Recipes from Asia or with an Asian twist by WorldSupporters - Bundle

 

Recipes from Asia or with an Asian twist by WorldSupporters

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Asian food

Asian food

 A natural plate for natural food (photo from the Philippines)

  • Rice
  • Octopus adobo (soya sauce and vinegar)
  • Gamba's with skin
  • Eggplant without skin

Instead of poke bowls, I am making poke plates (so you can still use the banana leaf real fusion)

  • Sushi rice
  • Peas or edame
  • Cucumber with sesame oil
  • Omelette in slices or made with silk tofu
  • Seaweed for authentic taste
  • Avocado
  • Sesame seeds
Pad See Ew - Thai noodle dish

Pad See Ew - Thai noodle dish

In Thailand you can find the popular Pad Thai on every street corner. Pad See Ew is a bit less well-known, but evenly delicious. It is a simple noodle dish, recognisable by the wide and thin rice noodles that are being used. If you can't find the wide noodles, you can also use another type of noodles.

Recipe:

  • Heat oil in a frying pan/wok and fry the garlic over low heat.
  • Add the chicken and stir for about one minute
  • Then add the kale, carrot, noodles, sugar and sauces and mix. Stir for about 2 minutes
  • Make room on one side of the wok and crack an egg on the empty side.
  • Sramble the egg and mix with the noodles. Then turn up the heat and fry for about 30 seconds.
  • To top off the noodles. Sprinkle a bit of ground pepper, chili flakes or lime on top. 
  • Enjoy!

Ready In: 30 min.

Ingredients:

  • 200 g wide rice noodle
  • 1 egg
  • 2 pieces of chopped garlic
  • 1 stalks kale
  • 4-5 pieces of sliced carrots
  • 50 g chicken (or tofu)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tsp oyster sauce
Countries & Regions: 
Pad Thai

Pad Thai

1. Heat the oil in the wok, add garlic, shallot, chicken, tofu.

2. Add radish, follow with dried shrimp. Stir to combine.

3. Put egg down let them cook then scramble it and mix it well with other ingredient.

4. Pull everything up to one side of the wok, and then pour chicken stalk or water.

5. Put rice noodle then stir well then add sauce to combine until it cook.

6. Finally, add bean sprouts and chive down mix it well. Finish and ready to serve.

 

Serve with:

- Roasted peanuts
- Chili powder
- Lime
- Sugar

Succes!!

Ready In: 30 min.

Ingredients:

  • 70 g. rice noodle
  • 50 g. chicken breast sliced
  • 3 tbsp firm tofu (1cm thick dice)
  • 1 egg
  • 3-5 clove. garlic
  • 0.5 tbsp. shallot
  • 2 tbsp. dried shrimp
  • 1-2 stalks. garlic shave
  • 0.5 tbsp. minced pickle radish
  • 1 cup bean sprout
  • 1 cup chicken stalk or water
  • 1.5 tbsp. oyster sauce
  • 0.5 tbsp. fish sauce
  • 0.5 tbsp. palm sugar
  • 1 tbsp. tamarind sauce
  • 1 tbsp. oil
Countries & Regions: 
Spicy Korean ramen (vegan)

Spicy Korean ramen (vegan)

I absolutely LOVE ramen. It's one of my favorite dishes in Japan, and fortunately more and more vegan ramen places are popping up in the country. While ramen has its roots in China, because of the use of Chinese noodles, the Japanese have turned it into their own traditional dish. Originally the base of the dish consists of Chinese wheat noodles often in a meat or fish broth, but many variations exist throughout the country such as the famous Hakata ramen from Fukuoka, a milky ramen soup made from pork bones. Other popular, and vegetarian, variations of ramen are Shoyu (soy sauce), Shio (salt) and Miso ramen. As toppings, many ingredients can be used. Often used vegetarian toppings are green onions, boiled eggs, bean sprouts, fermented bamboo shoots, nori (dried seaweed), corn, shiitake and wakame. 

Since I was craving spicy food while walking around in our local Asian supermarket, I decided to make my own spicy ramen noodles. I already made miso ramen a couple of weeks ago and while I love it, miso and japanese spicy don't go too well together in my opinion. So I had to think of something new. One thing I'm hooked on is the Korean Gochujang (red chili paste) which is great for bibimbap or spicy Korean rice cakes for example. Since I don't use it too often, one box of paste can last in my fridge for over 6 months, so why not create some more dishes with it!? It probably tastes great as a ramen broth too, right? So I got my veggies and wheat noodles and went home to cook some delicious ramen. I can tell you, it took me by surprise how amazingly tasty (and spicy!) it was :). 

1. Cut the tofu into cubes and add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, a bit of garlic (powder) and oil to it. Stir and let it sit for a while

2. Cut onion and garlic into tiny pieces and fried the onions for a couple of minutes before I added the garlic. 

3. Add half a can of diced tomatoes and let it simmer for about a minute. 

4. Add the dried shiitake mushrooms and the vegetable stock (don't add too much water since you don't need a huge amount of soup)

5. Combine the gochujang with the soysauce and hoisin (and some broth to make it easier to mix) and add to the broth. Add more soy sauce and/or salt if needed. And more gochujang if you want it more spicy! :)

6. Let it simmer for a while, while you cut the toppings and fry the tofu. 

7. Now add the noodles to the broth and cook until done (follow the instructions on the package). 

8. Put the noodles into a both, cover it with some broth and top with all your amazing toppings! For garnishing you can use some sesame seeds. 

