Visit to the bottom of the 'food' pecking order

Among a few things that have been consistent for me all through life, one is that a good part of my life has been spent "dodging rice". I do mean the plain white rice; I don't mean biryani! Given a choice between white rice and the worst quality of bread or roti (aka sookhi roti) - stuff that dogs would dare not touch - I would still not choose rice. It is safe to say that the only instances when I grudgingly eat rice, is when there just isn't anything else left on the table.

Here's the bottom of my pecking order when it comes to food - sure enough, rice is at the bottom of the table, but what might be notable are some of the other foods that rank above rice.

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The bottom 10 (based on an assortment of recipes I've had all through life)

• Anything that ends with the word "poriyal" -> It is probably unfair for me to blame the whole family of poriyals. So let me say this much - watch out for certain members of the poriyal family; most are folks I haven't met in person, and I would therefore construe them to be gentlemanly.
  

• Jewish Rye bread -> I ate that once thinking I can conquer any bread in the world. Big mistake! I do want to try one more time before giving up.

• Broccoli -> I don't quite hate broccoli, but I made sure I put it on this list, just to show how higher than rice I rank broccoli
  

• Dosa without the right chutney or right sambar

• Idli without the right chutney or right sambar

• Vegetables that leave straw behind in your mouth, after you think you are done -> hardly chewing gum. Some of these vegetables are naturally "straw producing". Some others are artifically made "straw producing" by selling them frozen. Bhendi (aka okra aka lady's finger) is the biggest victim. A non-frozen bhendi is at the top of my pecking order. A frozen bhendi is at the bottom.

• Yam curry -> (irrespective of whether you eat it with rice or with bread)

• Cooked cabbage -> (irrespective of whether you eat it with rice or with bread)

• Cooked carrots -> (irrespective of whether you eat it with rice or with bread; surprisingly I love to eat raw carrots)

• White rice

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I will leave you with a gentleman's thoughts on food. The gentleman is no doctor or food scientist. He just goes by the name of Mohandas..