【認識馬拉威】馬拉威食物大不同

在台灣,我們習慣吃米飯或麵類作為主食。而在馬拉威,因為自然環境的不同,玉米成了當地主要糧食,全國一年要吃掉二百萬噸的玉米。馬拉威人會將玉米磨成粉,加水煮成固體糕狀,稱為Nsima。對馬拉威人來說,Nsima就像我們的白飯。

來自馬拉威的朋友說,「對馬拉威人而言,一餐沒吃Nsima,就像還沒用過餐一樣」。Nsima口感比較乾,所以總是和著醬汁。「因為是用手捏著吃,有時候肚子太餓來不及等菜涼,就會被燙到手呢!」

馬拉威的飲食文化在台灣人眼中也特別有趣。比如到朋友家作客時,台灣人要把飯菜吃光,來代表「很好吃」;而在馬拉威則是要有剩餘,代表「飽到吃不下」。如果有機會到馬拉威,品嚐當地主食Nsima的同時,也別忘了入境隨俗哦!

In Taiwan, we are used to eating rice or noodles as our staple food. In Malawi, because of the different natural environment, corn is the staple food for local people. The country consumes two million tons of corn each year. People in Malawi grind corn into powder. They add water and boil the powder until it turns solid like a cake. This cake is called Nsima. Nsima to the Malawians is like rice to the Taiwanese.

Friends from Malawi say, “To us, having a meal without Nsima is like not having a real meal.” Nsima has a dry texture, so it always goes with sauces. “We grab the food with our fingers. Sometimes when we are too hungry to wait for the dishes to cool down, we get burnt.”

Taiwanese people also find the food culture in Malawi interesting. For example, in Taiwan, when we go to a friend’s house for dinner, we finish everything to show that the food is really delicious. In Malawi, you have to leave some food to show that you are too full to finish everything. So, if you ever have a chance to visit Malawi, don’t forget to follow the local customs when you try the staple food – Nsima!

精選單字與詞彙

  • staple food (n.) 主食
  • consume (v.) 食用;消耗
  • texture (n.) 質地
  • delicious (adj.) 美味的
  • custom (n.) 習俗

實用句型

too… to… 太…而不能…

A: I won a free FIFA World Cup ticket!
我贏到一張世界盃足球賽的門票耶!
B: It’s too good to be true!
怎麼會有這麼好康的事,不是真的吧!

圖.文/畢嘉士基金會
英文翻譯/Sean O’Sullivan & TOEIC900工作團隊