Om nom nom nom!

Tim Gemesi, Acehnese food, 12.01.14

Apart from the occasional cases of diarrhea, stomach aches and nausea, much of my most enjoyed time has been in a restaurant, surrounded by exotic juices and spicy foods. Although I've experienced the heat of Hungary, I was nowhere near prepared for the frequency of spicy meals, which never missed a chance to leave me red and sweating in front of my fellow travelers and hosts.

The most memorable delicacy for me was the tahu isi, or fried tofu. With each tahu isi was a tiny green chile pepper or cabe rawit, that is considered the hottest pepper in Indonesia. This was where I learned that size does not matter after I ate the entire pepper in one bite and was left numb for the rest of the meal. Now most people would assume that after this incident there would be a lesson learned, but like a true masochist I continued eating these chiles with pride.

While eating hot food may seem like a challenge for the mouth, it was actually the stomach aches that finally taught me my well deserved lesson. After spending an entire day dragging myself around town in pain, I decided to change my eating habits and listen to the wisdom of Mbak Jan and Jenni: "You don't have to try everything!" This event reminds me of my grandfather's words, "kétszer csíp" or "it stings twice!"

Overall, my eating experiences in Aceh were sometimes enjoyable and sometimes trying, but I feel that they were perfect for learning about the Acehnese culture and my ability to handle heat. I will stop being so adventurous and continue monitoring my spice intake by eating more bland foods. Raw sea-turtle eggs anyone?

 

Posted with Blogsy