PR Application- Indian Australian

[ecureilx]

. I have see plenty on Indian meat eaters who came to Singapore and then couldn't stand the smell of food courts..

That's hypocrisy

In India it's ok to eat street food cooked by the road side with zero hygiene concern and dust and flies and everything flying and pigs nearby having sauntered in open drainages and all, the cooks all sweat soaked and adding their personal flavour to Pani Puri and parrota and road side tea shops serve tea in cups just rinsed and not properly washed ... but the smell of Singapore food court sucks ?

No, it sucks because it's not in India and the food, Is not cooked by authentic Indians ...

Ps, I know it's off thread anyway

[Wd40]

. I have see plenty on Indian meat eaters who came to Singapore and then couldn't stand the smell of food courts..

That's hypocrisy

In India it's ok to eat street food cooked by the road side with zero hygiene concern and dust and flies and everything flying and pigs nearby having sauntered in open drainages and all, the cooks all sweat soaked and adding their personal flavour to Pani Puri and parrota and road side tea shops serve tea in cups just rinsed and not properly washed ... but the smell of Singapore food court sucks ?

No, it sucks because it's not in India and the food, Is not cooked by authentic Indians ...

Ps, I know it's off thread anyway

Dude, that's not what I meant. Read my post again. I said Indian food is more important than the vegetarian food. I have had so many Indian friends who proclaimed that they can eat meat and then when they entered food courts and see the local chinese food they can't take the smell of it. Not because its not hygienic. It's just that Chinese food smells different and many Indians don't like it. Just like many local chinese don't like Indian curry smell. Many Indians who haven't been here before and have eaten Chinese food in India think they can come here and eat Chinese but only after coming here they realize, its different.




Its not about vegetarian or meat, like you implied in your reply. For example butter chicken or tandoori chicken eater can eat paneer or aloo without any problem, but cannot eat Japanese or Din tai Fung kind of food just because he is okay to eat meat. That's what I am trying to highlight here and not that something is more superior or inferior or vegetarian or non vegetarian.

[x9200]

Its not about vegetarian or meat, like you implied in your reply. For example butter chicken or tandoori chicken eater can eat paneer or aloo without any problem, but cannot eat Japanese or Din tai Fung kind of food just because he is okay to eat meat. That's what I am trying to highlight here and not that something is more superior or inferior or vegetarian or non vegetarian.

I really find it strange. I have no problem accepting somebodies preferences but can or can not is a bit stronger statement. To me it looks exactly like with the chopsticks. I would be embarrassed not being able to use them after living here for a few years. Indians are clearly not. Are you sure it has nothing to do with superiority?

[JR8]

Sounds like a form of parochialism to me. Like the 'first holiday outside Europe' folks who roll up in South India, and are rubbing their hands in expectation of experiencing real Indian food that's just like home

'Ere, what's a thali, haven't you got proper Indian food, you know, chicken tikka masala and chips?'

[midlet2013]

I dont think it has anything to do with superiority. I never learnt how to use chopsticks in Singapore bcus there was no need. But I did learn how to use them in Korea bcus most of the time, they never offered spoon or fork unlike in Singapore.

What I noticed is that most Indians (from day one) stick to indian food, eat with indian friends and never leave the comfort zone. They can never try new food but they will gladly try new types of Booze

Its not about vegetarian or meat, like you implied in your reply. For example butter chicken or tandoori chicken eater can eat paneer or aloo without any problem, but cannot eat Japanese or Din tai Fung kind of food just because he is okay to eat meat. That's what I am trying to highlight here and not that something is more superior or inferior or vegetarian or non vegetarian.

I really find it strange. I have no problem accepting somebodies preferences but can or can not is a bit stronger statement. To me it looks exactly like with the chopsticks. I would be embarrassed not being able to use them after living here for a few years. Indians are clearly not. Are you sure it has nothing to do with superiority?

[Wd40]

Its not about vegetarian or meat, like you implied in your reply. For example butter chicken or tandoori chicken eater can eat paneer or aloo without any problem, but cannot eat Japanese or Din tai Fung kind of food just because he is okay to eat meat. That's what I am trying to highlight here and not that something is more superior or inferior or vegetarian or non vegetarian.

