of everything,” all vegetarian, while others like myself can feast on non-vegetarian thali, which contains “a lot of everything” with chicken curry.

If you still have room for dessert — which I sadly do not — there is gulab jamun cup, a sweet milk-based dumpling in a sugar syrup (best eaten warm) or gelabi, bright orange, web-shaped cakes similar to funnel cakes.

Alcohol is available at the pavilion, but sadly I am working and so that pleasure is denied me and I leave wanting more.

The India Pavilion is open from 6 p.m. to midnight tonight and 2 p.m. to midnight on Saturday.

The next stop in my brief world tour is El Salvador, a new addition to the festival, located in the North End Community Centre on Stickney Avenue.

While the venue is much smaller than the India Pavilion, the enthusiasm of the performers is equal in every way as they perform folklore and Salvadoran dances with exotic names such as Baile Folklórico El Xuc (El Xuc Folk Dance), Adentro Cojutepeque (Inside Cojutepeque), Salsa de El Salvador (Salsa from El Salvador), Las Flores del Boquerón (The Flowers of Boquerón) and Divino Salvador del mundo (Divine Savior of the World).

Hungry for more adventure, I try a plate of tamales, which I learn is a Salvadoran dish made with a special tomato sauce, potato, red pepper and chicken inside corn flour dough and wrapped in banana leaf. Yes, it was a hot tamale, but only in temperature, not spice.

The menu also offers pupusas — a thick flatbread made with cornmeal or rice flour filled with an assortment of ingredients such as ground pork and veggies or refried beans with mozzarella cheese.

In an effort to quell my thirst for knowledge — since alcohol is not served here — I check out a table filled with dolls and footwear and toys from Latin America.

Satisfied, I leave another part of the world I have never explored before, at least until next year.

The Salvadoran Pavilion’s doors open at 6 p.m. and close at 10:30 p.m. tonight. On Saturday, the hours are from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

While my globetrotting days are over for this year, there are plenty of other pavilions for visitors to check out, including English, Scottish, Philippine, Mexican, Ukrainian, Mauritian, Jamaican and Métis.

The Honduran Pavilion is not open this year due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to the festival website.

Speaking of which, for more detailed information about the Westman Multicultural Festival, including hours and an interactive map, you can visit gotothepavilions.com.

 

» brobertson@brandonsun.com