"Kateh-Maast"

It's 12:15 p.m. and I rush downstairs to the small cafeteria owned by this Koran man, known as "Charlie". The safe foods to eat off of his menu are cold sandwiches normally. But today, I have a stomach ache and some sort of nausia, caused most likely by simple anxiety. You know...the every day stress...

I ask him for just "white rice". I already have "maast" or plain yogurt in the fridge in the office upstairs, which I bought one day recently from Ralphs, when I had my first "Kateh-Maast" attack.

This is the third time I am getting just white rice from him this month and he is getting annoyed since "just white rice" is not exactly doing business for him.

So he suggests, rather kindly--as if I have no idea what is good for me to eat--that I should add some chili to my white rice. You know...make it a more meaningful lunch.

I smile (and laugh to myself of course, since adding chili will defeat the whole purpose of simplicity). By now, I realize that I have to tell him the truth--or at least part of the truth. So I explain that I am not feeling well and need to eat something simple to ease my stomach.

He smiles back. He seems to understand now.

I go back upstairs to get my "maast" to add to my "Kateh". I am happy now...somethings like the simple concept of "Kateh-Maast" are so hard to explain to those who have never had it.

Maybe...only maybe, next time I go back, I will tell him about "maast". Maybe then he will bring some to sell, so I don't have to go Ralphs just for "maast".