Enjoy! :) 

Ready In: 30 min.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce for broth
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin for broth
  • 1 onion for broth
  • 3 cloves of garlic for broth
  • 150-200 grams of ramen noodles
  • 100 grams of tofu
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce for tofu
  • 1 tablespoon hoising for tofu
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for tofu
  • green onions
  • corn
  • enoki mushrooms
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, cut in half
  • bean sprouts
  • or any other topping of choice!
Countries & Regions: 
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Recipes from the Philippines or with a Filipino twist - Bundle

Balut, Lechon and Adobo - Local food in the Phlippines

Balut, Lechon and Adobo - Local food in the Phlippines

Adobo

Filipino food is not the most well-known cuisine internationally. Often dubbed bland and unexciting, that doesn’t bother the Filipinos. Food is an important part of Filipino culture and it’s eaten in abundance and with gusto. Filipino food is, especially compared to its spicy neighbours, relatively mild and often sweeter than what you may be used to.

Specialities

  • Adobo - the unofficial national dish. Consists of meat in stewed soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper and crushed garlic.
  • Adobong pusit: a fragrant dish of squid prepared with soy, vinegar, garlic, onions and tomatoes.
  • Lechon: spit roasted suckling pig covered in a thick pork liver sauce.
  • Siopao: a steamed ball of dough stuffed with different type of fillings made of meat, fish and egg.
  • Batchoy: a traditional noodle soup with a mix of chicken, beef and pork (crackling, meat and offal).
  • Kinilaw: a ceviche style dish consisting of raw fish marinated in coconut vinegar, garlic, ginger and chili peppers.
  • Rice is eaten with almost every meal, from breakfast to late night meryenda (snack).

Remarkable dishes

  • Balut: not for the faint hearted, Balut is a fertilised, developing bird egg (usually duck), boiled and eaten straight from its shell.
  • Durian: the King of Fruits is one of those foodstuffs you either love or hate. It is a large (weighing up to three kilograms) fruit with a spiky rind and is known for its pungent smell and confusing flavour combining sweet and savoury with a fleshy, custardy texture. Can be eaten at various stages of ripeness and is also used to flavour sweet and savoury dishes.
  • Ampalaya: also known as the bitter melon, the ampalaya is a cucumber shaped, wrinkly fruit with a fresh yet bitter flavour.
  • Isaw: a street food made up of chicken or pork intestines, skewered and barbecued.
  • Dinuguan: A thick, black stew made of pig’s blood and chicken or pork intestines.

Drinks

  • It is not recommended to drink tapped water so rather buy filtered water. It is cheaper to buy a big can or bottle of water and fill it at a refilling station, found widely on the streets.
  • Buko Juice is young coconut juice, often served in the shell or with pieces of young coconut floating in the drink.
  • Apart from the southern Muslim parts of the country, alcohol is widely consumed. Beer, San Miguel more specifically, is the alcoholic drink of choice.
  • As imported wine is usually very expensive, stick to the locally made Tuba, a palm wine extracted from coconut flowers (Tuba), Basi, a port like sweet wine made from sugar cane juice or Lambanog, distilled Tuba.
  • Whiskey, rum, brandy and gin are brewed locally and perfectly palatable.

See 'Worldsupporter resources' for Filipino recipes (in Dutch)

Chicken Tinola

Chicken Tinola

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INGREDIENTS

 

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 thumb-sized fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
  • 1 (3 to 4 pounds) whole chicken, cut into serving pieces
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 small green papaya, pared, seeded and cut into 2-inch wedges
  • 1 bunch fresh spinach leaves, stems trimmed
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

PROCEDURE

 

  1. In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, ginger and garlic and cook until limp and aromatic.
  2. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken starts to change color and juices run clear. Add fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add water and bring to a boil, skimming scum that float on top. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  4. Add papaya and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until tender yet crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Serve hot.

Ready In: 35 min.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon oil 1 small onion, peeled and sliced thinly 2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 thumb-sized fresh ginger, peeled and julienned 1 (3 to 4 pounds) whole chicken, cut into serving pieces 2 tablespoons fish sauce 5 cups water 1 small green
Creamy Tuna White Pasta

Creamy Tuna White Pasta

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 nestle cream
  • pasta pkg
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ tsp of butter
  • salt to taste
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 4 green chilies
  • 2 big tomatoes
  • 1 ½ tin tuna fish

PROCEDURE

remove the skin of garlic and grind it well until it make puree paste you can add little milk or water while making the paste out of it. Meanwhile make sure you boil the pasta by adding black pepper and salt ( a pinch or two will be fine).

once the garlic puree paste is done add the paste with the nestle cream and cut the tomato into cubes and the chills and then mix all in the white sauce (mixture of garlic puree paste and nestle cream). And add the white pepper ( if you love pepper you can more also)

once your pasta is boiled, remove from the heat and throw the water. Now take up a pan, in medium heat add the butter and before it melts make oil out of it ad the tuna fish and add the white sauce.

finally mix the pasta and add milk.

i add milk to make it creamy.

and you can serve with refreshing juice.

