Triumph unveils My Chopsticks bra

I was watching the news yesterday and thoroughly getting depressed because of all the bad news the anchors were relaying. Fortunately, a light, lifestyle feature followed that lifted up my spirits and also showed how wacky the Japanese can get.

It’s the My Chopsticks bra that was created by Triumph Japan. The funny looking bra actually has sports cups that look like a bowl of rice (on one cup) and a bowl of miso soup (on the other cup). To top it off, the bra has side pouches where chopsticks can be kept. Call it a concept bra, if you will. The My Chopsticks bra really brings home the message that a woman’s breast can really provide nutrition and has a wonderful packaging.

Candy Sushi Recipe

Purists will definitely hate this tip but dessert lovers will love the fushion between western sweets and the Japanese food - sushi. The candy sushi here do not taste anything like sushi but they really are pretty to look at and very delicious too.

Ingredients:
Fruit by the Foot (preferably green)
Mini powdered donuts
Swedish fish
Pull and Peel licorice
Marshmallows
Jelly beans
Strawberry, caramel, or chocolate syrup.

Candy Sushi Version 1:
Place a strip of Fruit by the Foot on your working space.
Place a Swedish fish in the center.
Cut a mini-donut in half and place this on the Swedish fish.
Wrap the ends of the Fruit by the Foot around the fish and donut.

Candy Sushi Version 2
Wrap a strip of the Fruit by the Foot around a marshmallow.
Place the marshmallow on its end.
Cut a jelly bean in half and place it on the marshmallow, inside facing up.
Cut some small pieces of liquorice so that they look like small balls or fish eggs and place them around the jelly bean half.

Candy Sushi Version 3
Using a knife, carefully carve a hole in the middle of a marshmallow.
Thread some liquorice through the center of the marshmallow.
Wrap a strip of the fruit roll-up around the marshmallow.

Recipe compliments of WikiHow.

Harajuku

The fashion lovers mecca of Japan, Harajuku stretches out along the Takeshita Street, or Takeshita-dori. One can get to the plethora of shops and stalls in this area by getting off at the JR Harajuku station of the Yamanote Train Line. From there, you will get inundated with all the clothes, jewelry, and all sorts of accessories that you can find.

Harajuku mainly attracts the younger crowd who fill up the place, especially during the weekend. More often than not, you will also see large flocks of tourists frequenting the place. Different areas in Harajuku stand for different things. Fashion boutiques are best found in Laforet Harajuku while the hub of young designers is Ura Harajuku. Omotesando on the other hand is the place to go for the chic and sophisticated. Whatever your taste may be, you will surely find something to suit you in this fashionable place. At the very least, it will be a feast for your eyes.
[tags]Japan, tourist spots, shopping, fashion, Harajuku[/tags]

Japanese Beer

Beer is one of the most consumed drinks all throughout the world. Though Japan is most known for its traditional alcoholic drink, sake, it also boasts of several beer brands that are quite popular in many countries. There are different kinds of beer in Japan, the lager being the most popular.

Under the category of lager beers, Japan’s number one bestseller is Asahi’s Super Dry. Other beers worth trying out are Sapporo’s Black Label and Ebisu, and Kirin’s Lager and Ichiban Shibori. Japan’s breweries also produce seasonal beers. These are generally lagers as well and are sold only for few months at a time.

Aside from the lagers, Japanese also patronize dark beers called stout. Happoshu, or low malt beer, is also popular. In fact, it is more popular than stout. This is perhaps due to the lower prices attached to them.

Wherever you go in Japan, it is not hard to find a place to sit down and have a cool drink. From beer to sake to whiskey, you will certainly find something to suit your taste.

[tags]Japan, beer, alcohol, leisure, Asahi[/tags]

Japanese Mushrooms

I don’t know about you, but mushrooms are one of my favorite food. Give me anything with mushrooms and chances are that I’ll eat it! Anyhow, Japanese mushrooms are some of the best in the world. Both for flavor and textures, these mushrooms just spice up a dish – or serve as a dish on their own! Here are some of the more popular Japanese mushrooms.

