Mom! I don’t want cabbage! Throw it!

We often visit the local market where we regularly buy vegetables. One day, however, to my surprise, the stalls were almost empty. Mr Garud, the vegetable vendor I knew well, had always provided a fresh supply.Curious about the shortage, we wandered further and discovered a weekly vegetable market. The service road was lined with vendors who brought their produce directly from local farmers. They called out to potential buyers with enticing pitches, advertising their goods as "Gavran, organic, and indigenous." One shop on the right featured a variety of mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, baby corn, broccoli, celery, and many other exotic vegetables.Globalisation has brought the world and its cultures closer together, particularly through cuisine. This has strengthened connections among different cultures. Nowadays, our children often prefer exotic foods over traditional local Indian dishes. For instance, while Poli Bhaji is considered a standard meal in Maharashtra, a Frankie features the same vegetables wrapped in a chapatti roll, topped with salads and cheese.

We now see finger millet, pearl millet, and various grains being used in Hakka noodles, and although spaghetti is Italian, its seasoning often has Indian influences.The market was bustling with adults, who crowded around a stall selling leafy vegetables, including beetroots with their long reddish-green leaves, and radishes tied in threes with tufts of leaves. An energetic young vendor clad in blue gloves managed the large crowd, ensuring everyone’s needs were met.

Nearby, a corn shop offered its produce, while various vegetable vendors lined the market. The vendor on the extreme right had fresh cabbage with a tuft of hanging leaves, attracting many buyers.We were paying attention to the vendor as she elevated her pitch when we heard a young boy speaking to his mother. “Why are you taking this cabbage? Will you make a roll out of it?” His mother replied dryly, “I will be making just Poli Bhaji.” The boy looked at the cabbage in disgust and exclaimed, “Drop it there, we don’t want cabbage!” Despite his mother's smile as she clung onto the cabbage, the boy sulked and continued to ask her not to buy it. She tried to convince him of the benefits of cabbage, but nothing seemed to work.Some of us turned to support the lady, asking, “Will you be making spring rolls from this cabbage, or ravioli?” The boy smiled and replied, “We do not add cabbage to our noodles or spring rolls…”With a whole lot of YouTube recipes, he knew everything.It reminded me of the time I went to a restaurant with my grandniece, who loves noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She has a knack for recognising her favourite brand. When the waiter brought her a bowl of noodles, she immediately tasted the first spoonful and looked up, saying, “This isn’t Magi noodles.” The waiter smiled and replied, “This is Hakka noodles, authentic noodles.”Some children view noodles with vegetables as a tragedy, believing that plain noodles are the best option. A little boy’s defiance towards cabbage drew a crowd of ladies around him and his mother. Some of them scolded him in Marathi, saying, "Food doesn’t need to be tasty; it needs to be nutritious." The boy responded, "If that’s the case, then you should eat it."We were generally concerned about the discussion until the boy suddenly spotted his teacher in the market. He jumped for joy and greeted her enthusiastically. Meanwhile, his mother held up the cabbage and looked at him with pleading eyes. The teacher, an energetic lady, quickly realised the situation. She patted the boy on the back and said, "Our children are the best; they know what to eat. Santosh will eat the cabbage, but don’t forget to make a puri bhaji for him.

" Both the mother and Santosh smiled, feeling thrilled, the boy kept gazing at his teacher, while the mother began paying for the cabbage.Authored by: Dr. Jyothi Ramesh PaiIf you too have a soul-touching story to share, then send it to us at: [email protected]