EAT TO LIVE or LIVE TO EAT

[psnarasimhan]

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Dear friends,
I am now posting a thread under the heading "Eat to Live or Live to Eat". You may now start debating and select either of the above and post your views
precisely to the one you have selected... Narasimhan

 

[sangom]

Dear friends,
I am now posting a thread under the heading "Eat to Live or Live to Eat". You may now start debating and select either of the above and post your views
precisely to the one you have selected... Narasimhan

Mostly one should "eat to live" but at times it is also good for the body to practice a little bit of "live to eat", and that too with moderation. This will be the "golden mean" according to my experience.

 

[Raghy]

Greetings.

Most of Indian recipes seem like ' live to eat' types. Personally I find it quite hard to stop eating. To make the matters worst, if we like our own cooking, it is a hopeless situation.

From what I noticed from most restaurants and most households, we in general 'live to eat' ( talking about 'live to eat', today is my day off! I would be 'living to eat' tonight!)

Cheers!

 

[biswa]

I have a different question. Why the food obsession?

 

[renuka]

Eat to Live or Live to Eat can only be asked by a person who is a Bahuvrihi(one who has lots of grains)
Only when we are sure of our next meal we can actually ask this question.

Frankly speaking eating should be just treated as one the functions of life like how we breathe.

Do we ask ourselves "Breathe to Live or Live to Breathe?"

We don't becos even though breathing is vital for life it does not go through our direct sense perception...so there can never be over breathing or under breathing in normal conditions.

Actions that go through our senses and gives us the pleasure sensation can be at the either end of the spectrum..that is over indulgence or under indulgence.

The best is to be moderate..use the senses ( in this case the sense of taste) to taste food that is vital for health which is prepared under hygienic conditions which is accordance to our daily and personal requirement.

A daily calorie intake of a person who is sedentary will differ from a person who does heavy labor.
The requirements of a growing child and a pregnant mother will also differ from adult male or non pregnant adult female.

So there is no fixed one size fits all for each person.

Moderation in food intake and lifestyle can never go wrong and that is what religion has prescribed.

Geeta Chapter 6.16 Lord Krishna tells to Arjuna that :

nāty-aśnatas 'tu yogo 'sti
na caikāntam anaśnataḥ
na cāti-svapna-śīlasya
jāgrato naiva cārjuna

There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats
too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.

http://vedabase.net/bg/6/16/​

 

[renuka]

I have a different question. Why the food obsession?

LOL! you read my mind!

 

[psnarasimhan]

Mr.Sangom'
Let us wait for some more comments to pour-in

 

[KRS]

'Eat to Live' - About 33 poor countries in the world are in this category.

'Live to Eat' - All the well to do countries should fall in this category. But surprisingly, only a handful of countries in the world are recognized to have such culinary cultures that one can arguably say that the well to do citizens of these countries live to eat. France, of course is at the top, followed by, in my opinion, China, Japan, Italy, Spain and India. There are other countries that eat well, but one can readily see that they have cuisines developed based on the above six great culinary cultures.

Eating is an obsession only if one thinks that one should not eat WELL.

Regards,
KRS

Regards,
KRS

 

[psnarasimhan]

I have a different question. Why the food obsession?

Mr.Biswa,
Your different question is now an obsolete one, as all of us including yourselves are running after tasty foods and different cuisines. However I am sure if you are in Madras
your first visit in the morning will be to a good retaurant to gulp Idli,Vada sambar. The why this question about food obsession.

 

[renuka]

Mr.Biswa,
Your different question is now an obsolete one, as all of us including yourselves are running after tasty foods and different cuisines. However I am sure if you are in Madras
your first visit in the morning will be to a good retaurant to gulp Idli,Vada sambar. The why this question about food obsession.

Dear Sir,

Taste isn't the only criteria for food.

Some of us like bland food which might not taste that great but good for health.
You will be surprised to know that one who eats bland food actually develop more sensitive taste buds over time and be able to enjoy the natural taste of even raw food.

Organic Japanese/Chinese/Korean Vegan food is actually very healthy and more Sattva than most Indian Sattva food.