 

Ready In: 20 min.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves of garlic 1 nestle cream pasta pkg ½ cup milk ½ tsp of butter salt to taste ½ tsp white pepper ½ tsp black pepper 4 green chilies 2 big tomatoes 1 ½ tin tuna fish
Corn Soup with Eggs (Filipino Recipe)

Corn Soup with Eggs (Filipino Recipe)

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Combine chicken broth and water in a cooking pot. Bring to a boil.
Pour-in the cream style sweet corn. Stir and allow to re-boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add water as necessary.
Use a (hand)blander to create a creamy puree (not too thick).

Add the green onions, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
Pour-in the water with cornstarch. Stir and continue to cook for a minute.
Drop-in the chicken egg. Quickly stir until until the egg is distributed.
Add the boiled eggs halves. Cover and turn the heat off. Let it stay covered for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve.
Share and enjoy!

(used source: httppublic://recipe/corn-soup-with-quail-eggs.jpgpanlasangpinoy.com/2013/10/01/corn-soup-with-quail-eggs/)

Ready In: 25 min.

Ingredients:

  • 5 boiled eggs - shells removed - in halves
  • 2 cans of sweet corn
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 cups of chicken (or vegetarian) broth
  • 3/4 cups chopped green onions
  • 1 raw chicken egg
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch diluted in water
  • salt and pepper to taste
Filipijnse kip in ananassap

Filipijnse kip in ananassap

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De Filipijnse keuken is over het algemeen niet een keuken waar mensen fan van worden...Zeker in de hoofdstad Manilla was fastfood de norm. Maar thuis bij mijn gastgezin was dit anders. De huishoudster Jessica was een absolute top chef! Een aantal van haar recepten heeft zij met mij gedeeld en mijn favoriet, kip in ananassap, wil ik graag met jullie delen!

1. Mix een beetje azijn met de knoflook en een beetje zout. Snijd de kip en voeg de stukken kip toe aan dit mengsel. Laat het even staan.

2. Haal de kip uit de marinade en bak deze, zonder de azijn!, tot hij goud bruin is. 

3. Wanneer de kip goud bruin is voeg je de annanassap, zwarte peperkorrels, steranijs en soja saus toe. Laat het nu zachtjes koken tot de kip zacht en mals is. Wanneer de kip lekker mals is, is je gerecht klaar. 

Lekker met met bruine rijst & boontjes.

Je kunt dit recept ook maken met varkensvlees of tonijn.

 

Eetsmakelijk!

Ready In: 30 min.

Ingredients:

  • 2 blikjes ananas (bijvoorbeeld ananasschijven of stukjes op sap) waarvan je het sap apart houd.
  • 500 gram kip (kipfilet
  • kipdijfilet
  • kippenpootjes alles kan alles mag. Tip: gebruik biologische of scharrelkip en kippendij voor iets vetter vlees)
  • Een klein beetje azijn
  • Teentje knoflook
  • Zout
  • Zwarte peper korrels
  • Steranijs
  • +/- een halve eetlepel sojasaus
Filippijns recept: Chicken Adobo

Filippijns recept: Chicken Adobo

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Na meer dan een jaar hier geleefd te hebben ben ik inmiddels wel bekend met het eten hier. Inmiddels heb ik zelf uitgevonden hoe ik hun 'typische' maaltijd kan maken: Adobo. Het is heel simpel en daarom iets wat ik nog weleens wil maken (ben vanmijzelf zeker geen chef). 

Hier wordt veel rijst gegeten (goedkoop) dus maaltijden bestaan vaak uit een homp rijst in combinatie met iets van vlees (en soms, maar jammer genoeg niet regelmatig, groente). Ik lees online verschillende recepten die nog allerlei extra dingen toevoegen: Deze variant is hoe het wordt gemaakt in de armere buurten.

Verhit olie in de pan. bak vervolgens de 2 tenen knoflook en een gesnipperd ui kort aan. Voeg vervolgens het azijn, de sojasaus, en de kip toe. Laat dit sudderen (met deksel erop) voor minimaal 30 minuten zodat het vocht goed in de kip kan trekken en de kip gaar wordt. Dat is het dan, vervolgens kook je de rijst en gebruik je het overvloedige vocht als een 'jus'.

Ready In: 0 min.

Ingredients:

  • knoflook
  • (2 tenen)
  • Olie
  • Ui (1)
  • Kippenvlees (kippenpoten&kippenvleugels of filet)
  • hoeveelheid is afhankelijk van aantal eters
  • Azijn
  • (1/2 kopje = 12cl)
  • Sojasaus
  • (1/2 kopje = 12cl)
  • Rijst (uiteraard)
Healthy and Delicious Banana Loaf

Healthy and Delicious Banana Loaf

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

PROCEDURE

 -Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 4x8-inch loaf pan.

- In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

- Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F (175°C), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving. Slice and serve. (A bread knife helps to make slices that aren't crumbly).

 

 

No need for a mixer for this recipe! Clean-up is easy too, if you want, you can mix everything in one mixing bowl.

The best bananas to use for banana bread are those that are over-ripe. The yellow peels should be at least half browned, and the bananas inside squishy and browning.

Ready In: 55 min.

