Lassi and racism
Posted on 03-24-10 · I love photography! Tags: A photo a day, Canon EOS 40D, culture, food
That someone would post a racist comment to a food post was the farthest thing from my mind. But, in Facebook, someone did. In Twitter and Facebook, I posted the following message: “Mango pudding in the freezer; now about to try my hand at making the South Asian yogurt-based drink called lassi.” A Filipino responded with: “Amoy panike yan pag Indian (It smells of bats if it’s Indian) hahaha.” Naturally, I reported the comment to Facebook and ticked the option to kick the commenter from the Pinoy Cook page permanently and delete his comment.
You know, most Filipinos are so touchy about racist jokes when directed at us (remember the Desperate Housewives and Jay Leno incidents?) but some think it’s harmless and funny when the joke is directed at another race. I don’t find it funny.
Loading ...
Hi Connie. I’m a fan of your Pinoy Cook Facebook page. I saw that offending post. Somehow I knew you’d write up something about it. Shame on that racist individual.
Haven’t commented here in a long while, although I do check your blog from time to time. Have a nice day. =)
Willie! How are you!
FYI to other readers: he is NOT Willie Revillame.
He’s not?
*lowers shotgun*
Thanks for the heads up
That could have turned ugly.
Yeah, I do get that double-standard thing a lot. I have a healthy enough sense of humor that I can laugh along to jokes poking fun at my race, but I could never understand pinoys who seem so offended by the occasional jab at our race.
I honestly think those who threw a huff over the Desperate Housewives fiasco are either ignorant, stupid, or both. I found it especially funny since at the time that episode aired, I was reading an article on several nursing and med schools in Manila being shut down due to their questionable accreditation.
If I didn’t know any better, the author of that line had attempted a cleverly veiled shot at that bit of local news.
On a parting note, Tita Connie, I strongly recommend you watch this song, given it goes perfectly with your topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbud8rLejLM
LOL Where did that song come from? Muppet movie?
It’s from the Broadway musical Avenue Q which is on the final week of its Manila run at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater:
http://chuvaness.livejournal.com/828728.html
http://www.avenueq.com/
I think you’ll love it!
Whoa! Final week na?
Hi. I caught the show last night. FINALLY! I have been wanting to since its first run. It was very entertaining. Great songs and actors.
I’m okay, Connie. Thanks for asking.
I guess I got to get myself a Gravatar one of these days. Or better yet, maybe now would be a good time.
Glad to know you’re still around. I do miss the first batch of Filipino bloggers. Too many new ones that are just too traffic hungry.
Good for you, Connie! Comments like that are uncalled for and inappropriate. What are people thinking??
It’s probably more of “not thinking” and showing deeply-rooted biases.
I’m so glad I stumbled across this site! A lawyer who isn’t lawyering. That is my aspiration right now. =) P.S. The Sassy Lawyer section is superb. Would soooo rather get my news from there than the ABA Journals.
hehe An attainable aspiration, believe me. Good luck and I love your designs!
….and yet Filipinos can easily claim greatness from purely individual achievements (like Charice, Manny Pacquiao, etc..) ‘just because he/she is a Filipino.’ Ganon ba ka KSP ang mga Pinoy? hahahaha.
I so abhor that mentality too. We can be happy for those achievers and even aspire to emulate them. But to act as though the achievements of an individual is a testament to the greatness of a race? Urgh!
Hi ms. connie! Where can I find your recipe for the empanada shown above? Would like to try making it.
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. More power!
Those are samosas; the photo was taken at Taj or Tagaytay.
pag ikakapogi points ng Pinoy, proud tayo. pero yung mga maling ginawa ng mga Pinoy, lets shove it under the rug na lang. tsk tsk tsk ang Pinoy prone sa selective memory loss.
It’s sad that some people still have that way of thinking. Are there some IDIOTS who believe that people SMELL like what they eat .. I am an indian and i must say that the indian diet is one of the most healthy in the world. Most indians are vegetarians .. The few ones who are not, eat only chicken and fish.. We don’t eat pork and beef.. And not all are smelly please.. we do use soap and deodorant you know.. LOL…..
Going back to LASSI… we have it almost everyday coz our old folks believe it cools the blood, specially during summer.. You can have it sweet or salty.. I like it salty. Add a bit of salt, black pepper and lots of ice.. You can also add mango purree….
