Has ended. Actually it really never was. ☹ I can’t tell you how many people have asked if I’m excited for the food (because Indian food in the US is expensive and here’s it a fraction of the cost). My answer was always no. If I felt called to a place because of the food, it would have been Mexico or Thailand. So, coming into this, not being over excited about the food, it was inevitable that in a short amount of time I’d be done with it. This is what I fondly call my Indian diet plan. And it usually works.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike ALL Indian food, but after a while, much of it starts seeming the same. I love variety! Give me a different nationality at every meal, not the same chapatti (a tortilla type bread that is not cooked in oil) and some over-cooked vegetable. Today, for example, breakfast consisted of a potato paratha (which is really a chapatti that has some extra’s added into it (a vegetable, normally potato, sometimes cauliflower, along with onions and some green chilies and then fried in oil). I had two of these with some homemade ketchup (which really is tasty) to dip it into. They try feeding me more, but for the last month I’ve tried explaining that two is sufficient. I actually like these quite a bit, but they are so greasy and just can’t be good for you. Moving onto lunch…rice with some peas (there must be some unseen spice in it because there is a little zing to it). Again, they served this to the son* and me with the ketchup. And papad was added as a pleasant surprise. Papad holds a special place in my heart from my first time to India; it makes a meal a little less ordinary. It’s a fragile piece of, well, not really sure what, some grain, shaped more like a small corn tortilla, with little pieces of pepper in it, that is fried.
Lots of starches, and I’m not a big fan of rice. So, the diet begins more out of boredom with the food. Tonight I will try making something from scratch. I love cooking, and usually am not too intimidated in another’s kitchen. But most Indian kitchens aren’t like anything you’ve encountered, the counter is shorter, most prep work is done sitting on one’s bed and tools that are used don’t necessarily look like anything carried by Pampered Chef. ☺ At any rate, I’m ready for something 100% American. It’s time to open the canned tuna I’ve been holding onto for a special occasion, dig into the mozzarella cheese I bought and cook-up some Mac and Cheese, with tuna. I’ll throw in some onions, peas and tomato, as all these will please the family a little more too. And for them, I will serve some green chili sauce on the side, or whatever other masala (a mixture of spices) that they might want to use. So, not steering too far from the starches, but at least I’m adding a protein or two and will be engulfed in some comfort food.
*Son – I have to laugh. I’d mentioned earlier how I noticed we are treated equally. I’m actually more embarrassed by this than anything. He will sit and tell people to get him water, a spoon, or whatever else he needs. When I attempt to get my own stuff, the mother “titches” me for not having her or one of the daughters do it. So far, I’ve gotten up to get my own things, as I’m not here to be served. But I am trying to figure out the cultural balance.
I realized some damage has been done with how I was first introduced – all part of the learning curve and not done intentionally. As Dan asked for the word to describe me, someone who is helping with his children, the one they gave him meant someone who was more of a servant. Hmmm. I was okay with this, I mean, what’s really in a title, right? Well, there’s apparently a lot in it. If I was his servant, then I needed to associate with other servants. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a bad thing, but not what my time here is about either. So, some damage control is being done to explain that I am as a sister to Darla and am here to help her with the kids, giving her some free time to get in her language study.
So I’m walking this fine line between allowing people to serve me and my serving them.
2 comments:
Oh girl, I am so with ya on the Mexican and Thai! :) It will be so nice when you have your own place and can cook what you want! But I'm sure you wouldn't trade this time of learning culture either.
You are right, of course, on both accounts. :)
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