Ingredients:

  • Ripe bananas, melted butter , baking soda, salt, sugar, egg, all purpose flour, vanilla extract
Jamjam! Kari Kari: Filippijnse runderstoofpot

Jamjam! Kari Kari: Filippijnse runderstoofpot

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Bereidingswijze In plaats van anatto kunt u ook milde paprikapoeder gebruiken. Snijd het vlees in grove stukken. Snipper de ui en de knoflook. Verhit de olie in een braadpan en fruit het annattozaad of de paprikapoeder tot het vet rood is. Schep de annattozaadjes er met een lepel uit. Bak de stukken vlees in gedeelten bruin. Bak de ui en knoflook in het vet bruin en leg de stukken vlees weer in de pan. Verkruimel de bouillontablet erboven en schenk er zoveel water bij dat het vlees net onder staat. Voeg de sojasaus en de vissaus toe. Stoof het vlees afgedekt in circa twee uur zachtjes gaar. Maak de groenten schoon. Halveer de sperziebonen. Snijd de aubergine en rettich in blokjes. Voeg de groenten aan het vlees toe en stoof het geheel in nog circa 15 minuten zachtjes gaar. Rooster de pinda''s en de rijst in een droge koekenpan goudbruin. Maal de rijst en pinda''s in de keukenmachine fijn. Roer dit poeder door de stoofpot. Verwarm het geheel al roerende tot het vocht tot een saus bindt. Snijd de bosuitjes in ringetjes. Doe de runderlappen met vocht over in een schaal. Strooi de bosuitjes en de korianderblaadjes erover. Lekker met rijst. (want rijst was bij ons op de Filipijnen onze grote vriend: 4 keer per dag!)

Ready In: 30 min.

Ingredients:

  • Benodigdheden: 1 kilo doorregen runderlap - 1 grote ui - 3 teentjes knoflook - 5 eetlepels olie - 2 theelepels anatto - 1 vleesbouillontablet - 2 eetlepels sojasaus - 2 eetlepels Thaise vissaus - 200 gram sperzieboon - 1 kleine aubergine - 1/2 rettich - 7
Mango layered dessert

Mango layered dessert

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Ingrediënts:

  • 1 mango
  • 400 ml (Greek style) yogurt
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 20 g raw almonds
  • 20 g raw cashewnuts
  • 20 g raw pecans
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  •  2 sprigs of mint

Serves 2

How to whip up this dessert:

  1. Cut the mango lenghtwise. Remove one halve, take the halve with the pit and cut the pulp on top of the pit into cubes. Scrap off the cubes with a spoon or sharp knife. Take out the pit, and cut the pulp on the other side also into cubes and scrape them off again. Then scrape off the pulp from the two remaining peels.
  2. Cut the vanilla pod lenghtwise, open it and scrape the marrow from the vanilla pod.
  3. Mix half of the yogurt with the marrow from the vanilla pod.
  4. Puree the rest of the yogurt with the mango.
  5. Roughly chop the nuts.
  6. Layer the mango yogurt mixture and vanilla yogurt in glasses and spoon some chopped nuts between each layer.
  7. Garnish with cinnamon and mint.

 

 

Ready In: 15 min.

Vegetarian falafel recipe with a Filipino twist

Vegetarian falafel recipe with a Filipino twist

Filipino Falafel made with your senses

Really didnt know it was so easy to make your own falafel.... From Paulines Keuken. And I twisted it and made my own. I still miss the Philippines and a mango chutney is always good. 

Actually I personally really like Pauline's recipes, since the recipes are easy, simple and tastefull. She has a lot of worldy recipes, from all over the world. 

Check it out, the falafel, even though I cooked them (you only have to soak them, better for the climate and gasbill), no need next time.

Next time I will make a photo. Why I made it filipino is because all ingredients are easy to find in the Philippines and also very affordable and easy and healthy. Only advantages. In the Philippines people love to eat meat, so this might be inspirational to eat vegetarian! 

Mango chutney: just get a mango, cut in pieces, fry in a pan with garlic, onion and ginger. All flavors will come out, when you fry it, put some lemon when you like a little sour and some pepper. It just have to be shortly on the fire, get the texture you like.... and it is done. It is called cooking with your senses, take the amounts you think are right and they are never wrong!

Happy to hear your comments, do you have worldly, easy-going, climate friendly, simple recipes to share? 

 

 

Recipes from Japan or with a Japanese twist by WorldSupporters - Bundle

Vegetarian in Japan: A guide to vegetarian (or vegan) travelling in Japan

Vegetarian in Japan: A guide to vegetarian (or vegan) travelling in Japan

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Being a vegetarian in Japan is quite a challenge, let alone being vegan. However, it is far from impossible! Just like in many other places throughout the world, vegetarian food is becoming increasingly popular. While I was living in Kyoto in 2016/2017 I found quite some awesome vegetarian an vegan restaurants (want to know more, check out this blog). Similarly when I went to Tokyo in 2018, I found some great places as well. While it is still a bit difficult to figure out what you can and what you can't eat (especially if you're a strict vegetarian/vegan), there are some ways to make this life a little bit easier. 

Learn the Language
First of all, it definitely helps if you know Japanese, of have a friend who can come along and translate. While it seems obvious, this is one of the biggest problems. Generally, Japanese people don't have a full understanding of what vegetarian or vegan is. So even if you say "watashi wa bejitarian desu" (I'm a vegetarian), it doesn't guarantee you'll get vegetarian food. An easier way to make clear that you're avoiding meat and fish is to say: "watashi wa niku to sakana wo tabemasen", meaning I don't eat meat or fish. Of course you can say this for other things as well, just mention the thing you don't eat followed by wo tabemasen (meaning don't eat) and it will help a lot.

