Sizzle Crackle Pop:  Indian Food is HOT

by
Anita V. and Stephanie G.
B3
 
 
 
 
Food is a really important part of Indian culture.  In every part of India there are many types of dishes that are unique to the region.  But now, it is common to see much many more fast food restraunts and slowly many traditional foods are fading away from the average Indian's daily life.  Nevertheless, these changes are not necessarily bad because they help Indians adapt to a more fast-paced life.  This topic was chosen because of its apparent affect on Indian life.  For example, McDonalds is now offering Indian dishes that would normally take a long time to prepare are now made in minutes at their restraunts.  This is making eating traditonal dishes easier for Indians with fast-paced lives that are affected by globalization in India.  However, as India is being pulled into the global whirpool many age-old traditons are being lost such as skills like grinding rice into flour by hand.  Can there be a compromise between the two very different worlds of food in India?
 
 
 
 
 
 
Even as McDonald's creep up all around India, cows, which are revered in India, are still found roaming in the streets or pulling carts.
http://photo.net/philg/digiphotos/200103-d1-mumbai/animal-power-and-mcdonalds.half.jpg
 
 
 
 
Many fast food restraunts in India, such as McDonalds, are trying to accomodate the different eating habits of Indians by selling more sandwiches with chicken and vegetables.
 
http://www.feer.com/tales/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/mcaloo2.jpg  (left picture)
 
http://philip9876.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/22.jpg  (right picture)
 
 
This is another example of how the modern globalization whirlpool is trying to appeal to Indians.  This Ronald McDonald is doing Namaste instead of waving because people in India greet eachother by doing Namaste and not shaking hands or waving.  Therefore, this is another exampleof how McDonalds is trying to please a people who have different values and traditions from the people of Western culture.
 
http://www.gilesorr.com/nucleusblog/media/1/20051020-RonaldMcDonaldThai.jpg
 
 

Mock Dialogue: Food

 

 

 

 

 

Characters:

 

 

Traditional Indian Grandmother (M)

 

 

Modern Indian Grandchild (C)

 

 

Scene:

 

 

Grandchild wants to get lunch from McDonalds while Grandmother insists that they eat a traditional Indian meal at home.

 

 

Dialogue:

 

 

C: OK, Paati [Grandma], I am going to go out to McDonalds to eat lunch now! Bye!

 

 

M: Wait, wait! Why do you need to go to that McDonalds when I have made you good Indian food right at home?

 

 

C: Oh, but McDonalds food is so much faster and easier to eat. If I go to McDonalds, I can go out and hang out with my friends longer!

 

 

M: But, chellum [dear], only good traditional Indian food will give you all the nutrients a growing child like you needs! That McDonalds is full of nothing but oil! Besides, everyone knows that eating food too fast is bad for you. And the only reason it seems easier to you is because you have not grown up the right way, learning to eat traditional food like you should have.

 

 

C: No, no, Paati! McDonalds serves Indian food now too! I can go there and buy a nice aloo tikki! And it will come with a tasty burger also!

 

 

M: Aloo tikki?! Aloo tikki is an afternoon snack! Not a lunch meal! Don’t you know that lunch is the most important meal of the day? You should be having a full thali meal for lunch everyday! Not some snack at McDonalds!

 

 

C: Paati, you’ve never even been to McDonalds! How can you say that their food is so bad?

 

 

M: (awkwardly) Oh, some things, my dear, every grandmother knows.

 

 

C: Paati, everybody goes to McDonalds! Nobody eats on thalis anymore! Why can’t I go to McDonalds too?

 

 

M: Well, if everybody jumped off a bridge, would you jump off too? Just because your friends are doing something does not mean you need to it also. You should not forget your culture! When I was your age, I was already learning how to make these traditional Indian meals, and here you are, rejecting them when I am serving them on a platter to you. Please, chellum, for me, will you have the thali of good Indian food?

 

 

C: OK, fine, Paati. But only if you promise to come eat at McDonalds with me one day.

 

 

P: Ok, Ok. I will come one day. I suppose it is ok to eat these newer types of foods once in a while. But you should not forget your culture ever, and you should still continue eating the foods that we have been eating for many generations.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 


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