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Peeling Prawns with One Hand


I was surprised this morning by a knock at my door. It was two of my Sri Lankan neighbors delivering a plate of authentic cuisine that their mom made for them the previous night. They told me they wanted to see my face when I ate it, so I microwaved it, got myself a cup of juice, and headed over to their place.

I was again surprised to find an entire Sri Lankan family sitting down to breakfast. The table was spread with an array of dishes, both spicy and cool. I sat down, feeling sheepish for having assumed that I needed to bring my fork along. Everyone ate with their right hand in the plate and their left hand in their lap.


I had a special challenge before me because I was the only one with prawns. It took me a second to remember that you have to peel the shell off the prawn before eating it. Instinctively, I inserted my left hand to get better leverage on the prawn, soiling both my hands. Soon, my mouth was burning, but I couldn't reach for my plastic cup because both hands were so greasy; the cup would have slipped from my grip.

I made due without my drink until my nose started to run. It was then that I finally excused myself to wash at the sink and start over with fresh hands. This time around, I learned the art of holding the prawn down with my middle finger and picked the shell off with my thumb and index finger.

Thanks to my friends' help, I feel like I'll soon be a full-fledged Sri Lankan.

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Comments

  1. HeatherWed Aug 12, 01:31:00 PM MDT

    Thanks for this post. I feel like I was there. THankfully not, I can't handle that kind of nose-running hot. I'll bet they wanted to "see your face". Mebbe she made yours extra-hot.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Julie TTue Aug 18, 03:40:00 PM MDT

    As usual, it is better to watch and learn, than to jump right in! You are sure learning lots of things! I cnant stand that much sting anymore...the older I get, the milder I like my spices!

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