This article first appeared in The Hindustan Times’ Brunch magazine on Sunday, April 2, 2008.
She says tomato, I say… succulent, juicy steak, and don’t hold the sauce.
Among the many things couples argue over at the dinner table, my wife and I have added vegetables and hunks of meat. You see, ours is a divided household — my wife upholding the virtues of vegetarianism, while my daughter and I separate the pieces of meat in the bowl and discard the rest.
As with most things that have gone wrong in my life, I blame my parents. I was raised on a Bohra diet: trotters (paaya, for those who only know it by its Indian name) and ‘cocktail kababs’ (mince, onions and other unidentified frying objects padded together and eaten before better sense ruins your meal) for breakfast, mutton or chicken curry with rice for lunch and more flesh for dinner.
Also, a Bohra social function is incomplete without at least two drowned-in-gravy savouries (even mentioning veggies could result in excommunication), two sweet dishes and oil-soaked biryani or pulao. The oft-repeated joke at the thaal (the large metal plate around which Bohras gather for a meal) is, “Bay khaaraas, bay mithaas, pachhi bypass.” (Two savouries, two sweet dishes, then a bypass.)
But I’m unapologetic about it. You need to understand what a well-made rogan josh can do for your soul (let’s not think about what it does to your arteries, though).
Why don’t I do vegetables? This quote I read on the internet describes it best: “I feel wise after drinking tea. After eating vegetables, I just feel hungry.”
As for healthy eating, I once read a line delivered by a character in the 2005 film Kicking and Screaming: “I take a vitamin every day. It’s called a steak.”
I guess the non-vegetarianism is hardwired into my DNA. So, go ahead, call me what you want — “meat freak” is among the more polite things I’ve been branded.
I don’t care. I’ll just dig into my prawn curry and the world will seem just right.
Ashraf Engineer
Altaf said,
April 9, 2008 at 3:02 am
As the younger “vegan” brother of a carnivore, I was pretty much an outcast in a “thal” of bohras. The hard part was not going hungry, but answering people’s questions about why I wouldn’t eat more than half the stuff that was served- yes I was a wierd bohra after all.
Never liked the taste of red meat (I’m not sure whether chicken and seafood qualify as meat at all) and still don’t. But I loved all the sweet stuff which I miss now, but I make up for it in other ways and still qualify for the “bypass” category. Lots of “Mithaas”, then a “Bypass”; one day “Khallaas”
Way to go Ashraf- live it up for the both of us!
Arpana said,
April 17, 2008 at 4:33 am
Have grown up with an elder sibling who has an amazing ability to weed out any remotely vegetarian “items” from her food. She is famous for her carnivorous appetite in the wide family and friends circle.
I love my non-veg as much as I love my veggies and can not imagine having to go without either!
Well Wisher said,
April 23, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Hi Ashraf,
I just stumbled on to your blog and you come across as progressive, educated, opinionated and observant. So, wishing you the very best in your life.
I do believe that besides the health angle to the veg/nonveg debate, there is another angle and that is of being compassionate toward’s god’s creations. Yes, eating plants/vegetables consitutes violence but is less so than eating animals. (just like cannibalism is bigger sin than being a carnivore). There is a lot of muslims who are vegetarians (do check out islamveg.com).
Revisiting choices based on rationality and our own innate sense of right/wrong as opposed to our upbringing, culture and habits is a modern value that would serve us well as we move towards hopefully creating a better world.
Well Wisher said,
April 23, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Also, being a carinivore is nothing to be proud of and is quite medieval, but thats how i look at the world