But even if you say "watashi wa niku to sakana wo tabemasen", you still have to be careful of katsuo-dashi, this is fish stock and often not regarded as 'meat' or 'fish', therefore your meal might still contain this. The same is true for bonito flakes (fish flakes), cold katsuoboshi in Japanese. If you want to make sure this is not in your food either, you can for example say: niku to sakana wo tabemasen. followed by: "katsuo-dashi to katsuoboshi mo tabemasen"

For vegans it's a little bit more difficult. Of course you can metion all the things you don't eat, such as: 

- egg: tamago
cheese: chiizu
milk: gyuunyuu

Get a dietary card
but be prepared to get some startled looks. There's an easier way as well. When I stayed at a hostel in Tokyo, they had these super useful dietary cards which said in Japanese what you could and couldn't eat. In this way you can just show the staff of a restaurant the card and then they can help you choose a dish. the website justhungry.com offers some options for cards for several dietary restrictions. Simply download them and show them on your phone. While these cards are useful, I prefer the cards on which you can circle your restrictions, such as the one provided by LiveJapan. They also show some common ingredients you should be aware of and ways to say you're allergic for example. 

Get the google translate app
When you're buying food in a store it can also be rather challenging to find vegetarian/vegan options. While you can sometimes ask the clerk, or another shopper, this is not always an option. Google translate can come in real handy in this case. Since many places have WiFi nowadays, especially convenience stores (although it can be a bit of a hassle to acces it), you can easily use the app. By simply scanning an ingredient list with the app, it will give you an immediate translation of the japanese ingredients. 

If you're not able to use internet or WiFi, you can also learn the kanji for the words important to you, or list them on your phone so you can check more easily. SurvivingnJapan also provides a great guide to reading food labels and the ingredients. 

Be aware of ingredients/dishes
You don't have to eat at vegetarian or vegan restaurants all the time, there are still plenty of options at other places. However, there are some things to be aware of. 

Sushi
When you go out to eat sushi, the obvious thing is to avoid fish sushi. However, other sushi options are less obvious such as sushi with fish eggs, sperm, or ground fish, but also the sushi wrapped in tofu pockets, they are almost always boiled in fish stock. Sushi you can eat/ask for are sushi with egg (tamago), cucumber (kappa maki), pickled daikon (oshinko maki), mushroom nigiri, okrah nigiri, eggplant nigiri, avocado onigiri, natto (fermented soy beans) maki, and some other options. So there's still plenty to eat. 

Ramen
Unless ramen is labeled as vegetarian or vegan, it will highly likely contain meat or fish broth. However, more and more vegan and vegetarian ramen places are popping up, so don't fuzz, since you'll find some great places to eat. A very popular vegetarian/vegan ramen place is T's TanTan in Tokyo, as well as Sorainoro where they have one delicious vegan option. In Kyoto you can eat vegetarian (not sure if it's vegan) ramen at Mumokuteki in the city center and Mamezen and Vegans Cafe a bit further away. 

Kushikatsu & Tempura
Kushikatsu in a great dish which you can find a lot in Osaka for example. Tempura is super delicious as well. While it is often vegan if you choose the vegetable options, the tempura batter can sometimes contain eggs, so be sure to check. The dipping sauce also usually contains fish, since it's often a mix of dashi and soy sauce. Sometimes you can ask for simple soy sauce (however, they don't always have it), or you can dip it in salt. 

Udon & Soba
Udon and Soba noodles can either be served in broth, or in a basket with many sides. I would avoid broths since they are always meat or fish based (unless indicated otherwise of course). If you order the ones that are not served in the broth, make sure you order it withous bonito flakes. Also the dipping sauce if other a mix of soy and fish stock and sometimes additional things. However, the noodles come with several sides such as sea weed, spring onion, pickles and can therefore still be greatly enjoyed! 

Convenience stores
While many things in the convenience store are not vegetarian/vegan, other things are. To start with: the onigiris. In the konbini you can find ume (pickled plum), seaweed, plain, red bean and corn-mayo onigiri which are all vegan, excepts for the last one. Furthermore you can find two types of vegan/vegetarian sushi. The vegan one is natto (which is quite a thing to get used to), the second one is a big roll with egg, vegetables and some pink grainy stuff that almost looks like fish eggs, this is vegetarian! Other things are things like Dango (rice balls), tsukemono (pickled vegetables), pre-made salads (they are in see through boxes so you can see what's inside), happy dates bars, nuts, edamame (soy beans), and more. If you want to know about more vegan dishes check out this great vlog by Currently Hannah

Last but not least... Prepare!
Preparing is a big part of finding the best vegetarian and vegan places to eat. You can find information through the large amount of blogs and vlogs on the internet, which can help you greatly, and you can ask locals or hotel staff. The website happycow.net is also a good source of inspiration. This website lists all kinds of places with vegetarian and vegan food. Other than that, if you're having a hard time finding a vegetarian place wherever you are in Japan, a good alternative is to find an Indian restaurant. Indian restaurants are really popular and always have vegetarian and vegan options. They are very aware of what it means to be vegetarian or vegan so you're safe there. 

