Preparing a Different Culture Food

Shenayh Rivera-Melendez

Teaching Divers Populations

Professor A. Navarro

Culture Food Comparison

Thai Lettuce Wraps

I chose to do a simple Vegetarian Thai Lettuce Wrap Dish as I wanted to experience something completely different from my own culture, but something that was going to be relatively easy to prepare as have some chance to be able to enjoy the food prepared. The dish was delicious; of course I tend to say that about everything! I am the type of person to try anything once. I admit it did not come out as neatly as the picture showed but it was pretty close!

Preparing the dish had many components to it, but I found it to be worth it in the end. The aroma from the Lettuce wraps attracted many of my family members and left me feeling glad that I made extra. The only way I could begin to describe the aroma is simply: different. It was a sweet and spicy fragrance with a hint of sourness to it, from the fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice I suspected.

The preparation was relatively easy; the hard part was summoning the courage to actually eat it. The only reason I say this is because I am not particularly fond of fish, even though I am a vegetarian, and this had fish sauce in it. I found it to be surprisingly light and tasty (for a stir fry dish), and also spicy from the chili pepper which were added to the dish, but I did not mind the heat. In fact, I love spicy food!

Some similarity in comparison to my Puerto Rican culture food is the components of the dish. In my culture it is not uncommon to see the cook prepare even simple foods like rice and beans with almost everything in one’s cupboard! Our dishes tend to have at least ten different components to it and tend to be savory in taste rather than tangy or spicy as was the Thai wraps. The difference in taste was a refreshing one as I am always looking for new dishes to incorporate into my lifestyle; after all, eating rice and beans tends to get a bit bland after a while!

Recipe Source: http://thaifood.about.com/od/quickeasythairecipes/r/lettucewraps.htm