I really find it strange. I have no problem accepting somebodies preferences but can or can not is a bit stronger statement. To me it looks exactly like with the chopsticks. I would be embarrassed not being able to use them after living here for a few years. Indians are clearly not. Are you sure it has nothing to do with superiority?

I would say more of lack of interest to try something new and inability to adapt. I don't know how to cook anything, except maggi noodles.Now It may appear that I think cooking is too lowly thing for a man to do, but that's not what I think. It's genuine lack of interest and this assumption that it is very difficult thing to learn quickly. I help my wife do the dishes many times, but cooking I just leave it to her.

[x9200]

This sticking with Indian friends and eating only Indian food is probably a part of it. But...

There are some situations like a semi-official dinner organized within your working group. The whole group goes to a typical Chinese restaurant, sits at this round table with the rotating top. Everybody eats the same food but only Indians do not use the chopsticks. This what I feel is a bit embarrassing. I know it's sort of subjective but it's a small thing that shows one doesn't really care to be a good part of something even if no real effort is required. It's like going to a more official dinner wearing shorts because one doesn't use more official outfit everyday.

[midlet2013]

Actually, I dont think it is embarrassing. Its actually good that people here have an option to eat anyway they want unlike korea or japan where u are forced to eat with chopsticks n sit on floor whether you are comfortable.

As an indian, I eat all kinds of food (beef or pork). And yet , I know Singaporeans and other nationalalties, who will eat anything except Indian. If you ask for suggestions, they will suggest anything from Local to Japanese to Korean to French to Italian but never never never Indian. And if they ever end up in an Indian restaurant, they will act as lost as I will be in Antarctica. And yet, they have spent a bulk of their life in Singapore which has different types of food options.

If one can eat with chopsticks, eat different food, mingle with other people, its in their own interest. But if they cannot, I wont blame them. I will just say they are missing out on many things.

This sticking with Indian friends and eating only Indian food is probably a part of it. But...

There are some situations like a semi-official dinner organized within your working group. The whole group goes to a typical Chinese restaurant, sits at this round table with the rotating top. Everybody eats the same food but only Indians do not use the chopsticks. This what I feel is a bit embarrassing. I know it's sort of subjective but it's a small thing that shows one doesn't really care to be a good part of something even if no real effort is required. It's like going to a more official dinner wearing shorts because one doesn't use more official outfit everyday.

[nakatago]

Actually, I dont think it is embarrassing. Its actually good that people here have an option to eat anyway they want unlike korea or japan where u are forced to eat with chopsticks n sit on floor whether you are comfortable.

As an indian, I eat all kinds of food (beef or pork). And yet , I know Singaporeans and other nationalalties, who will eat anything except Indian. If you ask for suggestions, they will suggest anything from Local to Japanese to Korean to French to Italian but never never never Indian. And if they ever end up in an Indian restaurant, they will act as lost as I will be in Antarctica. And yet, they have spent a bulk of their life in Singapore which has different types of food options.

If one can eat with chopsticks, eat different food, mingle with other people, its in their own interest. But if they cannot, I wont blame them. I will just say they are missing out on many things.

Unfortunately, a lot of Indians miss out on many things as anecdotally, most of them would only eat Indian food. On purpose. One example sticks out: I was sitting next to this guy on an airplane and the flight attendant gave him a vegetarian meal. He goes, "I asked for the Indian vegetarian."

[Wd40]

I have to agree with what midlet has said. I have come across so many Singaporeans who have never tried Indian food in their life yet I have seen Ang Mohs here who love Indian food. In downtown area just check out any Indian food court queue, you will see more ang mohs than Singaporeans, other than Indians Ofcourse.

My colleague was also complaining to me that her son serving NS is being made to eat Malay food which is too spicy and he is falling sick.

[Barnsley]

I have to agree with what midlet has said. I have come across so many Singaporeans who have never tried Indian food in their life yet I have seen Ang Mohs here who love Indian food. In downtown area just check out any Indian food court queue, you will see more ang mohs than Singaporeans, other than Indians Ofcourse.

