Himalaya
The local store had several species of fish. I wanted to buy something
special, so I turned my eye on the pile of blue salmon that were so
fresh that they still gasped for air. This species was not familiar
to me. It was more rounded in shape than the normal one, with a metallic
hue in its colour. 'Can I have one medium-sized fish?' I asked the
dealer. The seller took one and asked, 'Is that good?' I nodded, so
the fish was quickly wrapped in paper.
As
he handed it to me, I took a closer look on the fish. The largest
ones were more than a meter in size, with sharp teeth in a number
of rows. The bluish hue was shining brightly.
Searching
for a suitable place to cook the fish, I ended up in a rural area
in the mountains. The hills were covered by trees of unusual shape.
There,
by the side of the road, I saw a notice for an open position. The
nearby monastery was looking for a new cook.
A
group of young men stared at the notice. Some were from Nepal, some
had arrived from even further away. 'I'm a master of Tibetan and Nepalese
cooking,' one said. 'And I know all the recipes of my region, although
most often I prefer to make something special and completely unique.'
The chef seemed to be a kind of celebrity. Predictably, he was chosen
for the job.
The
monastery was located by the side of the mountain. It was built into
a great architectural complex by a centuries-old Buddhist community.
Peaceful atmosphere permeated the entire region.
I
walked with the cook to the monastery. Among the monks I met a boy
who had arrived several months earlier. Wondering what he was doing
there, I asked a senior monk. He showed me some photographs. Under
each picture there was a comment such as 'Hot-Headed', 'Not Obeying'
and 'Lack of Concentration'. In the first photos the boy was much
more obese than in the later photos. The monk explained that the monastery
had been good for the boy. Unused to the vegetarian diet he had got
rid of his excess weight. And during the course of time, after much
difficulty, his character had improved.
I
listened to the story with interest. Then I asked, 'Where can I prepare
a sauce for this fish?' I showed the salmon, which I had just fried
golden crisp. The monk did not answer, so I walked around the monastery
with the little boy in search for a set of kitchen utensils and spices.