Most "tasty" food is actually high in fat and overly spiced.

Being a Indian origin myself I generally avoid most "famous" Indian restaurants cos the oil,salt and spices content will be too high and too much to handle even though the food might taste somewhat good.


Health is more important than taste but then again health itself can become an obsession.

 

[Raji Ram]

.........However I am sure if you are in Madras your first visit in the morning will be to a good retaurant to gulp Idli,Vada sambar. ....

OMG! Is it so?

I have seen many office going mAmAs and mAmis eat a hasty breakfast or skip it and rush to board

a bus/ train / share auto / maxi cab, to reach office on time, with their lunch kept in a hot pack!!

Can anyone afford breakfast at a good restaurant at Sing. Chennai , everyday? :noidea:

 

[Raji Ram]

Ram has a mAmA whose motto is: 'Live to eat'!

To be frank, I don't like his attitude at all! out:

 

[renuka]

Ram has a mAmA whose motto is: 'Live to eat'!

To be frank, I don't like his attitude at all! out:

Dear RR ji,

There is a certain mAmA of Rama,
Who has made Khana his Khazana,
It was the fault of Ramasya Bharya,
Who cooked for all the tasty Bhojana!

 

[psnarasimhan]

OMG! Is it so?

I have seen many office going mAmAs and mAmis eat a hasty breakfast or skip it and rush to board

a bus/ train / share auto / maxi cab, to reach office on time, with their lunch kept in a hot pack!!

Can anyone afford breakfast at a good restaurant at Sing. Chennai , everyday? :noidea:

I dont think all mamas and mamis of Madras are all employed in MNCs and are rushing to reach their office in morning times. What I meant is applicable only to those who
came to Madras on vacation from foreign countries. If not daily, I also know a number of mamas and mamis set apart a full holiday to enjoy breakfast from morning to night dinner in a good restaurant. I dont find fault with anybody as they are also humanbeing who may be interested to try different cuisines. Dont be offended ​by my comments.

 

[amala]

Obsession with either health or food is not good. Moderation and sometimes letting your hair (or should it be guard) down wrt eating is fun. I know people who count their calorie intake religiously. Are they truly happy? Only they know. I know others who are pretty much addicted to eating, mostly bad stuff. They seem happy - for now! lol.

At the end of the day, IMHO one of the pure unadulterated pleasures in life is to cook "well" (extremely subjective i am aware) for yourself and your loved ones, friends and family. That gives a lot of happiness and joy to many a people.

 

[Raji Ram]

.......
There is a certain mAmA of Rama,
Who has made Khana his Khazana,
It was the fault of Ramasya Bharya,
Who cooked for all the tasty Bhojana!

:clap2: Renu! FYI, I am not good in 'VERY' tasty cooking. {Just 'OK, good' types!}

But that mAmA's wife was! That was my BIG problem whenever he visited Ram and me!!

 

[Raji Ram]

........ However I am sure if you are in Madras your first visit in the morning will be to a good retaurant to gulp Idli,Vada sambar.

Dear P S N Sir,

This line confused me! Ram and I never go to restaurants unless absolutely necessary!

Simple home made food is any day THE best!

 

[biswa]

Mr.Biswa,
Your different question is now an obsolete one, as all of us including yourselves are running after tasty foods and different cuisines. However I am sure if you are in Madras
your first visit in the morning will be to a good retaurant to gulp Idli,Vada sambar. The why this question about food obsession.

Mr. Narasimhan,
Thank you for your kind reply. I think it depends on the person. When I was younger, with relative scarcity of good food, rich food or restaurant food, I also used to long for those things. Just by sheer luck, now I have access to a large variety of cuisines at little cost, so interestingly food does not hold that much charm for me.

Now back to your example of let's say a Madrasi who likes his morning coffee. I too have this obsession. If he has to move to a different place where it is not available, then he will suffer due to coffee deprivation. The less the attachment, the less the obsession, the sooner he can outgrow that sorry state. Just a thought.

My wife used to pine for idli at breakfast. Now she has become used without it, as there is nobody here to prepare it for her.

