We had people over for dinner over the weekend and we had to decide on a menu and it struck me just how complicated it is deciding what to prepare. Nowadays people have soo many dietary restrictions: vegan, zabiha, non-dairy, no seafood, chicken only, no carbs, cabbage soup, etc. I thought to myself, This is how the top of the food chain eats?
I started thinking of the number of people who dont get proper nutrition and thought, Im soo not picky. And then my mom snapped me out of my thoughts with a dunda to the head -- I made it tough for her when I was living at home. There wasnt a thing she cooked that I wanted to eat. If we had daal (lentils), I'd ask if we were poor. If she made meat, it had to be chicken only. If she made fruit chaat and used mangos, I'd pick the mangos out... start to eat... be able to smell the mango... develop a rash and run off crying. I liked my curry with no pakoras. And dishes had to be served sans tarka.
I feel like crying thinking back to all those days Mom had dinner waiting and I was too busy to come down. I wish someone would cook for me now. I have since apologized to her. Being on your own, you really cherish home cooking. And of course the one who makes it for you, so you dont have to.
Of course, some things will never change. There is a growing list of things I will not eat, come what may. Here are a few items:
1.) Mangos
2.) Goat
3.) Rabbit aka Thumper
4.) Deer aka Bambi
5.) Frog aka Kermit
6.) Snake
7.) Alligator
8.) Kalayji -- chicken liver. And if you do and you're reading this-- we are no longer friends. GROSS!
9.) People -- hahaha. No its not a Freudian slip.
10.) Pork products, obviously.
11.) Rodent anything. (mice, muskrat, possum, whatewer)
12.) Dolphin
13.) Im still not a daal fan. Im becoming a vegetable fan -- so Ma's happy.
14.) Cow tongue
15.) Grapes
I think that about covers it. Back up off my blog if you're upset starburst isnt up there. =)
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5 comments:
I think it's only natural to take your parents' cooking for granted. When I was at home, forced to consume desi food until I bled saalan, I longed for the most elementary dishes. If nahari was my dad's idea of a good meal, then Mac & Cheese was my vision of a feast!
It isn't to say I don't enjoy nahari, biryani, paya(mm....fattening) or daal, but I wanted to eat it on my own time!
Now that I'm on my own, I miss some things, and don't miss others.
I miss not having to cook, I miss never having to worry about what to eat for lunch, I miss not having to set foot in a grocery store...(Except Trader Joe's, it is inexcusable to dislike that place!)
I DON'T miss being served what someone else decided to prepare for me, I don't miss all that oil and I certainly don't miss having to eat nine out of ten meals with roti.
But if I had to choose between the two, I'd probably have my mom cook for me. Please don't take this at face value, that's my wallet talking, not me.
Credit where credit is due though, my mom made way more than just desi food and excelled at it all.
So...I guess this is where we say our goodbyes and depart ways. I knew the line between friendships was thin, but I would never have guessed that line was made of internal organs.
Not that I consume it regularly (because really, how often is my mom going to prepare it?), but I am a fiend for kalayji. Maybe I like it so much because I get to eat it so infrequently. I don't think anyone else in my family, save my dad enjoys it...but he'll eat ice cream with raisins in it! Blech! (I hope this doesn't speak ill of my own standards)
As I eyeball the list, I see no mention for or against Ox tail. :}
Could it be a sign of things to come? I guess we'll find out in an up and coming blog entry!
I too would never eat rabbit, (they were made to be adored, not eaten!) but I suppose that's why the 'uglier' breeds are bred for meat (is that mean?). Snake and alligators is a given, as are all reptiles because they are not halal. But hypothetically speaking, I WOULD IF I COULD! (Alligator)
I don't know if I'd eat octopus, I think it would have to be in front of me to decide. I wouldn't want to eat snails, slugs or anything of that nature. Any and all insects of course, despite how much protein they carry a.
I can think of at least a few you omitted from that list.
Elephant aka Dumbo?
Monkeys aka Abu?
Dalmatians aka Lucky? :p
Chipmunks aka Chip & Dale?
Bengal Tigers aka Shere Khan? (At least I think he was a Bengal)
Reflect for just a minute if you don't mind...
I thought about the foods I wouldn't enjoy, and believe me I put some thought into it, yet struggled to even mention the handful that I did.
With all the different foods in the world that there are for us to enjoy, we can practically count on our hands how few of them we find repulsive. Don't tell me that in itself is not a blessing from Allah (swt)
Mothers usually have a special touch to their cooking. You are right!! one learns the value of her cooking when out in the world by themselves.
Oh!! daal and curry is delicious..now that you mentioned. Hmmm!!!surprised that you dont eat mangoes and grapes???
I'm waiting for a food chanel show where Rachael Ray visit a desi resturant and share her comments on our food...Inshallah, coming soon!!!
Awsome post...
~eysheikah
ray to visit desi restaurant.....would be cool
What if someday you get married to a chinese?
We'll stick to the regular meats:
chicken, beef, and regular seafood.
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