Good luck! :)

Easy vegan Shakshuka recipe

Easy vegan Shakshuka recipe

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When I was in Budapest over the Christmas holidays, I had the most delicious Shakshuka! It reminded me of the time when to Israeli guys were making breakfast in a hostel in Japan and they shared some of their delicious meal with me.. However, at that time I wasn't able to remember the name of the dish... so it took me 3 years to finally figure it out, in the Jewish quarter of Budapest. 

What is shakshuka?
Shakshuka is a traditional North-African/Israelean dish that can be enjoyed at every moment of the day. It is great for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is very easy to prepare. 

While the dish usually comes with eggs cooked on top of the shakshuka base, I will leave this out in the vegan recipe. As a replacement, you can add extra vegetables, olives, tofu-feta (https://simpleveganblog.com/vegan-tofu-feta-cheese/, or just eat it as it is with some delicious bread. 

While many variations of shakshuka can be found on the internet, the traditional verson is basically spiced tomate base with onions and garlic (and bell pepper), and eggs on top. 

How to make Shakshuka?
1. You start with chopping the onions garlic, red pepper, bell pepper and tomatoes (if you use any) into small pieces. 

2. Then you heat 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large iron skillot. Add the onions and garlic and saute them for a couple of minutes. Before the garlic turns brown, add in the red pepper, bell pepper, the spices and the salt and pepper. 

3. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, but don't let it burn. 

4. Add the tomatoes (if you use any), tomato sauce and extra vegetables/tofu if using any. Cook for another 10 minutes.

5. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. 

6. Serve the sauce with some parsley on top and some delicious pita bread and/or salad on the side! 

 

Ready In: 25 min.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large white onions
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp. paprika powder
  • 1 can peeled and diced tomaties
  • 1 tsp. tomato purée
  • salt and pepper to taste
Japanese food: 1

Japanese food: 1

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Let's talk about FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD :D Last week I posted a blog about Ecuadorian Fruits :D which described all kinds of super delicous Frutas, this week I will tell you about Japanese food. Japan is famous for it's elaborate and delicious kitchen. The food is fresh, beautiful, tasty and usually healthy, but if you don't know the names of dishes it's hard to figure out what to get and where to get it. 

So, let me tell you about some general dishes you can find everywhere, and some specific dishes found in specific regions: 

Onigiri
Onigiri are riceballs often wrapped in seaweed and filled with things like umeboshi (pickled plum), salmon, tuna, seaweed. They are great as a snack and cheap as well. You can basically find them at every conbini. 

Inari Sushi
Inari sushi is rice wrapped in sweet tofusheets. This you can also often find at conbinis, where you can buy them as a snack for a small price. A good place to get them for example is the 100yen lawson. While the normal Lawson is blue, the 100yen Lawson is green in colour. 

Shabu Shabu
Shabu shabu is basically a full dinner. It's a Japanese hotpot dish, in which you dip your meat and vegetables. I have often eaten the vegetarian version, which basically means you only dip in the veggies and ask the others to dip the meat into the other (half of the) pot. For a good place to eat Shabu shabu in Kyoto, check out the building of this restaurant, on one of the top floors there is a 1500 all you can eat shabu shabu place https://goo.gl/maps/whKnp2rCodM2 (there is also a yakiniku place on one of the floors for the meat lovers). 

100yen sushi 
100 yen sushi is basically better sushi than we get in Europe, for a better price as well. It's also a fun experience which often means sitting at a sushi conveyer belt. Sometimes the ordered sushi even comes on a sushi train. You just take as many plates as you want and at the end of the meal, the dishes are counted and you pay for the amount with the added tax. If you want to find a 100yen sushi place, check out kappa sushi, they are all over Japan. But there are many more cheap sushi places. 

Tempura
Tempura is basically fried anything. It is amazingly delicous, but not very healthy haha. While you can buy it at the supermarket, there are also some great places to eat out. In the supermarket it is usually not very crispy. One great place to eat tempura is here: https://goo.gl/maps/EpBHu2KmNHy . It is cheap and you can just choose seperate dishes like with the 100yen sushi. 

Local dishes: 
Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is an amazing dish which you can get in two different styles; Osaka style and Hiroshima style. Which are also the best places to eat this dish. It is a type of cabbage pancake with all kinds of extra ingredients like cheese, ham, octopus, and a lot more. The dish is topped with bonito flakes, seaweed, amazing okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. As a vegetarian this is a great Japanese dish to try, just make sure you avoid the bonito flakes and ask whether the sauce is vegetarian, but I believe it usually is. For vegans and If you want to be sure about the ingredients, go to this place in Hiroshima: http://nagataya-okonomi.com/ they truly have amazing food! :D It's is often crowded though, so you might have to wait in line. 

Takoyaki
Takoyaki are doughballs with as the main ingredient octopus coming from Osaka. I've never had them, but according to other people they are either delicious or strange haha. If you want to eat them, you can find them on the streets in Osaka, or sometimes at temple markets. 

