Have You Eaten Rice Yet?
Kin khao laew reu yang? Have you eaten rice yet? It's a common greeting used by Thai people. I think it has much more panache than typical American greetings such as how they hangin' or whazzup.
I learned a lot in Thailand ... that Thai people wear yellow shirts on Mondays to honor their king, that I actually can cook while being watched, and that I'm not woman enough to eat a fried grasshopper. Fried ants with lemongrass? Not a problem. Fried larvae? I opted for seconds. But grasshopper? I simply couldn't bear the thought of it. I looked at them, lifeless and crunchy, and imagined those gigantic, slow moving black and red creatures that I run over with my lawnmower every summer. Not a very Buddhist approach to yard maintenance, I know. For me, these things are second in creepiness only to the American cockroach (or "water bugs" as people in the South like to refer to them). I had to draw the line.
Scientists estimate that between 50 to 80 percent of the world's population eat insects as a regular part of their diet. Termites, crickets, bees, grubs, tarantulas.... ((shudder))
I know that bowl of ice cream I ate for dessert probably did me more harm than a fistful of roasted termites would, but it sure went down a lot easier. And while I was unable to send a grasshopper hopping down my esophagus, most of my traveling companions did just fine. Hats off, particularly, to Izzy. Don't she and her little fried friend look lovely?
deb
7 Comments
Reader Comments (7)
If a sixth grader can do it, I think anyone can.