One of my colleagues is a strict vegetarian since she is from a Thamizh Brahmin family. She just can't stand the smell of non vegetarian food items.
I was surprised when she would not touch mushrooms. When I had asked her, she told me that their community does not consider mushrooms to be a vegetarian food item. I tried to explain to her that mushroom is a plant and not an animal. She explained to me that she understood that mushroom is a plant, but the principles that were instilled in her from an early age would not allow her mind to consider it as a plant.
The same day, she had picked up the pastries (that contained egg as an ingredient) and was happily eating them. I asked her if she was ok in having pastries that had eggs since egg is not a vegetarian food item. She said she does not mind that. She has no problem in having pastries, chocolates that have egg as an ingredient.
I was puzzled. It did not sound logical to me.
I then noticed that this was the case with most of the people from the Brahmin community. They will not touch mushrooms, but they would have egg based food items. I know of some folks who used to have whole eggs to make sure that they have enough protein and calcium in their body.
On the other hand, when I had decided to forego non veg for almost 2 years, I used to check the ingredients of the chocolates I had. I wouldn't eat the ones that had eggs as ingredients.
Today, we both had an interesting conversation -
U: R, I wanted to tell you something. Today I was about to distribute the chocolates that H had got from onsite to the team
Me: Ok.
U: That was when H told me that one box of chocolates had rum as an ingredient.
Me: Oh. What is wrong with that?
U (with disbelief) : You are asking me what is wrong? How can I give that to the team and the girls in particular? I asked him to take it back.
Me: What is there in that. Give it to them and tell them. Let them decide if they want it or don't want it.
U: No. That is wrong.
Me: U, you like plum cakes right?
U: Yes. I like them.
Me: do you know that one of the ingredients they add in the plum cake is "rum"?
U: No, I don't. I never read the ingredients in any item that I buy
Me: Ok, but most of them have it. I don't see any difference between the plum cake that has "rum" and these chocolates.
U: Plum cake is fine. But these chocolate are not right to eat.
I rest my case!!!!!
I couldn't help smile at that - this community follow a strict vegetarian life style. Eating anything else is considered sinful. But the whole concept can be overlooked if an individual likes to eat a certain food item!!!
I was surprised when she would not touch mushrooms. When I had asked her, she told me that their community does not consider mushrooms to be a vegetarian food item. I tried to explain to her that mushroom is a plant and not an animal. She explained to me that she understood that mushroom is a plant, but the principles that were instilled in her from an early age would not allow her mind to consider it as a plant.
The same day, she had picked up the pastries (that contained egg as an ingredient) and was happily eating them. I asked her if she was ok in having pastries that had eggs since egg is not a vegetarian food item. She said she does not mind that. She has no problem in having pastries, chocolates that have egg as an ingredient.
I was puzzled. It did not sound logical to me.
I then noticed that this was the case with most of the people from the Brahmin community. They will not touch mushrooms, but they would have egg based food items. I know of some folks who used to have whole eggs to make sure that they have enough protein and calcium in their body.
On the other hand, when I had decided to forego non veg for almost 2 years, I used to check the ingredients of the chocolates I had. I wouldn't eat the ones that had eggs as ingredients.
Today, we both had an interesting conversation -
U: R, I wanted to tell you something. Today I was about to distribute the chocolates that H had got from onsite to the team
Me: Ok.
U: That was when H told me that one box of chocolates had rum as an ingredient.
Me: Oh. What is wrong with that?
U (with disbelief) : You are asking me what is wrong? How can I give that to the team and the girls in particular? I asked him to take it back.
Me: What is there in that. Give it to them and tell them. Let them decide if they want it or don't want it.
U: No. That is wrong.
Me: U, you like plum cakes right?
U: Yes. I like them.
Me: do you know that one of the ingredients they add in the plum cake is "rum"?
U: No, I don't. I never read the ingredients in any item that I buy
Me: Ok, but most of them have it. I don't see any difference between the plum cake that has "rum" and these chocolates.
U: Plum cake is fine. But these chocolate are not right to eat.
I rest my case!!!!!
I couldn't help smile at that - this community follow a strict vegetarian life style. Eating anything else is considered sinful. But the whole concept can be overlooked if an individual likes to eat a certain food item!!!
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