I am a proud foodie and I just love eating food. In my whole life, I have experienced various new dishes at new places, and I do like exploring and visiting new places/restaurants rather than sticking to the ones I liked the most. I am not that perfect at judging food or rating and sharing feedback, like my eldest brother, but I know the basics and I do enjoy all types of foods. Maybe it is because since childhood, I have traveled to different places and by eating different kinds of foods, my taste buds are ready to accept any kind of food.
Each and every country has its own typical and cultural dishes. It also depends on the region; while the dish might be the same, they have different names and a bit of change in ingredients. There are plenty of Pakistani dishes that can be very strange or weird to other people around the globe. The same goes for us when we visit other countries and encounter their typical dishes. For example, when we went to Nepal and ate Momos (dumplings) for the first time, I didn’t like them at all. Steamed Momos looked undercooked to me; they didn't seem fully cooked. That’s what I thought at first, but then when I experienced them with my brothers for the second time, we started liking them with the sauce, and in no time, they became one of the most wanted dishes in our family.
When we came back to Pakistan and introduced them to my cousins, they said the same thing and had them deep-fried to satisfy their taste buds. Recently, Momos are trending in Karachi, with several food stalls selling different kinds, but none of them selling the original Momos of Nepal. They also linked them with India, whereas Momos are originally from Nepal. My eldest brother and I went to experience the Momos at a very famous food street in Karachi, Hussainabad. This street has many food stalls and restaurants selling different new kinds of food to the people of Karachi. The food which we had never heard of and that seemed strange and weird to us is being embraced by people seeking change, and they try eating different foods and then blog about it, sharing their feedback with others, making it trendy so that more and more people visit the place to experience and explore the new food items. I was shocked to see how they are making Momos. Well, it is not bad because people are loving and enjoying eating them, but because we have eaten the original Momos, we didn’t like them at all.
Just like Momos, another food in trend is the Corndog. I heard about it for the first time and wanted to try it. They said it's a Korean dish. I searched on the internet and found that it is originally from the USA but is a popular street food in Korea. Sausage covered with cheese, potatoes, breadcrumbs, and I don’t know what else, deep-fried and then topped with some sauces. I went to try it, however, my brother was not interested in spoiling his taste buds. Well, the first bite said it all: very strange and weird taste. The combination didn’t work out well for me, or maybe they are not making it the right way. Just like Momos, the original Corndog would probably taste better if we ate it in Korea, but not in Pakistan. I didn’t like it that much; it was just OK, meaning I am not going to try it again unless I am with my friends and they insist, and I have no other option.
In conclusion, my love for food has taken me to many places, allowing me to try many different dishes, from the familiar to the very strange. While trying new and creative foods is exciting, it often reminds me that the original versions and the context in which they are eaten matter a lot. Momos, which I didn't like at first, became a family favorite after giving them another chance, showing how our tastes can change. On the other hand, my experience with the Corndog in Karachi showed how local versions can sometimes miss the mark. In the end, being a foodie is all about the joy of discovery, the surprises, and finding new favorites. Whether the experience is good or bad, every bite adds to my food journey.
All above pictures are taken by me through my cell phone Moto E4.