Mamsi, I haven’t read any popular scientific proof that people smell like what they eat. But there are lots of anecdotal observations that will indicate it is true. Just like what they’re always saying in Europe, Germans smell different from Italians. Or spice eating people smells different from non-spice eaters. So those people who has that belief might not be IDIOTS after all.
As for Indians, they have they’re eating habits and the way they prefer their foods. They’re totally different from what we normally have locally. There might be some few locals who might be critical with those things and they are not the rules but the exceptions.
It’s sad that you’ve reacted that way.
Pity that. I’m now prowling the streets of Semarang, Central Java and having a ball discovering all the unusual flavors and smells! I’m a traveler, not a tourist, thank God for that!
ay, pahabol Ms. Connie. its like a news item i saw na yung UP the movie daw Pinoy made. napataas ang kilay ko nun! i have watched Up a thousand times because my son loves it but only ONE pinoy worked on the film and they over exaggerate that it’s Pinoy made.
Mamsi, I agree — Indian cooking is very healthy. I’m learning how to make naan bread.
Uberdog, share your foodie finds when you come back?
Ingrid, same thing with the swords used in Lord of the Rings. There was a big to-do when someone claimed they were Philippine made.
Hi Connie,
I am glad you took action instead of sweeping it under the banig as someone said. Filipinos have to be educated on racism, including those living in the Philippines esp. now that there’s more diversity there esp. in the big cities.
Re: Indian cooking being helathy, this is not totally untrue. According to research here in Toronto, SOuth Asians have a high rate of heart diseases and strokes despite the fact that many are vegetarians. It’s because some of the food is deep-fried and some o them in ghee which is clarified butter. Plus the use of cream which is high in fat.
Oh, you you read an older entry (a column, actually) about accusations as to why I post Korean recipes in my food blog.
Yogurt is more widely used in South Asian cooking than cream.
Connie, I love dipping naan bread with indian dish sauces! The other day I was happy to discover that a decent indian resto with $8.99 lunch buffet is libre ang bata (filipino lunch buffet is around that price during weekdays, $12 pag weekends). At least may lima na akong mapupuntahan na with vegetarian options in our neighborhood (aside from Japanese, Thai, Whole Foods and Chipotle).
I think racism and stereotyping will never go away – not for a very long time at least. Filipinos are just as guilty of it, esp dito – sabay tawag sa mga “itim” ng “itim” para hindi obvious na chinichismis sila. Or “puti” sa mga “puti”. I can understand if it is being said in confidence between close friends pero but when pinoys do it in public, it’s very uncomfortable and embarrassing.
I love dipping naan bread with Indian sauces too! And with such rich sauces, going meatless is not such an effort.
i have an indian friend who is a very smart, funny, and warm-hearted person. she is also an excellent cook. once, she offered to teach me and some other friends some indian dishes. i was so excited about my new learnings that, while talking to some other friends, i told them enthusiastically, ‘hey guys, my friend ____ just taught me some new indian recipes!’ to my utmost shock and surprise, however, they merely scoffed and exclaimed, ‘YUUUUCK! we don’t like the smell of indian food!’ i was truly, truly appalled and actually extremely offended. i wanted to tell them, ‘i thought all of us were educated and civilized beings here, well apparently i was wrong!’ i was honestly hurt on behalf of my indian friend who is really one of the nicest and most honest people i know. and take note, she (or her dishes) don’t even smell!!
Funny thing is, if the same response (YUUUUCK!) was made when talking about dinuguan or kare-kare, Filipinos will get super duper offended.
@Connie: I thought the food in your photo is an empanada too. Looks like it contains grounded beef in it. I thought samosas are usually mashed potatoes with spices in it. Speaking of Samosas, we usually drop by an Indian ‘turoturo’ in the neighborhood after playing tennis and buy them hot and crispy along with hot jasmine(sampaguita) tea with milk.
Not all samosas are vegetarian dishes. There are traditional versions that contain lamb or chicken.
My apology if I’m OT but I just can’t help sharing these -
If it’s angel food cake, it’s white and if it’s devil’s food cake, it’s black therefore there is racism in it. Just like the black sheep in the family and the white sheep one.
Black Hole, Black Saturday, White House…all with racist implications he he he.
To be politically correct, don’t call them indigents. It’s marginalized sector. Squatters? No…they’re informal settlers.
Cheers!!!