Sunday, May 23, 2010

What food do you eat?

I just returned from Kota Bharu and came back sick. My business colleagues there had been good to me and wanted to feed me with all kinds of exotic food that KB is famous for, such as Beef soup, Fried Bees, catfish, and others. But unfortunately... fortunately in another sense... I donot eat beef since I am a "adopted grandson" of Kuan Yin Pu Sa. I also do not eat catfish. For some reasons, the name of catfish in chinese sounded like "Pu Sa" in hokkien dialect. And moreover, catfish are still alive even after you have taken out their stomach. If you see documentary films about catfish, they can still wriggle about after you make a big slice into their body. So when you put them into the hot oil, you are actually deep-frying them alive. So it is actually cruel. About bees...I really am not used to eating insects and bugs. Anyway, I noticed that these bees are young bees and are caught for food. My colleagues ordered them anyway, but I didnot touch any of it.

To them, I must look like a fool to resist such "good" food. So far, all their guests have not said "No" when they feed their guests with such food...until I came along. I also did not join in drinking Tiger beer. I'm sorry I don't drink beer. I feel sorry for my colleague having to drink alone. I also do not eat curry with coconut milk and do not eat mango or food that is too sour. That is due to physical reason.

We often hear of people saying that when we are in business, we often have to entertain our guests and business associates and we cannot avoid drinking and eating such food. I am really sorry if I made any of them unhappy with my avoiding these food. However I am happy I got through KB with my commitments still intact. Sorry... but sentient beings matters more than the happiness of my stomach. It is said that the food we eat, reflects the person we are. Even if I am not 100% vegetarian, I try to reduce my meat intake slowly and not to eat strange, exotic and uncompassionate food. So what food do you eat?

P/S: But I would want now to try the famous "Khao Jam". When my friends first mentioned it, I hesitated due to not knowing what it is. But having checked out the internet, I think I would really like to try it. It's a dish of Rice with all kinds of herbs, leaves and spices mixed together. It supposedly used more than 40 different herbs. WOW! The chicken and fish that goes with it are served separately. So, vegetarians can leave it out and eat only the veges. The rice is actually Nasi Kerabu, a kind of rice prepared in the Malay style using finely chopped ingredients. My friends told me it is very healthy and even gives men that added strength like Ginseng. Really sounds tempting to the taste buds. This "Khao Jam" had been featured before in the Astro food channel (the Asian TV cable network). Khao Jam is sold at the famous Ulang corner. When my friend took me to this place, it was closed. Now I want to blame it on my bad karma! :) Hahaha...never mind, I'll try it next time. Check this out: http://blog.axian788.com/?p=1747

5 comments:

Bodhiactivity said...

am vegetarian but take eggs... can't bear animals being hurt for my stomach... same like u...

i think buddhism minimum requirement is not to hurt others. Even if can't help, try not to hurt... that's very difficult but we shd try.

Mahabodhiyana said...

Check out what I wrote on Khao Jam.

Winshoo said...

I've started becoming a vegetarian since mid of last year (after taking the 5 precepts) - it's not an easy task when I have meals with friends. I have to think twice if they invite me out for dinner 'cuz I wouldn't wanna end up drinking tea/water only in the store that only serves meat. I envy those vegetarians who have no problem at all being one.

Mahabodhiyana said...

I know how you feel. Just this morning I was invited (together with others) to a luncheon where we were given a free treat because he got a promotion or title or something. I looked at the choices available. There was beef, lamb chop, chicken black pepper sauce, salmom, ...in the end I choose the only sensible food that involved the least meat, i.e. pizza. It was just a simple pizza with several small slices of sausage and jalapeno. The others laughed at me and thought that I was an idiot to order a pizza when someone was treating me. I could have ordered a more expensive food, they thought. I just laughed it off and said that I liked pizza.

Winshoo said...

Haha, eversince I stop taking meat, I never look forward to any "free treat" or something like that 'cuz nobody would wanna waste money on someone who doesn't know how to enjoy "good delicious food" (as in meat). You are still alright since you are not a fulltime vegetarian yet.