Blood issues

Okay, I admit I am a foodie and I love steaks. But coming from Asian country where beef isn't cheap and other multi-religious setting, I noticed not a lot of people here like to eat beef. Most always associate beef for cardio heart illnesses and refrain from consuming beef too.

Well, I do agree that not all Asian bodies can digest red meat like beef as well as European do due to genetic history. But I'm not pure Asian, my paternal DNA is from Europe linage. And I know from young, my late Dad always eat red meat to stay strong. My late eldest Brother and my 2nd elder Sister, even me suffered from anemia when we tried to adapt to Asia cuisine for our life partners who doesn't eat beef. It was later through medical advices that we were told to take iron supplements and more red meat like beef for our conditions.

But as you know, I'm in the midst of under-going a 6 months bible school course. One pastor shared on the old testament that 'You must not eat any fat or any blood. ' (Leviticus 3:17; 7:26; Deuteronomy 12:23–24). But yet I also remembered that the New Testament takes up this prohibition unrestrictedly, to the point of imposing it upon Christians coming from paganism (Acts 15:29; 21:25). So shouldn't we not called certain food unclean when GOD already made it that we can enjoy all food for us to consume? Later I realised due to the Pastor's own health issues, he can't eat much red meat due to gout. I can understand where he is coming from... but all of us have different bodies and dietary needs.

Anyway, I like my steak medium rare... with slight redness in the middle. Because in SG, the portion size is usually just around 220g... and just about the width of a small finger depth. I won't want such thin steak to get cooked till medium when it will become almost DONE when arrives to my table!

But as I ventured back to school recently after a break from my hospitalization leave... I begun to join my team mates for lunch after school. So on the advice of my dietitian's high protein diet for my surgical wound to heal, I happily thinking I want to order steak yesterday. One of the team mates was nice, and she offered to go ahead to order for me and I told her I would pay her back.

I waited... everyone gotten their food while I kept an eyes on their belongings while waiting. Then she came back and said another team mate S also ordered from the same western stall so S already paid for me. I know S earns well and doesn't want us to pay her whenever she paid for any of the team mates, even if we try to pay her back. So I thanked her for her kind gesture.

Then my steak came... I was thinking it wasn't medium rare as it was pretty tough to cut nor was there any redness. S suddenly turned to me from the other table, telling me I should only eat medium and not medium rare which she said it is healthier.

No wonder, S changed how my steak ought to be cooked. Sigh... I felt not respected at all. I know she was being kind to pay for me but I can pay for my own food, I'm using wheelchair but I'm not looking for charity. Food is the only highlight for me, especially with my gastric sleeved surgery... my ability to eat is limited and to me, this is my main meal for the whole day... I can't eat much. Plus the fact that I don't live in a lift access apartment, I have to rely on others to carry my electric wheelchair out for school and then I have to rely on others to help me to get home too. It is rare for me to join my team mates for lunch as I have to ask the others to stay back with me for one hour in order to join them. So I only join them once a week to not over trouble the others.

So.... Why spoiled my choice of food when I just wanted to enjoy a nice medium rare steak right from the grill? I can't order steak via food delivery... they became WELL DONE under SG super hot weather by the time the steaks arrived to my door step!!!

I also noticed that S scrutinised what I eat even during my break time with the team. I know she is coming from a state of being concerned... but I find that a bit overbearing... being chided in front of everyone when the other team mates passed food or snacks to me that she deemed not healthy for my conditions. Come on, I'm not a kid even though I am always happy go lucky and prefer to keep peace.

A part of me thinking ... no need to fight... I'm still in recovery... I can just order the lunch myself if we go out again. As for break time... should I just smile and ignore her comments? After all, no point to get upset when this is only a short 6 months course till end Sept. Just 3 more months to go. Sometimes older women in her age might be undergoing menopause so they tend to be a bit too bossy not realizing that turned people off a lot. I too, doesn't want to over explain myself on my dietary needs when they do not understand or already biased on their own viewpoints. It's tiring to keep explaining.

Anyway, how do you like your steaks to be done? I one tried a 380g thicker steak at a steakhouse and woahhhh, it was so good when cooked medium rare! As you can see, SG typical 220g steak is pretty thin and can easily cooked through till DONE if not skillful enough. This is why I always ask for medium rare.