Everytime I ask one of my colleagues what they've brought to lunch for work they give me the name of some vegetable. It's interesting. Guyanese eat... Bora for lunch. http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/images/2009/01/bora-copy.jpg
But, what is the best part, is that they're not eating bora by itself. They're eating it with meat. Bora and chicken, or bora and mince or something like that. Now in Jamaica, we'd probably say we were eating chicken with bora, or mince with bora. Wouldn't you think the same?
But, other than that, I find them talking often about how they're tired of rice. Tired of bread. (That shouldn't be too bad a thing, right?) Maybe if I was tired of bread I could lose some weight... :) In addition, they eat curried pumpkin, curried mango, boulanger (egg plant), etc as regular meals. Sometimes I see people eating just rice with black eyed peas or something like that, and callaloo is a common dish for many.
With all these vegetables featuring prominently in the lives of the Guyanese, are they all healthy? Are they healthier than the Jamaicans like myself who aren't eating as many vegetables? Don't get me wrong, Jamaicans eat vegetables with their meals - just mostly as a side dish. And, yes we do have vegetarians in Jamaica, but these Guyanese I'm referring to are not vegetarian. So, this should make for a pretty healthy lifestyle, right? Is this something I should be adopting???? Boulanger... here I come!
Interesting observation Janice, it is a sign of the times in Guyana, if we were to say Chicken and Bora it would imply that the chicken is of an ample portion but bora and chicken means that there is not too much chicken to go around so we prefer to say the thing that is most obvious about the vegetable with chicken. Most of us are probably tired of rice but playing around with the veges are other ingredients pose a financial risk to keep up. So to keep being able to eat and enjoy life, We eat the rice in all of its varieties.
ReplyDeleteWe are probably healthier here in Guyana just because fast food is not cheap.
All that is probably true. I do get that. I wonder why that doesn't work as a survival tactic in Jamaica though? We certainly have enough fruit and vegetables to go around! We could learn a thing or two from Guyana.
ReplyDeleteAnd for sure, fast food here is RIDICULOUSly expensive!!!!
I agree Jan....we should try that survival tactic in Jamaica.
DeleteCurried pumpkin? Curried mango?
ReplyDeleteYe man. I know bout curried mango from long time. Green mango I think. Check your Trini friends there. Never had the curried pumpkin, but I've seen it, and gonna try it soon.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely should be thinking of cheaper ways to eat in Ja, especially if it's healthier. Just stretch the veggies with a little meat. Especially if you're growing them in your back yard. :)