Miso-katsu & Miso nikomi udon
This first famous dish is for the meat eaters, Miso-katsu specifically stands for pork cutlets with miso sauce. The second dish is Udon in a broth of miso. Whether this is a vegetarian dish I can't say, but you can probably ask (although I doubt the answer the people at the restaurant will give you). Both are dishes Nagoya is famous for, specifically because of the miso-part. So if you pay Nagoya a visit, you should definitely get a miso-dish to try the best of the best.

Yudofu
It sounds like a martial arts type, but yudofu is a tofu dish found in Kyoto. It is a very simple dish, containing tofu, kelp and water, but that doesn't make it less delicious! The tofu bits are then dipped in sauce or just eaten like that. Here you can find more about tofu in Kyoto: https://favy-jp.com/topics/1471
I personally had the fanciest meal I ever had in Kyoto in a tofu restaurant and it was really amazing and such a great experience! Pure flavours, amazing textures and just super pretty food. I would definitely recommend it! 

Well, that's it for now! More dishes will follow in the future, but for now... Enjoy :D 

Cheers, 
Hannah

Delicious vegan ramen recipe

Delicious vegan ramen recipe

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It's RAMEN TIME! :D 

This is a Japanese ramen recipe that is delicious and suitable for everyone, also vegans. It is easy to make and you can create a different dish every time if you change the toppings. This recipe will give you the ramen stock, and some toppings I really like. In case you make the stock with mushrooms, add 1 hour to your cooking time. However, it's also delicious without the mushrooms! 

1. cut the tempe/tofu and put it in a bowl with a bit of soy sauce and garlic.

2. cut the garlic and ginger into small pieces and heat it in sesame or sunflower oil for about five minutes on low heating. 

3. now add the stock, soy sauce, mirin and if you use them, the dried shiitake or different type of mushrooms. Let it cook for about 5-10 minutes (the longer the tastier though), but in case you added dried mushrooms, let it boil for one hour before you continue with step 4. 

4. prepare the toppings (cut them into smaller pieces if necessary).

- heat some oil in a separate pan and bake the tempe/tofu. 

- boil some water in a separate pot, add the spinach for about two minutes, then drain the spinach with cold water. 

5. add the noodles and cook as long as necessary, then turn down the heat, add the miso paste and stirr well (don't boil when the miso paste is in). 

6. divide the stock and noodles over two bowls and add the toppings. I only use a little bit of pickled ginger in the middle because it looks very pretty but has a strong flavour. And you can sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

7. Enjoy

 

Ready In: 45 min.

Ingredients:

  • sesame oil (or sunflower will do too)
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • Vegetable stock (i used two blocks), so about 1L
  • Two tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste (usually white, but I used red and it was tasty anyway :))
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • about 150 gram ramen (depending on how hungrgy you are)
  • Optional: dehydrated mushrooms (shiitake)
  • Toppings such as:
  • tempe/tofu marinated and baked in a bit of soy sauce
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 can of corn (200gram)
  • spinach (150-200 gram)
  • mushrooms
  • pickled ginger
  • sesame seeds

Recipes from Indonesia or with a indonesian twist by WorldSupporters - Bundle

Dadar Gulung - Indonesian Coconut Pancake

Dadar Gulung - Indonesian Coconut Pancake

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Dadar Gulung ('rolled pancake' in Indonesian) is a popular treat throughout Indonesia. These pancakes stand out because of their green colour which comes from the pandan juice, made from the pandan leaf. I learned how to make these in an Indonesian cooking class and they are absolutely delicious! Some ingredients might be a bit harder to find in Europe, but Asian or Indonesian supermarkets usually have these. Perfect for a desert or just as a sweet treat!

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

  • 150 gram rice flour (or regular flour)
  • 500 ml coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp pandan juice (or 2-3 drops of pandan paste)

coconut filling

  • 100 g palm sugar or dark brown sugar
  • 60 ml water
  • 100 g freshly grated coconut
  • 1 ⁄4 tsp salt
  • 1 pandan leaf (tied into a knot)
Recipe:
  • First make the coconut filling by bringing the sugar and water to a boil in a pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns into a syrup. Add all the other ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 mins, until the mixture dries up. Remove from the heat and take the pandan leaf out.
  • For the pancake, combine the flour, eggs, coconut milk, salt and pandan juice in a mixing bowl and whisk well until you have a smooth batter.
  • Heat butter or oil in a pan over low fire. Put about one scoop of batter in the pan and turn to create a thin round crepe. Cook until the crepe sets and begins to brown, then flip it over and cook for a few seconds, and remove from the heat. Continue to make the crepes until all the batter is used up.
  • Divide the coconut filling over the pancakes. To roll the pancakes, fold one side of the pancake over the filling, then the other two sides and roll up tightly. 
  • Serve on a pandan leaf and grate some fresh coconut over the pancakes to top it off!

 

Ready In: 30 min.

Origineel Indonesisch recept Dengdenk ampal van mijn oma

Origineel Indonesisch recept Dengdenk ampal van mijn oma

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Een recept van mijn oma (zie foto, haar handschrift in een agenda uit 1973). Toen was bakken in sla-olie nog heel gewoon. Het eten van vlees bijzonder en kookte men op gevoel (weet niet hoe lang je het moet laten koken, ik denk... totdat je denkt dat het goed is)

Hoe te bereiden

Het vlees in nogal dikke plakken snijden in de pan doen en de tamarinde en de peper en de zout en suiker en ongeveer 2 kopjes water. De pan wordt op de vlam gezet en maar laten koken tot het vlees zacht wordt (zo nu en dan water bijdoen) en als het vlees zacht is moet het ook minder worden en dan proeven of het goed is (naar smaak). Het vlees wordt met margarine of slaolie bruin gebakken of het kan ook ongebakken gegeten worden.