 

[Raji Ram]

For those who have not read this write up already!

தானும் சமைக்கக் கற்றுக்கொள்ளாது, சமைக்கத் தெரியாத மனைவியை மணந்த

தென்னிந்திய உணவுப் பிரியரான ஒரு NRI - யின் புலம்பல்!

அந்தநாள் ஞாபகம் .....

அந்தநாள் ஞாபகம் வந்ததே நெஞ்சிலே
நண்பனே நண்பனே நண்பனே!
இந்தநாள் அன்றுபோல் இன்பமாய் இல்லையே -அது
ஏன், ஏன் நண்பனே?

Bagel என் கையிலே, காபி கப் பையிலே;
போண்டா திங்க வழியே இல்லையே!
டிகிரி காபி கிடைக்கலே லாட்டேயும் ருசிக்கலே - அது
ஏன், ஏன் நண்பனே?

பாஸ்தாவே அடிக்கடி உண்ணுவோம் வீட்டிலே,
பிட்ஸாவும் பார்சலாய் ஃப்ரிஜ்ஜிலே!
இட்லியும் சட்னியும் ஞாபகம் வந்ததே- அது
ஏன், ஏன் நண்பனே?

யானையின் சைஸிலே கத்தரிக்காய் உள்ளதே,
யாரிங்கு செய்தாலும் ருசிக்காதே!
துக்கிணி சைஸிலே வெண்டக்காய் உள்ளதே - அது
ஏன், ஏன் நண்பனே?

அப்பளம் பொரித்தாலே பிசுக்குத்தான் ஆகுதே,
அப்புறம் துடைக்கவே முடியலே!
'என்றுதான் இந்தியா செல்வோமோ லீவிலே',
என்று நான் ஏங்குறேன் நண்பனே!

out:

 

[renuka]

:clap2: Renu! FYI, I am not good in 'VERY' tasty cooking. {Just 'OK, good' types!}

Dear RR ji,

But I thought your Thayir Sadam is very famously delicious!

 

[tbs]

Dear RR ji,

But I thought your Thayir Sadam is very famously delicious!

hi renu,
thayir saadam does not need any special cooking....just rice cooker enough....ready made thayir available....with kadugu maangai/

or maagani oorugai enough......just add some pomagranade seeds/dhaniya leaves with fried mustard seeds for taste.....

 

[renuka]

hi renu,
thayir saadam does not need any special cooking....just rice cooker enough....ready made thayir available....with kadugu maangai/

or maagani oorugai enough......just add some pomagranade seeds/dhaniya leaves with fried mustard seeds for taste.....

Dear TBS garu,

You forgot to add urad dhall for tempering along with mustard and also add some sliced green chillies for flavoring.

Try making Thayir Sadam with Greek Yogurt..it gives a much richer texture.

 

[psnarasimhan]

Dear P S N Sir,

This line confused me! Ram and I never go to restaurants unless absolutely necessary!

Simple home made food is any day THE best!

Hi RRji,
It is very fine to note that you and your Ram never go to restaurant unless absolutely necessary. That confirms if necessary arises you are both sure to go to restaurant
for tasty stuff if not in the mornings.

 

[psnarasimhan]

Mr.Biswas,
You should not deny your better-half her favourite idli for breakfast. Nowadays ready-to-cook items like Rava dosa, Rava idli,Bajji-bonda mix,adai,uppuma,and ofcourse,
idli dosa batter are all available in supermarkets. But one thing. Dont be carried away by colourful packets. If you are really interested look for MTR logo(Mavalli Tiffin Room)
Bangalore products. They are the best, authentic and always fresh. Have a nice day when you go for anyone of the above items.

 

[Raji Ram]

Hi RRji,
It is very fine to note that you and your Ram never go to restaurant unless absolutely necessary. That confirms if necessary arises you are both sure to go to restaurant
for tasty stuff if not in the mornings.

Dear Sir,

It is NOT for eating tasty stuff! It is to when no one else in the place we visit will give us home food!

I repeat. Simple home food is any day superior to the spicy hotel food!