Vegetarian Halal Beef?

I noticed that of one of our tenants in our Guest House had bought himself a cup noodle packet, Beef and Tomato. I had never seen this brand before.

From Vegetarian Beef

When I looked at it carefully, I noted clearly that it was a Beef and Vegetable preparation.

From Vegetarian Beef

When I looked still a little closer, I noted a small emblem showing that this product was suitable for VEGETARIANS.

I looked even closer at the next symbol to note that it was suitable for MOSLEMS who only eat HALAL MEAT.

From Vegetarian Beef

I looked at the list of Ingredients. It read as follows (Emphasis is mine):

"INGREDIENTS: Noodle Cake: Wheat flour soft, palm oil, water, salt. Seasoning: Beef flavouring, wheat flour soft, sugar, maltodextrin, tomato powder, salt, monosodium glutamate (E621),citric acid (E330), caramel (E150c), I+G (E627, E631),silicon dioxide, (E551), onion extract, dried (chives, carrots, peas)."

'What a combination I thought -. Vegetarian Halal Beef Noodles!

You never know where technology takes us these days. :-)

An obsession?

My last few entries on this blog have focused on FOOD! (Sambar, Chicken Biriyani,...)

Is this becoming an obsession?

On Friday, my doctor rang to discuss my health.

I quckly handed the phone over to Annikki, who looks after all our dietary issues, as she controls the kitchen. I knew that the bulk of the discussion would centre around my eating, and I detest listening to such advice.

Sure enough, the doctor was emphatic, in that she said I would have to be largely vegetarian in future, and of course, control my intake of sugar (gulab jamuns, barfis, chocolates, Annikki's delicious cakes, etc.).

I promptly went out and bought all the fruits and vegeatbles that I like. Of course, I do like my protein intake as meat, but given a choice, I would certainly prefer to get it through a spicey Indian vegetarian diet.

All the more reason to speed up the process of starting the South Indian Vegetarian Restaurant in Oulu - but the masala dosais, the bondas, vadas, vegetarian samosas, will not be appreciated because of the amount of deep frying involved!

I do accept health is one's Number 1 concern, and I am willing to subject myself to a regimen of control, so long as my taste buds are kept fresh and alive. And that, to me, means plenty of spices!

Now that my diet is in the hands of my wife, let us see how it proceeds. My soon-to-be-doctor dear daughter, Joanna, will be here in a couple of weeks, and I am sure I will also be tropedoed by her once she sees my medical test results.

From Jacob's Blog

1967: Annikki & me

From Online Edits 1984: Annikki and me

From Jacob's Blog

2009: Annikki and me

Am expecting to be shell-shocked into submission soon, but I do hope the outcome is a leaner fitter old man! :-)

Why this joy at eating masala dosais?

My blog readers in India must think me crazy by talking so incessantly when I get a masala dosai to eat here in Finland.

Any corner shop in Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Kerala (or for that matter anywhere in India), will offer a masala dosai and all these vegetarian dishes as common fare on their daily menu, so why this excitement when I am served a masala dosai here in Oulu?

The sad part is that we cannot walk into a corner shop in our town or in a radius of 600 km (or even 1000 km) to get hold of a dosai.

Some kind heart, like my wife, has to take the trouble to make it. That means, unlike in India, the heart and the stomach, and especially the taste buds, yearn to eat what is not so freely available.

I certainly had my fill of masala dosais,



vadas,



idlis,



gulab jamuns,



sweet curd, and other Indian delicacies, when I was in India for 2 months last year.

Almost two months have passed and the taste buds are yearning for all of them one more time.

My suggestion on our local O-India Google Group, which caters as a discussion forum for the 100+ Indians in Oulu, certainly got buzzing when I suggested I was intending to start a South Indian Vegetarian Restaurant in Oulu.

The local Indian Restaurant owner was quick to come back to say that he would start one if I could find him a suitable spot for a Take Away counter. He promised to bring a great Chef from India.

My suggestion to have the restaurant on wheels to take this nearby to where the Indians are working, also got a very favourable reception. They work in about four locations around the city of Oulu.

Now it is time to strike while the iron is hot.

Anyone interested to join me in this venture as a financial / working partner, is most welcome as, like me, all the Indians (and many Finns and Findians), who love Indian cuisine would be crazy over this idea.

(Why not make it a joint effort as a public limited company with the lovers of South Indian vegetarian food as the shareholders?)

I intend keep the prices within reason and serve up fresh food with freshly made spices and with fresh vegetable, as otherwise this would be doomed!

Yes, I yearn for a dosai, a vada, an idli, a gulab jamun,... as well as a K. C. Das sweet curd, a Gujarati Thali with sweet chapati, an Andhra Thali served with spicey gun powder, ..... yum yum! :-)