“I want some Bhaatkhor”, my 2.5 year old chirps. I think I must have misheard, so I ask her if she wants some Bhaat (rice), and she replies “No, Bhaatkhor!”. I’m perplexed, I don’t understand what she is trying to ask. My mind immediately connects it to a rhyming word in Hindi, which I’m sure she hasn’t heard me or the husband say. So I ask where she’s heard the word. She tells me Kiki Mumu (pandas on a show) have it. I don’t know if it’s a food item until then.
I rack my brains and come up with various options about what it could be. Days pass, and we are no closer as she hasn’t shown me any of the episode with this item in it. She has since mentioned it to my husband who in turn has asked me what is this thing!
Then I’m browsing one post on snack items with a picture (on a FB group), and she wants to see it. I tell her that it’s not a video, just a picture. She identifies French fries, hamburger etc and then points to something and then says excitedly “Look mumma, Bhaatkhor!” I look and see a picture of .. hold your breath…
… POPCORN!! I burst out laughing, and quickly text the husband, the mystery cleared up. We both try everyday since then to say “popcorn” but it still doesn’t sound like Bhaatkhor!