Sushi, not everyone can eat

Throughout my life I was taught the traditional life style of the Navajo tribe. Growing up with taboos of what I can do or can’t do, eat or not eat was instilled in my head deeply. With a mental list of what I was able to eat was fine when I was living at home but after being in school I wanted to try new things and have new experiences. I was searching for something new to eat as well as something I have tried. I thought of trying something new on the Chinese place I normally go, but though of noodle or a soup.

I was told of a Rice Monkey a place that served pho but also had some good sushi. Thinking that I was told that I wasn’t allowed to have sushi. Since I could eat soup said I will stop by for dinner.

I walked into the little shop it was a tiny place with a total of two bar tables and three actual tables. Sitting down looking on to main avenue downtown Durango, I decided to order their beef pho while my friend ordered a Flaming Dragon. I had told my friend that I never tried sushi. He looked at me with a look amaze on his, his eyebrows up looking at me as if I was lying.

After explaining that I have been listening to what my grandparents had taught me about how it is taboo to eat fish but an even more taboo of eating raw fish he understood. I was eating my pho while he ate his sushi and I got curious to what it tasted like and if I would like it.

I asked for a piece of the Flaming Dragon which was barbecue eel, avocado cucumbers topped with a spicy eel barbecue sauce. I had the piece between my chopsticks and held it eye level. It was like a stare down between me and one piece of sushi. In the moment of me gawking I was also contemplating in my head everything I was taught.

I looked at it longer and heard my friend yell at me to just pop it in my mouth and start chewing. That is when I decided to listen to my friend. I was scared but I wanted to try. Popping the small piece of sushi into my mouth and just chewing. I chewed, and I chewed noticing a little spicy taste from the sauce and the combination of the cucumber and avocado. Everything blended well together.

The avocado went well with the cucumber and the spicy from the sauce canceled out the chillness of the avocado and cucumber. It gave me a new taste for food. I was limited to thinking I wasn’t allowed to eat certain foods, but now I have tried different types of sushi.

I enjoy eating sushi, and can’t get enough of it now. Knowing eating sushi is against my grandparents belief but since the generation gap is large I feel traditions have changed. I eat sushi now but when I am out with my grandparents I try to respect the teachings more. The Flaming Dragon roll has changed my mindset for sure.