Shiitake – almost every person in the world has heard about this mushroom. You can buy these either fresh or dried. If you get them dried, you’d have to soak the mushrooms in water before using them.

Maitake – the King of mushrooms. Light brown in color all throughout, these mushrooms grow in large colonies and are often part of Japanese dishes.

Hiratake – oyster mushrooms. They are cultivated and have a lot of varieties. Try mixing this with tofu and soy!

There are definitely more varieties of mushrooms in Japan but these are some of the easiest to use. Why not try them yourself?
[tags]food, mushrooms, agriculture, cuisine[/tags]

Shabushabu

Japanese food has gained world wide acceptance a long time ago. In fact, more than that, it has established its own “fan base” everywhere you go. Needless to say, I am one of those who just can’t get enough of Japanese food. One of the most delicious and comforting meals that I really like is shabushabu. Although restaurants of other cuisines serve this dish, the Japanese version is definitely one of my favorites.

Shabushabu is in fact a method of cooking at the table where people are dining at. Paper thin slices of beef (yum!) are placed in a hot seaweed broth. You can then mix in your preferred spices and vegetables. Swish until you get your desired tenderness and then you’re ready to eat! Of course, the dipping sauces are never absent.

With this dish, you basically have control over what you eat. Personal preferences have a place here! So the next time you go to a Japanese restaurant, why not concoct your own brand of shabushabu?

Japanese Family Recipes For Westerners

There are few people in the western world who have not tried and consequently fallen in love with Japanese food. I’m not talking about the high-brow stuff of celebrity chefs (or indeed, of obscure dining establishments in Tokyo), but the simple family fare you can find in practically every major city in the world. Tempura, sushi (the california maki/tamago kind rather than the puffer fish), chicken teriyaki, beef sukiyaki and the simple oyakudon (which incidentally was served in my school cafeteria, which was NOT anywhere close to Japan).

For the cook in the home kitchen who has a hungry family with a yen for Japanese food (pardon the pun), the cookbook Japanese Family-Style Recipes by Hiroko Urakami is a favourite choice. With over 50 recipes for all the family to enjoy, backed up by a good-quality photo with every dish, the cookbook can inspire and teach even the most inexperienced with Japanese cuisine.

According to Tokyo-nativeHiroko Urakami, ” A characteristic Japanese family meal, includes a main dish of fish or meat, a side dish of braised vegetables, and a vinegared salad, accompanied by steamed rice and soup.”

And he follows this through in this delightful and easy-to-follow cookbook with what its fans claim have fool-proof recipes which can please even the native Japanese. There are also a good number of substitutions for the Western kitchen, and its short and clear instructions demystify what many in the west believe Japanese cooking to be - perfectionist, time-consuming and much about the detail and presentation.

[tags]Japanese food, Japanese family cooking, Japanese cookbook[/tags]

Minding Your Ohashi Etiquette

There is a proper way to use your “ohashi” or chopsticks in Japan, and knowing the correct do’s and don’ts when it comes to etiquette is imperative when in a Japanese dining setting.

Firstly, one has to have good command of the proper way to hold chopsticks . For westerners, this may take some practice, but as with all things, practice makes perfect!

Here are the three basic steps:

1. Hold the upper chopstick with the index finger, the middle finger, and the thumb.

2. Put the other chopstick between the bottom of the thumb and the tip of the ring finger.

3. Move the upper chopstick only when you pick up food.

Do’s:

* Set pairs of chopsticks next to the table’s edge, tapered ends to the left, at the front.
* When using chopstick holders (ohashi-oki’s) place them below the tapered ends.

* Turn your chopsticks around when you want to pick up food from a shared dish (family style eating) so as not to “share” your saliva with the other diners.

* When you finished using disposable chopsticks (wari-bashi), put them back in the bag and fold the bag in half. This indicates that they are used.

Don’t Ever:

* Stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice - it has morbid connotations of offerings for the dead.

* Pierce your food with the stick ala campfire cooking or make a kebab

* Pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks. More connotations here with Japanese funereal customs involving bones.

* Wave you chopsticks above plates of food.

