Tuesday, February 23, 2010

232 - Dislike of rice


In my life, I've only ever met two people that actually said, 'I don't like rice.' When I hear this sentence, there are three things that tend to go through my mind very quickly:

1. The biggest export of the Phillipines is rice.
2. China consumes and produces more rice than India and Indonesia combined.
3. I am Filipino-Chinese.

I have probably eaten more grains of rice than there are people in the world. I don't understand what there is not to like. It's a staple food, just as potatoes are to the Irish, just as yams are to the Central Africans. Apparently, this peculiar disfavor may be due to the granularity of it. Small particulates bother people because they don't feel wholesome, they remind one of tiny insects or bacterium. Lots of tiny little things going into one's mouth... IS disturbing...

Some people also say that rice and couscous and similar foods make them choke easily. Yeah, that doesn't make you sound stupid at all. Others say they never know how long to cook it for. That doesn't sound cretinous either.

Another reason people tried to justify their dislike of rice was that it was difficult to finish it all, in that they couldn't possibly get every grain of rice off the plate. They're using spoons and forks, and are apparently people of modern civilized origin, so it amazes me that they are unable to clear the plate with the silver cutlery they are so accustomed to, solely because the foodstuffs are small. They guffaw as some rice is still leftover on their china and say, 'Imagine if I was using chopsticks instead!'

Ha. Ha. Ha.

---------------------------------------

I have three other blogs, you know. Please, if you have the time, visit Holy Holism!, uTube & iShare, and "If you're going through Hell, keep going." And follow me on Twitter and Facebook if you haven't already!

20 comments:

J.J. in L.A. said...

You know someone else who doesn't like rice, couscous or potatoes...me.

I don't like the flavor of any of it...and it all feels like paste in my mouth.

Ick!

Michael said...

J.J.: Must be something to do with upbringing, I guess, and what one is used to. I don't mind any food, from any country, but I surely would dislike having to eat couscous or potatoes for every meal. I guess since I was a toddler, I just grew used to rice and that's why it amazes me so when someone says they dislike the eating it.

RenRexx said...

I can't cook rice. I've tried and each time, it comes out different. Today, it came out wet. When my little sister asked what was wrong with it, I got offended and told her "it's sticky rice. just eat it"

I felt like a failure.

Michael said...

Just leave it for a couple more minutes and it should dry up. The water has to evaporate eventually, right?

Otherwise, I just cook it some more, always checking to make sure I don't overcook it.

MuffinEater said...

Gahhh I love your blog^^.As for people not liking rice,well ha that's not the worst,someone once told me they don't like water.How ridiculous is that? Haha ;D

Anonymous said...

I've been eating rice everyday since I came into this world. I find it hard to believe, to not live without eating rice. But then again, there are all these people out there who have a diet that does not consist of rice and a side-dish - Interesting topic, you've brought up. Makes me ponder :P (I should try a week without rice)

Michael said...

MuffinEater: I was quite shocked to hear the first time that people could actually dislike rice, as I, and everyone I knew around me, just took rice as their staple food. I actually did have a phase, though, where I didn't like water, merely because I was a kid who needed everything to be flavored.

Vincent: Good to hear you haven't grown out of it yet, hah! I used to start eating it for dinner every night for a while too, until around 12 or 13 when I really got tired of it. I still love it now, but I can't have it for every meal. Also depends on the side dishes. Heh.

Charis said...

I've also been eating rice at least once a day cos I'm a Singaporean Chinese. I kind of get sick of it sometimes, but, u know, I've got no other choice! Anyway, the good thing is that I dun eat rice alone, but with lots of mouth watering side dishes too! Ha ha!

Michael said...

Charis: That's true, and while I'm studying here in the UK, I miss all those dishes my grandmother always cooked for me. Even the rice I cook tastes nothing like hers. :(

Charis said...

Well, at least u can cook rice. Whenever I cook rice, it'll turn out to be either too watery or to hard. :(

Ares said...

Me love rice! I can eat cups of it even with little viand serving. To dislike it for having many grains. :/ LOL. We don't eat rice like peanut, do we?

BTW, just tried an African dish. Pounded rice, forgot what it's called. It practically tastes like cake. xD

Anonymous said...

I find it really interesting that someone mentioned rice and potatoes are like paste when in mouth. I have been brought up on rice and so I guess for me I really can't see the bad side of my comfort food but for me, for the very same reason that it ends up in this paste like texture, I can not seem to enjoy bread. Although, I really like the taste and it smells pleasant. Also, I understand why eating with spoon or fork might make one fat as one "take" to the mouth can be so much more generous than people eating with chop sticks.

Anonymous said...

I understand your pain. I am a Filipino-Chinese as well, and I never liked rice. I don't particularly "dislike" it either. It just tastes bland and tasteless to me, so I have no desire to eat it.

I don't think it's the texture. I'm fine with potatoes and oats and other mushy foods. Also, I like fried rice because it has flavor. But I will always prefer noodles over rice. :)

Unknown said...

My son won't eat rice of any kind. He won't eat quinoa either. I can't understand it and I get frustrated at dinner time because I really enjoy cooking with it. There are so many wonderful rice based dishes. I have 3 choices- avoid cooking rice dishes, which makes me sad because I will really miss it. Make rice anyway and live with the fact that he is not going to eat. Or get stuck making rice for me and something else for him.

Anonymous said...

I hate rice... It is too booring to eat rice... Rice is shit....

Anonymous said...

Rice is tasteless and dry. I tend to like sticky rice better than dry rice or fried rice, but only if there's a lot of seasoning and meat involved. Otherwise, it is the most boring thing ever to eat.

Unknown said...

It blows my mind that some people don't like rice, it's one of my favourite things to eat. Especially with soya sauce.

lost_in_woods said...

thank you for posting visti for servicrs turnstile gates dubai
tripod turnstiles dubai

Repgirl said...

I've always hated it. I do, however, like wild rice, which as I understand it, isn't rice at all. Not sure what it is, though.

Anonymous said...

I also dislike rice, it really is boring and tasteless. I can eat basmati but then I need a LOT of sauce (double the amount of sauce to rice) to enjoy the dish. But even worse are quinoa, cous cous and bulgur, disgusting and chewy. Potatoes are king though, you can make so many delicous dishes.