One of the "benefits" of an Empire, we Brits will have experienced almost everything that our Empire will have had to offer whereby there was a big immigration of folks from other countries.

Hence Indian food of any type and spicy food in general , anything that the non-Ang Moh folks perceive the ang moh cant handle, most will be able to eat it and plenty of it.

Chinese food in UK is mainly based around rice or chips for the carb part , thus we are not so handy with the chopsticks to begin with

[Wd40]

Yeah, lots of those white guys here are British, working for Barclays and RBS. Credit Suisse too has transferred lots of guys from their London office. Don't know much about Deutsche and Stan chart.

[JR8]

Actually, I dont think it is embarrassing. Its actually good that people here have an option to eat anyway they want unlike korea or japan where u are forced to eat with chopsticks n sit on floor whether you are comfortable.

Korea and Japan are both culturally waaay more homogeneous. You can't expect every foodplace in either to cater for a table of non-locals who are never going to suddenly show up one day. I don't recall feeling 'forced' to use chopsticks in either country. At the time when I didn't know how to, I just went to places where I didn't have to use them (McDonalds, Tony Romas, even eating sushi should be done with your hands). But my colleagues took great/amused pleasure in teaching me how to use them, particularly in the relatively tricky JPnese style, i.e held together and parallel, and rotated around a mid-stick axis. It was all part of bonding I suppose, plus I was then able to go and savour local food in places that wouldn't have cutlery. Watcha gonna do... live in Japan and never get to enjoy shabu-shabu or sukiyaki, simply because you can't eat either with a fork and spoon?

As an indian, I eat all kinds of food (beef or pork). And yet , I know Singaporeans and other nationalalties, who will eat anything except Indian. If you ask for suggestions, they will suggest anything from Local to Japanese to Korean to French to Italian but never never never Indian. And if they ever end up in an Indian restaurant, they will act as lost as I will be in Antarctica. And yet, they have spent a bulk of their life in Singapore which has different types of food options.

I know plenty of British people who won't/don't/'can't' eat Indian food. It's unfamiliar, hence a risk, 'No I can't have Indian, it'd be so hot it'd kill me; I think I'll have fish and chips instead'. This is more common amongst the older, the poorer, and those who haven't travelled far. How many SGns or Indians would be confident going to say a smarter British restaurant and figuring out how to correctly use the 5 sets of cutlery and 3 glasses in the place-setting of a typical 5-course meal? Easier going down the local Indian/Chinese maybe?

My parents act 'pretty lost' when ever we eat somewhere where the food is at all spicy. They can be overly concerned that the meal will be wasted as it'll be too spicy for them to eat. Even the mildest of mild 'kormas' might have them turning beetroot and gasping for breath It's not that they aren't willing to try (they have travelled around Asia quite widely, including India + Sr Lanka), just they can't compute why you'd want to kill quality ingredients, and make it so challenging to enjoy.

That said, for rather contrary reasons they've really taken to Lingham's sweet chili sauce. Perhaps it's because they know precisely what to expect of it; and that they can deal with it. They would have first had it staying with me here in the 90's. Nowadays there's always a bottle in the cupboard (even Waitrose back home stock it these days). And when ever my mother cooks up a trad British fish pie, one of our collective favs, that bottle of Linghams will be on the table, guaranteed

[the lynx]

How could one not love Indian food? Or Chinese? Or Malay? Or Filipino? Or British fish and chips?

Whatever. I love them all the same. Sorry to them if some people are singling all other cuisine or singling out one particular cuisine, by choice.

[midlet2013]

I agree. Every food has some good elements.

And I am completely surprized to see singaporeans, having lived here for decades, have no clue about any Indian food. For them , Indian food is RotiPrata.

How could one not love Indian food? Or Chinese? Or Malay? Or Filipino? Or British fish and chips?

Whatever. I love them all the same. Sorry to them if some people are singling all other cuisine or singling out one particular cuisine, by choice.