I had a health scare last Friday when, after taking a blood test the week prior, my doctor's nurse called and told me I had "exceptionally high cholesterol" and "very high blood sugar." Well, taken together with the fact I already have a notable streak of hypochondria, you can imagine that this startling news managed to completely spoil my weekend. After eating a largely vegetarian diet for most of my life, this announcement was also perplexing. How could it possibly be? All weekend I questioned whether I had simply be deluding myself into thinking all these years that I eat a healthy diet.
On Monday I went into the doctor's office to discuss these alarming findings. He told me my cholesterol was normal, as was my blood sugar. I immediately surmised that the nurse had been reading somebody else's lab test results to me when she called. Of course, I couldn't feel anything but happiness and relief.
I know -- I made this dish only a few weeks ago, but I craved it so much that I've decided to try preparing it a second time. It's funny: normally the way things work in my kitchen is that I will get something wrong the first time and then right the second time around. In this case, the opposite is true. Yes, it was tasty but not quite as delicious as the first time around. Here's what happened.
Back in the halcyon days of the dotcom boom, I used to order groceries online and have them delivered to my doorstep. This was a great luxury for somebody whowas working exceptionally long days, commuting four hours a day by train, and was also living an eco-friendly lifestyle by not owning a car. But when the dotcoms went bust, the private companies which offered these services shriveled up and died. It was a sad day for convenience.
However, recently I discovered that one of the local grocery chains in town had started this up again. Great, I thought. I quickly got an order together, scheduled my time, and just as planned my groceries arrived during their scheduled window. The driver was even nice. There was only one downside.
As I opened my grocery bags, I discovered that my order for "daikon" resulted in the little red variety of radish which I find so terribly yucky. Granted this is a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things -- after all I get my beloved online grocery shopping back now -- but sad to say that my mooli paratha suffered greatly by this mistake. My paratha, rather than being savory and subdued, was instead infused with that distinctly bitter taste of American radishes. Sigh. But you know, I am not really complaining. In the course of one week I've been granted both my online grocery shopping and my overall health back. That is a blessing.
Comments
If that had happened to me, I would have felt anger and a need for vengence. I think a particular nurse needs to receive a fecalgram.
Posted by: Marc | January 25, 2006 09:33 AM
I have never cared for the pink American radishes either. I don't know what it is. The sight of them in a salad or on a relish tray makes me cringe.
But was the rest of your meal deelish?
Posted by: Rose | January 25, 2006 09:42 AM
Hey Jonny, really glad to hear that it was a mistaken report. How can that nurse be so careless. Duh~~~ making our Jonny worried for the weekends.
Hey, you are making craving for a piece roti chanai now. *drool*
Posted by: fish fish | January 25, 2006 09:35 PM
Marc: nah, I was just happy to get the good news after a long weekend of bad news. Imagine the poor guy who got the news his good cholesterol turned bad...
Rose: I just can't stand 'em! They are so tangy and pungent in such a bad way. Yech. Don't know why people just have to have that cultivar of radish. Got anything sprouting yet, by the way?
Fish: Fortunately this was the only bad thing which happened during all my medical tests. Everything else was positive -- the doctors, nurses, tests... very happy now.
Posted by: Evil Jonny | January 26, 2006 07:08 AM
This dish looks a lot like Swedish pea soup and thin pancakes. Are you fusing the Asian with the Scandinavian?
Great to hear that you are healthy. My meat diet is equally healthy, mind you. It's the sugar and fat that'll kill us.
Posted by: The big H | January 26, 2006 11:46 PM
Nothing sprouting yet. Last year "winter" lasted through February, and our weather has been so freaky. It keeps staying in the high 60's or low 70's, but threatening to do something else like actually get cold (last year we had WEEKS where we were below 0 with the wind chill) -- but it is my plan in the next couple of weeks to get some seedlings going proper. If I don't get them outside until April it won't hurt them any. I think starting the seedlings outside last year after the weather started to warm was why my garden took a long time to flourish. Can't wait to plant those tomatoes you sent!
Posted by: Rose | January 27, 2006 04:20 AM
Sorry about your radishes; although I do like red radishes myself. They are great grated with cucumber into sour cream as a side to curry.
Very pleased that it was a mistake, but I hope you got an apology!
Posted by: sithi | January 27, 2006 08:13 AM
H: yeah, it does look like that actually. Henrik, saturated fat comes from animal meat! I know you like to gobble the little animals but be careful.
Rose: I hear ya. It takes ages to get a handle on one's local seasons in terms of what will grow and when, doesn't it? I'm still figuring this desert gardening thing out. Crossing my fingers those tomatoes work out.
Sithi: THat sounds like an interesting dish.. similar in idea to tzadziki I guess. Interesting! Well, I've ordered groceries again and this time in the comments field I told them that a daikon is "the size of a child's arm." Not very poetic or visually appealling but I'm hoping it'll work.
Posted by: Evil Jonny | January 28, 2006 06:26 AM