Bovine wisdom
“I really don’t care. Order something”. That was my lackadaisical response to my brother’s query “What do you want to eat?” as we started settling down at our table at Pan Asian restaurant at ITC Sonar hotel. And therefore, that is what he did. The usual Bengali favorites of hakka noodles, fried rice, manchurian gobi and so on. I was more focused on spending time with him than what I was going to eat that evening.
Something curious happened in the next couple of minutes. Just as the waiter had started walking away, my brother called him back “Ektu salad diye jaaben?” (“Can you get us some salad?”). Very proud of my brother that he was eating his vegetables – and obviously caught in a location context warp as I realized later, I commended him for eating leaves and vegetables. Ever concerned of his health, I enquired about whether he was focusing on the proper dressing too (stay away from the creamy ones, you know).
He stared at me blankly. “Maaney?” (“What are you talking about?”). It took me a couple of seconds to recognize what had happened. You see, in India, “salad” really means a plate of condiments – usually comprising of sliced cucumbers, onions and tomatoes and sometimes carrots and even green chillies with salt sprinkled all over. The sophisticated places might even give you beet-salt.
Chuckling inside, I told him that he should try and eat green vegetables too.
“Knacha ghaas paata khabo?”, he asked indignantly. (“You want me to eat raw leaves and grass?”). I replied in the affirmative explaining how our digestive systems cannot digest cellulose and therefore those leaves are great as fiber for roughage and bowel movements. Other than the obvious source of vitamins.
Thoroughly unimpressed, he dismissed me saying “Amader deshe ogulo goru-tey khay”. (“Here in India, cows eat such stuff”).
“The health benefits of leaves and vegetable salads are well documented”, I persisted.
He gave it some consideration and then burst my balloon. “Toder deshe-r kota goru-r khub bhalo figure?”. (“How many cows in your country are proud of their figures?”).
I gave up and started digging into the salted cucumber and tomato slices that had arrived at our table. Ooh! They were very tasty 🙂
Beet salt? Going to have to Google that one…
Rajib Roy, in India the salad leaves are not at all properly washed at all even in good restaurants. I am not saying abour what ITC does , but doctors there in India advice people to stay away from raw leaves due to neurocysti cercosis . Waiting to see what the doctor friends say about it !
But at home it’s ok
Avijit, that is why I was suggesting that my brother eat it, not me 🙂
Rajib Roy my sympathies !!! I certainly agree with your brother on the goru, the ghash and salads !!!!!!!!!
I think Rajib meant ‘Rock salt’ instead of ‘beet salt’! In Bengali we refer to it as ‘beet noon’ and ‘kala namak’ in Hindi!
I think Sibapriya is right. As always.
Shibapriya, instead of ‘beet-noon & kala-namak’, can you enlighten some medical advice as Avijit had said. Pl go thru his comments and add on….. 🙂
Shudhu ghash pata khele diarhhoea hobey…..goruder prai loose gobor rastay dekha jay……
Bishon satti Baisakhi. @Rajib: gorur katha uthlo bole mone porlo. REC campus er modhye je durga mondop er jaygata acche, ekdin sondhye belay okhane anek goru boshechilo. Tui bolechili je goru gulo meeting korche – ora kal dudh debe na.
Mone porche???
Agree with your brother
Another angle of looking at Ghas Phus
Cows with figures ! That is a new way to look at them 🙂
Avijit, you are absolutely right! NCC was there from time immemorial, and is one of the commonest cause of seizures, epilepsy in the developing world.It is true that raw vegetables and leaves are the commonest source apart from uncooked or semicooked pork meat! The rest you can very well google but I can add one intersting fact. Celebrated tennis player from India, Leander (Adrian) Paes , now 41 years old was afflicted by NCC at the age of 31, and had repeatedseizures i.e convulsions and initially thought to be suffering from malignant brain tumor.After treatment ,as you all know he went on win do many doubles and mixed doubles Grand Slam titles !
Mousumi, that certainly sounds like me 🙂