VOA标准英语2008年-Bihar, India to Promote Rat Cuisine

Most cooks do their best to keep rats out of the kitchen, but in Bihar, one of India's poorest states, officials are doing just the opposite. The welfare department there is on a quest to increase the popularity of rodent¹ cuisine². VOA Correspondent Steve Herman in New Delhi has the story.

Bihar's welfare department is hoping to solve several problems by putting rats into kitchens. Officials there believe increased human consumption of the rodent will ease the crisis of soaring food prices, provide increased employment for the state's low caste rat catchers and get rid of a pest which eats half of Bihar's precious grain stock.

Leading the quest is the state welfare department's principal secretary, Vijay Prakash. He says rat can become the new chicken.

"Rat and chicken have equal food values, not only in protein, in fact, the entire spectrum³ of nutrition. You will find they are almost equivalent," said Prakash.

Prakash tells VOA News that except for some of India's most impoverished⁴ communities, rats, believed to outnumber people by a seven-to-one ratio here, are not considered enticing⁵ by Indians.

"We will have a massive media campaign. We will persuade people to just try it and see whether rats are different from other food," added Prakash. "In fact, whoever has eaten rat says rat is more spongy and is better than even chicken meat."

Prakash admits he has not tried rat himself although his mother finds it delicious. He promises to indulge soon, perhaps at one of Bihar's roadside hotels where the rodent, served roasted, known as patal-bageri, is already a popular appetizer⁶.

"Some of the hotels have now started selling rats, rat meat, here in Bihar. It is being used as a starter," added Prakash.

The state welfare official hopes Bihar's hotels will start a trend that will expand to India's five-star hotels.

Chef P. Soundararajan in Chennai, who oversees⁷ food preparation for the 22 properties of the Mahindra resort chain, does not see that happening.

"No way. Indian culture is based on vegetarianism," said Soundararajan. "Our culture, our custom is based on not harming any living beings."

It appears the Biharis might have better luck exporting their rats to China, Southeast Asia, West Africa or even parts of France, where the rodent has traditionally been more welcome on the dinner table.

The stewed⁸ giant cane⁹ rat is popular in parts of Ghana. Rat is also eaten in Togo. In China the mountain rat is served garnished¹⁰ with ginger¹¹ and onions. There are Thais who find the rodent a tasty snack served with red chili¹² paste. And rat grilled¹³ with lemon grass is on the menu in some Vietnamese restaurants. Some diners say it goes down easier with a generous portion of home-brewed rice wine.

1 rodent   

n.啮齿动物；adj.啮齿目的

参考例句：

• When there is a full moon,this nocturnal rodent is careful to stay in its burrow.月圆之夜，这种夜间活动的啮齿类动物会小心地呆在地洞里不出来。
• This small rodent can scoop out a long,narrow tunnel in a very short time.这种小啮齿动物能在很短的时间里挖出一条又长又窄的地道来。

2 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

3 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 enticing   

adj.迷人的；诱人的

参考例句：

• The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。
• Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

6 appetizer   

n.小吃，开胃品

参考例句：

• We served some crackers and cheese as an appetizer.我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。
• I would like a cucumber salad for an appetizer.我要一份黄瓜沙拉作开胃菜。

7 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

8 stewed   

adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧

参考例句：

• When all birds are shot, the bow will be set aside;when all hares are killed, the hounds will be stewed and eaten -- kick out sb. after his services are no longer needed. 鸟尽弓藏，兔死狗烹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• \"How can we cook in a pan that's stewed your stinking stockings? “染臭袜子的锅，还能煮鸡子吃！还要它？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

9 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

10 garnished   

v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her robes were garnished with gems. 她的礼服上装饰着宝石。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Serve the dish garnished with wedges of lime. 给这道菜配上几角酸橙。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。

12 chili   

n.辣椒

参考例句：

• He helped himself to another two small spoonfuls of chili oil.他自己下手又加了两小勺辣椒油。
• It has chocolate,chili,and other spices.有巧克力粉，辣椒，和其他的调味品。

13 grilled   

adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。
• He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。