When I was *yea high*, my Daddy and my Uncle Hon owned one of the only Chinese takeaways in our little city. Some afternoons, my Uncle Charlie* would collect me from school and together, we would walk 15 minutes to the shop.

* Uncle Charlie was not an uncle by blood but because in my culture, we call all our parents friends uncle and aunty out of respect.

When I arrived at the shop, I would carry a stool up to the rice cooker for height, climb on top, fill a small bowl with the fresh batch of rice, drizzle soy sauce on top and tuck in. I loved rice then and I love it now.

I’m going to be OK next week for poverty challenge. Keeping to a budget of just $2.25 a day, I’ve allocated 5 cups of rice among other things to get me by. I can’t help but think that I’m lucky that I choose to eat rice. Many are not so lucky and I think as foodies, we forget to count our blessings. Food is a pleasure for us and I always say, if things evolved to a point where we didn’t need to eat, but rather, could take a pill and be done with nutrition, I would still eat. I eat for pleasure and there aren’t enough meals in a day to eat all the dishes I’d like to try in the world.

Living on $2.25 a day isn’t for everyone, even if it’s just for 5 days, but maybe next week when you’re tucking into something juicy and amazing, think of those who would gladly jazz up another bowl of rice. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, but for the added pleasure of how truly wonderful a meal can be. Or maybe try and cook a meal for less than a dollar and donate the money you save to a good cause. Not because you have to, but because you can.