A surprise awaited me when I sat down for dinner that night. We were seven in our family. Everyone was seated on the floor with their plates full. Fish curry on their plates smelled so good. A few spaces away from their plates, a small banana leaf was placed on the floor. On it, idiyappam, sambal and eggplant curry were served. I looked at Amma. She nodded her head gesturing me to eat. That’s how I became a vegetarian.