* Pick up a bowl or cup with the hand that is holding your chopsticks.

* Suck your chopsticks.

* Passing food from your chopsticks to somebody else’s chopsticks.

* Holding your chopsticks with five fingers is VERY impolite in Japan.

[tags]Japanese food, Ohashi, chopsticks etiquetts, chopsticks[/tags]

The Perfect Ramen

Instant noodles aside, those who have the time and the resources should make the effort to head to the nearest decent ramen house and ask for a bowl. Its food for the soul! And, I might add, Japan’s healthy “fast food”. By that I mean the “real” stuff, no disrespect to Mr. Ando.

For those handy in the kitchen,(and far from the many stalls and ramen houses of Japan) conjouring up a pot or bowl of this steaming hot, flavourful stuff should be attempted at home. The secret here, as any good chef will tell you, is in the stock. Ramen chefs in Japan are known to undergo years of training to master the art of the soup, and each ramen shop has its own special recipe.

There are several kinds of ramen, which are categorised by their type of stock. The “salt” (shio), “soy sauce” (shoyu),”pork” (tonkotsu) and miso.

Heres a great recipe I found, written by one named “Richard”, who like me, agrees that a bowl of authentically good ramen is not easy to find outside of Japan. His recipe is based on the ramen in Hokkaido, where miso is the popular base used.

There are four elements: Soup, Base, Noodles, and Toppings.

1. The soup is prepared beforehand.
2. Make the base, add to bowl.
3. Prepare the toppings.
4. Heat the soup and prepare the noodles.
5. Add the hot soup to the bowl and mix, add the noodles.
6. Quickly fry the toppings that need to be cooked and add them to the the bowl.
7. Add the uncooked toppings and serve.

Soup

In a large soup kettle add some uncooked chicken and/or pork bones, some fresk ginger shopped into chunks, and some greens like bok choy, chinese cabbage and/or spring onions. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 1-2 hours. Skim off the foam occasionally. Add salt to taste. Strain. Freeze and use for ramen, various soups and sauces.

The flavour may come from the base, but the body comes from the soup. If the worst comes to the worst, you can use water, or water flavoured with instant chicken stock, but for the real deal, you have to make your own soup stock.

Base

This is a paste of miso and flavourings that is the defining taste of miso ramen, so although it is fairly non-critical in terms of amounts and substitutions, it must be kept within certain bounds. Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil and a teaspoon of sesame oil and fry some minced garlic over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of miso paste and 2T soy sauce. Add chili oil or chopped dried red chili peppers to taste. Cook over low heat for about a few minutes.

Noodles

There is some choice here. Chinese dried egg noodles work pretty well, but you can also buy fresh ramen noodles in some supermarkets or better yet make them yourself with a pasta maker. (Flour, egg, water) I’m also comfortable using dried udon noodles. Limit the use of instant noodles is to life and death circumstances only. Whichever, the finish is the same: poor the noodles into a sieve or colander, and rinse with boiling water. Drain and serve. The rincing part is to wash off the starch, and it is important.

[tags]Japanese food, ramen, recipe[/tags]

The Japanese Instant Noodle Inventor

Earlier this month, Momofuku Ando, the “Father” of instant ramen passed away after suffering a heart attack after eating his famous chicken ramen with his employees . At 96, the inventor of the dish that sustains students in universities all over the world was the chairman of Nissin Foods Corporation, which he founded.

Nissin Food Products, was started by Mr.Ando in 1948 as a means to help feed the war-torn people of Japan post WW2. His invention, the
“Chicken Ramen”, which was the first instant noodle in the world, was introduced in 1958 and became a huge success.

The famous “Pot Noodle” debuted in 1971 and the rest is history. In 1999, The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum opened in Ikeda City, western Japan paying tribute to this remarkable inventions.

The photo above shows Mr.Ando with his noodle invention for astronauts. He was showing off the “Space Ram” at the Instant Noodle Museum in Osaka 2005, a project he was very keen on. The first “space noodle” was brought aboard the space shuttle “Discovery” on the 26th by Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

[tags]Japanese food, ramen, inventions, instant noodles, Momofuku Ando[/tags]