On Shrimp

I'm afraid I might break part of my lifelong commitment to saying semi-kosher, living here. It doesn't sound too hard to avoid shrimp, right? They're very distinctively shaped. Hard to miss. But not when they're ground up for flavoring.

Shito (shee-toh) is a spicy red sauce that Ghanaians use to dip and spice up everything, from stews to fries. And I learned a couple days ago (thanks to a New York Times article on Ghanaian street food) that one of the main components is ground-up dried shrimp.

Kebabs are a popular street food and a quick, cheap snack in restaurants. They're seasoned with kebab powder, and you get an extra heap of powder on the side to spice up your kebabs even more. I've had a look at the ingredient list of one kind of kebab powder in the store. Guess what? Shrimp.

I've already had shito a couple of times, before I knew what was in it. Since then I've hesitated, but I think in the end I'll probably give in. I'm pretty sure I've eaten it already since then, mixed into other foods as a flavoring. As for kebabs, there's no way I'd avoid them. They're cheap, convenient, and tasty. It's impossible to de-season them; they are covered in powder before they're grilled. And maybe they use a different brand of kebab powder than the one I saw in the supermarket.

That's the real thing I have got to come to terms with: even if I avoid things I know have treif (non-kosher ingredients) in them, there's no way I'll be clear of everything. So I think in the end, I'll try to enjoy myself, knowing I'm breaking a rule but also knowing that this is how they do local food here. It's easy to avoid overt shrimp, but the invisible shrimp might just have to pass through my filters. And in this case, ignorance is bliss.