Rice is eaten at almost every meal in Timor-Leste. Many people say they are not full if they do not eat rice. Sometimes we also eat fish, tempeh or tofu.
When I first moved into my host family’s home, people did not always sit together to eat. Everyone took their food and sat in different places around the house or outside. This felt strange to me. I grew up in a family with ten children, and we always sat at the table to eat.
Over time, eating simple meals of rice and vegetables helped me slow down and feel more connected to my host family. During my first Christmas in Timor-Leste, I asked my family in the United States to help me buy a special gift. I wanted to build a dinner table out of bamboo for my host family. Now, some of us sit together at the table to eat. This small change has become part of our daily life and makes me feel more at home.
All meals are cooked in the dapur, or kitchen, over an open fire. Because the food is simple, I like to add imanis, or spicy peppers, to my meals. These peppers grow near our house. Before I eat, I usually pick a few and add them to my rice and vegetables.
Many families cook over open fires. Firewood is gathered from nearby hills or bought along the road. Cooking this way creates a lot of smoke, which can be harmful to people’s lungs, especially for women who do most of the cooking.
