Jasmi

I am sure that you noticed by now that I see a lot of cultural things during my home visits.  Well, here is another one. 

I went on a home visit, just as I was finishing up, the family used gestures to communicate with me.  They signed fish, pointed to their stove so I said ok.  The father is a fisherman (what male here isn't..) and they have given me fish to take home in the past.  Well, this time it was a bit different.  

The parents got up and went outside. They told me to stay inside.  Of course I was curious what was happening outside so I went outside after a while.  The father was sharpening his knife and washing fish. He had a box of maybe 5 fish in it.  The mother told me to go back inside and wait.  So I did.... 

The mother came inside with me, we chatted a bit and she started cooking the rice.  I asked her what was going on, she said "Jasmi" and when I gave her a puzzled look, she said wait.  So wait I did... 

The father gave me a plate with cleaned up fish; the head and tail cut off.  The fish's skin was cut diagonally to the bone so the top part of the meat was cut but still attached to the bone.  The mother told me to try it.  I took very little and tasted it.  I had never tried raw fish before so of course I was a bit nervous.  

We waited a bit more, she told me to add lemon and salt to the cut parts of the dish.  I did so with her guidance, then we waited... The rice was still cooking. 

I was getting worried because I had to get back to the office before 5 to pick up my stuff before it closed.  It was getting close to 4.  I was also wondering how I could eat it without something to drink.  I usually bring my water bottle, but of course the day I don't, I need it and it's not safe to drink unfiltered water. The family offered to buy me a drink, problem solved!

The rice was finally ready so they gave me some rice and we ate the fish with rice.  It wasn't too bad actually.  The lemon and salt softened the fish so it was  easy to take off and eat.  The taste of the fish went well with the lemon and salt so all the flavors blended together, making it taste good.  I ate the top half of the fish, the family gave me the bottom half to bring home and eat later. 

So... That is what Jasmi is!

By the way, I got to the office just in time before it closed.