盘中的世界——禁食的艺术

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World in a dish -- The art of fasting

盘中的世界——禁食的艺术

January is a season of abstinence, take a lesson from Ethiopia

一月是禁欲的季节，向埃塞俄比亚学习

Short days, long nights, freezing temperatures, Christmas a swiftly fading memory and the prospect of spring remote -- "the cruellest month" is not April, as T.S. Eliot wrote, but January.

白昼短暂、夜晚漫长、气温寒冷，有关圣诞的记忆迅速褪去，距离春天的到来还十分遥远——正如T.S.艾略特所写的，“最残酷的月份”不是4月，而是1月。

The garden harvest of frost-tipped kale and collards, and perhaps some beets, carrots and parsnips, is scant if often delicious.

菜园里结出的霜冻羽衣甘蓝，有时还有一些甜菜、胡萝卜和防风草，十分稀少，虽然它们味道不错。

January is the season of looking in the mirror and taking stock, of regret, determination and abstinence.

一月是反思和盘点的季节，也是属于后悔、决心和节制的季节。

It is Dry January, Veganuary, renewed gym memberships, vows to cycle everywhere and spend less time in the pub.

一月是戒酒月、素食月，是续费健身房会员卡、发誓无论去哪儿都骑自行车、少泡酒吧的月份。

In other words, it is fasting season.

换句话说，这是斋戒季。

These secular rituals have deep religious roots and ancient corollaries, meant to prompt reflection by bringing appetites to heel.

这些世俗的仪式有着深厚的宗教根源和古老的必然结果，目的是为了通过使欲望屈服来促进反思。

For Muslims during the daylight hours of Ramadan, or Jews on Yom Kippur, fasting means abstaining completely from food and drink as a way to draw closer to God.

对于处于斋月白天的穆斯林或赎罪日的犹太人来说，禁食意味着完全不吃不喝，以此来接近上帝。

But not every religious fast is all or nothing.

但并不是所有的宗教斋戒都像这样，要么什么都可以吃要么完全不吃。

Christians often give up meat during Lent.

基督徒在大斋节期间通常不吃肉。

Many Buddhists eschew it periodically to instil compassion, foster progress towards enlightenment and improve their chances of a favourable rebirth.

许多佛教徒会定期不吃肉，以培养慈悲心怀，促进他们走向开悟，并提高他们涅槃的机会。

Some Buddhist monks and nuns routinely eat nothing after the noon meal.

一些佛教僧尼通常在午饭后不吃任何东西。

Few if any denominations require fasting as often as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.

很少有教派像埃塞俄比亚东正教那样经常禁食。

Priests and nuns must abstain from animal products, oil and wine for 250 days each year, lay worshippers for 180.

牧师和修女每年必须禁食动物制品、油脂和酒精250天，平信徒则要禁食180天。

For the 40 days of Advent, leading up to Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, the faithful eat just one vegan meal per day.

在1月7日东正教圣诞节之前的为期40天的降临节期间，信徒们每天只吃一餐素食。

But in an example to ascetics everywhere, that meal need not be dreary just because it is spare.

但对于各地的苦行僧来说，那顿饭不会仅仅因为它是简朴的就令人沮丧。

In Ethiopian cuisine, even austere dishes are richly flavoured.

在埃塞俄比亚美食中，即使是朴素的菜肴也有浓郁的风味。

Shiro, for instance, is a stew made from chickpea flour, stirred into hot water and seasoned with berbere -- a characteristic Ethiopian mixture usually containing ground dried chillies, black peppercorns and spices such as cinnamon, ginger and cumin.

例如，Shiro是一种用鹰嘴豆粉做成的炖菜，把它加到热水中搅拌并用berbere调味——berbere是埃塞俄比亚特有的一种混合香料，通常含有磨碎的干辣椒、黑胡椒，还有肉桂、生姜和孜然等香料。

As it simmers, it fills the house with an earthy remix of Christmas aromas.

待它沸腾，它会使整个房间充满圣诞气息的泥土混合的香气。

Combined, as it usually is, with braised spiced cabbage and injera, a tangy Ethiopian bread made from fermented teff flour, its velvety texture and warm kick leave you full but not stuffed.

通常情况下，会搭配红烧五香卷心菜和英吉拉一起吃，英吉拉是一种味道浓烈的埃塞俄比亚面包，由发酵的苔麸面粉制成，它丝绒般的质地和温热的口感让你感到饱了还想吃。

And since it contains neither animal products nor oil, it makes an acceptable fasting dish.

并且，由于它既不含动物制品也不含油脂，因此可被接受作为一种禁食期菜肴。

Eaten in this context, shiro and dishes like it encourage people to ponder broader questions about their diets and bodies.

在这种情境下，shiro和类似的菜肴鼓励人们仔细思考关于饮食和身体的广泛问题。

How much meat, if any, do they really need to eat?

如果吃肉的话，他们到底需要吃多少肉？

Can less food, munched mindfully, be more satisfying than more of it eaten quickly but automatically?

有意识地咀嚼少量食物会比无意识地快速大量进食更有满足感吗？

Are they happier when driven by their appetites or in control of them?

是被欲望驱使还是控制欲望使他们更加快乐？

Giving up booze or burgers for a month can prompt similar questions among the secular.

一个月不喝酒或不吃汉堡或许会给非宗教人士带来同样的问题。

It may not nudge them nearer the divine, but it can bring them closer to an understanding of their own urges.

这可能不会使他们更接近神，但可以让他们更加了解自己欲望。

A temporary renunciation is just that: January teetotallers and vegans will mostly be tipplers and carnivores again by February.

一次短暂的克制是这样的：一月份的戒酒者和素食者多半将在二月份再次成为酗酒者和食肉者。

But they may enjoy that martini or steak more for having forsworn them.

而他们可能会因为之前的禁食而更加喜欢马提尼或牛排了。

Fasting is not just a mortification or denial; it is a reminder of the value and joy of food.

禁食不仅仅是一种禁欲或拒绝；它也是一种提醒，让人们记起食物带来的价值与满足。