Rice
What sort of rice do you like and why?
I like Jasmine rice. There is no other. The fragrance, the texture, the taste--it's so delicate. It reminds me of home. With my Asian upbringing, I'm particular about my rice. It has to be just so or it's just...shite. It has to be perfect, because when you're buying 50 pound bags of it, a bad batch makes for a rough couple of months.
People extol the merits of brown rice. It's nutty flavor and crunchy texture are often noted. Its proponents tout brown rice's health benefits, but white rice has health benefits too.
One of my patients today was an elderly Vietnamese man who was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer. He was a stereotypical Vietnamese guy right down to his MA-1 flight jacket. How cute. His eyes lit up when he saw me; he was happy just to see a Vietnamese doctor. He saw me as someone who would finally "help him". Never mind the fact that my partner, an oncologist, a gastroenterologist and a surgeon where all looking after him. I guess having a "brother" in his corner was comforting. He instantly felt at ease and you could see his body language change, losing it's once uptight composure.
Certainly, dismantling the language barrier helped not only with reassuring him, but increased his candor. When I asked if he had stomach problems or pain like this before, he told me of the time he spent in a POW/reeducation camp from 1975-81. His stomach hurt quite a bit then. It wasn't until his release, until he was able to eat a bowl of white rice did his stomach pains go away.
From his description, I could almost taste the soft, flowery note on my tongue. Rolling it, I could feel the slight stickiness of the grains give way as they fell apart and dissolved in my mouth. I'm sure it was the best bowl of rice he ever had. It triggered memories of coming home from school to a house brimming with the aroma of fresh rice. It made me hungry.
I explained that his current pains weren't likely the same as before and that rice alone couldn't cure it. He agreed and was still ready to undergo surgery as planned. I wonder if we shouldn't get some rice for afterward?
I like Jasmine rice. There is no other. The fragrance, the texture, the taste--it's so delicate. It reminds me of home. With my Asian upbringing, I'm particular about my rice. It has to be just so or it's just...shite. It has to be perfect, because when you're buying 50 pound bags of it, a bad batch makes for a rough couple of months.
People extol the merits of brown rice. It's nutty flavor and crunchy texture are often noted. Its proponents tout brown rice's health benefits, but white rice has health benefits too.
One of my patients today was an elderly Vietnamese man who was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer. He was a stereotypical Vietnamese guy right down to his MA-1 flight jacket. How cute. His eyes lit up when he saw me; he was happy just to see a Vietnamese doctor. He saw me as someone who would finally "help him". Never mind the fact that my partner, an oncologist, a gastroenterologist and a surgeon where all looking after him. I guess having a "brother" in his corner was comforting. He instantly felt at ease and you could see his body language change, losing it's once uptight composure.
Certainly, dismantling the language barrier helped not only with reassuring him, but increased his candor. When I asked if he had stomach problems or pain like this before, he told me of the time he spent in a POW/reeducation camp from 1975-81. His stomach hurt quite a bit then. It wasn't until his release, until he was able to eat a bowl of white rice did his stomach pains go away.
From his description, I could almost taste the soft, flowery note on my tongue. Rolling it, I could feel the slight stickiness of the grains give way as they fell apart and dissolved in my mouth. I'm sure it was the best bowl of rice he ever had. It triggered memories of coming home from school to a house brimming with the aroma of fresh rice. It made me hungry.
I explained that his current pains weren't likely the same as before and that rice alone couldn't cure it. He agreed and was still ready to undergo surgery as planned. I wonder if we shouldn't get some rice for afterward?