I
know I have told you enough about the tantrums world throws on a vegetarian;
but eating a spoonful of wasabi was just the beginning.
Japan is a
country I admire for things like perseverance, technology and innovation. One
thing about Japan that makes me show a ‘monkey–face’ is food. When I say
‘Japanese Food’, what comes to you mind?
When
I landed in a foreign country, I had a very open mind, free of inhibitions. My friends were
alike which made it all the more fun. We were a ‘foodie-gang’
who never hesitated to travel miles and miles to get a nice cup of coffee and
banana bread. The German Bakery was one such. It wasn’t limited to
coffee though; we wanted to try that one thing which people go gaga over, that
one thing which is so popular around the world – Sushi.
I was
not certain there is a vegetarian version of Sushi until one of my friends
mentioned it. She was so excited to tell me about Sushi and its health benefits
and how yummy it tasted. She also mentioned that it is the best food for those
who are trying to cut down on calories. Hmmm!!! I was nailed that very moment,
so typical of me. I wanted to be a Sushi girl!
 |
| The Sushi Girl |
I was
excited. Versha - my friend and I went to the Central park after work. It is a
lovely place to hang out and shrug off the day’s stress and stretch a little.
We usually go to Gloria Jeans near the park and get some coffee. That
particular day, we were starving and we decided to go to a restaurant. We went
ahead to taste the ultimate Japanese food, for the first time ever. It was a Sushi restaurant, the name I don't quite remember which is conveniently
located next to the Central Park. A very popular
place among the Japanese in Sydney, I reckoned.
The
place was different, to say the least. It didn’t have any tables or chairs like
the usual restaurants. It had a single-high-round-rotating
table. Interesting, we thought and gaily went and sat on the bar stools
next to the table. The aroma was not something I had imagined. We saw people
religiously eating the tiny, round, cylindrical stuff. I asked Versha if
someone would wait on us. But then, when I zoomed in my focus on the dishes
that were moving around, the idea looked precarious. I immediately called out “Excuse me?! “.
Picture Source : Google Images
Out
came 3 neatly dressed Japanese chefs. One started molding the rice, the other
stuffed some pinkish stuff inside the rice and the next wrapped the sides with
a blackish cover and cut it into small pieces all even in size. They offered 3
perfectly round sushi’s to me. I held my both my hands out in front, in a
reflex and said “no, no, I want vegetarian”. As usual, they looked puzzled. I
said “only veggies… hmm... No meat…no ‘m e a t’ please“. I swallowed some air and
continued “no fish”. One of them nodded, “ah ha..! Vegetharien?!! Okey”.
Finally, they got it. I sank on the stool and waited for the disaster to
happen. They started rolling and stuffing and molding again, in a perfect
fashion. This time, they spared just the pink stuff. Instead of that, they
added a mashed green thingy, I had no idea what that was. I asked them what it
was and they told me it was vegetarian sushi made with rice and avocado. I
asked “What is that black thing you wrap it with?” They were exhausted
answering my questions. One of them was clearly irritated; he answered “sea
weed, very good… very vegetarian”.
Picture Source : Google Images
Relieved,
I took the sushi near my mouth. The pungent smell of the sea weed was
nauseating. I stopped short of biting it. Versha asked me to take the sea weed
off and have the rice and avocado. I undressed the sushi and ate a spoonful of rice and avocado. I was tired and my tummy was
growling. Versha being a meat eater herself couldn’t stand the smell of Sushi. So,
we both decided to have a mushroom soup
after all this and left the place happily.
I had
3 Café mochas that day to make up for this Sushi
catastrophe
and I learnt I’d make my own food wherever I live.
Thank
you Sydney, for the experience and also for teaching me how to eat with Chop
Sticks!
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