My brother’s created (food) monsters
When I first met Sara, she said that she liked most cuisines – except Indian food.
We had this conversation when we first met.
Me: Wait, what? Why?
Her: I dunno. I tried it once and whatever I had was just awful. I couldn’t do it.
Me: You musta had a bad dish at a bad joint. Indian food’s some of the best food on earth.
Her: (shrugging) I’m always open to trying it again – I just wouldn’t know what to order.
Me: Oh, I got you.
I get it.
It’s very foreign a food to most Americans and even for the Chinese, it’s pretty different from what we’re used to.
I had it first with my brother.
He’s always been the most influential person in my life – probably still is to a large extent.
Anywho, I went to visit him while he was still in medical school, sometime in 1990.
I know the year because I was still dating my first girlfriend at the time and crashing at his pad.
He told me I would just love Indian food and I told him, essentially, thanks but no thanks.
But he insisted and off we went; he ordered a ton of food.
Now, if you don’t know already, I tend to eat more than most people.
Always have, I don’t know why.
Well, the thing I remember about that night was that the food was so delicious that I ate so much I got sick.
It wasn’t the food, it was that I literally stuffed myself to the point of massive pain, which – for me – is a rarity. I usually simply can’t get full.
Anywho, my bro ordered:
-
- Chicken tikka masala
- Chicken korma
- Saag paneer
- Naan
- Samosas
He’s now a vegetarian but, to this day, those are my go-to dishes, even 36 years later (Jesus Christ, I cannot believe that was 36 years ago).
And, now they’re Sara’s go-to dishes and Indian food has become some of her fave cuisine.
Me: (after eating at the joint around her old pad) See, you musta had a bad dish at a bad joint.
Her: Looks that way, god, it’s so good – and look at all these pretty serving dishes.
In fact, she loves Indian food so much now that she’s found a killer chicken tikka masala recipe of her own.
She made it for us a few times now AND we also recently went out to the joint that was across the street from her old pad the other day while the kids were away.
Me: What do you think?
Her: Everything’s really good! But…
Me: What?
Her: I dunno…I kinda like the chicken tikka I made better. Everything else is great, though.
Me: (laughing) I’ve created a monster.
Well, technically, my brother’s created four, since she loves it now, and both of the kids love it now too.
It’s funny how the little things we do in life reverberate way after we do them.
Location: home, having Indian food yet again
Mood: achy
Music: I will follow anywhere in any way (Spotify)
Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.