 

Ready In: 30 min.

Ingredienten:

  • 1 pond soepvlees (aan 1 stuk)

  • ½ pakje tamarinde (zonder pit)

  • wat peper

  • ½ theelepel zout (glad gestreken)

  • 1 eetlepel suiker (glad gestreken)

Sate manis oorspronkelijk recept van mijn grootmoeder

Sate manis oorspronkelijk recept van mijn grootmoeder

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Dit recept is ook van mijn oma. Ik was helaas te klein om samen met haar te hebben gekookt, toen zij nog leefde. Met deze recepten leeft zij nog een beetje voor. Je kan in plaats van vlees ook heel goed een vleesvervanger gebruiken. 

Alle ingredienten in een kom of pan doen (nogal grote pan, want de sate aan de stokjes geregen moeten erin kunnen) dan de djeroek nipis met de vingers persen in de boemboe en de schillen ook in doen (voor de aroma). Dan de tamarinde saus en de fijn gemaakte bruine suiker bij doen. Het wordt een dikke massa plus peper en zout naar smaak. Alles gelijkelijk roeren en proeven, het moet meer naar de zoete kant zijn. Dan het zachtgeklopte vlees in doen en samen mengen met de boemboe. Na een ½ uurtje het vlees aan de sate stokjes rijgen en in de pan doen met de hele boemboe. Dan even koken (op een kleine vlam) tot de sate ovengaar wordt (niet laten aanbranden) of dat kan ook als zo gegeten worden.

Ready In: 60 min.

Ingredienten:

  • 1 pond schouderkarbonade (in dunne lange plakken snijden en zacht kloppen)
  • 3 hele kemiri
  • Trasi (klein stukje)
  • 1 ui (kleine)
  • 1 teen knoflook (kleine)
  • ¼ theelepel langkwas (gember) poeder (glad gestreken)
  • 1 flesje ketoembar poeder
  • Sereh (1 of 2 blaadjes)
  • 1 ronde plak bruine suiker fijn maken (goela djawa)
  • 1 ½ plak tamarinde met weinig water aanlengen en zeven, de saus moet dik zijn (de pitten eerst weghalen)
  • 3 of 4 djeroek nipis met schil en al wassen en midden door snijden (de pitten weghalen)
  • Zout en peper (naar smaak)
Rendang

Rendang

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Rendang

  • 1 steranijs
  • 1 l kokosmelk
  • 6 sjalotten
  • 3 teentjes knoflook
  • 5 lomboks (rode pepers)
  • 3 cm gember
  • 2 cm laos
  • 3 cm koenjitwortel
  • 1 kruidnagel
  • 1 tl djinten
  • 4 tl ketoembar
  • 1 serehstengel
  • 2 daun djeruk purut
  • 1 kg rundvlees
  • 0.5 tl asem tamarinde
  • 250 g kokosrasp

Extra nodig

  • keukenmachine
  • vijzel

Kook de steranijs circa 10 minuten in een laagje kokosmelk, zodat de steranijs bedekt is. Pel de sjalotjes en knoflook en schil de gember en koenjit. Snijd de sjalotjes, knoflook, gember, koenjit, laos en lomboks in stukjes. Stamp de kruidnagel fijn in een vijzel. Verwijder de steranijs uit de kokosmelk. Maal de sjalotjes, knoflook, gember, koenjit, laos, lomboks, kruidnagel, djinten, ketoembar en kokosmelk fijn in de keukenmachine. Verhit een pan met olie en fruit het kruidenmengsel. Kneus de sereh en leg er een knoop in, snijd de uiteinden eraf. Voeg de sereh en de limoenbladeren toe. Zodra de geuren vrijkomen voeg je de resterende kokosmelk toe. Laat circa 10 minuten sudderen totdat de kokosmelk is ingedikt. Snijd ondertussen het rundvlees in stukken en voeg toe aan de pan. Laat het geheel circa 3 tot 4 uur sudderen tot het vlees mals is.

Gebrande kokos
Verhit een koekenpan zonder olie en bak de kokosrasp rustig totdat het bruin is. Maal de kokos fijn in een foodprocessor totdat er olie vrijkomt. Giet de kokos in cupcakevormpjes en laat uitharden. Voeg 1 blokje toe aan de rendang en laat nog circa 10 minuten sudderen totdat het blokje is gesmolten en verspreid.

Serveren 
Serveer de rendang met gekookte rijst en groenten.

Tip: Je hebt maar 1 kokosblokje nodig, maar kleine hoeveelheden zijn lastig te malen in een keukenmachine. Maak dus wat meer en vries de overige blokjes in voor de volgende keer.

 

 

Recipes from around the world - Bundle

Recipes from The Caribbean or with a Carib twist by WorldSupporters - Bundle
Cooking recipes from around the world and checking local eating habits - Worldsupporter Theme

Cooking recipes from around the world and checking local eating habits - Worldsupporter Theme

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 Recipes from all over the World: From sustainable recipes to local food habits

Table of contents

  • Recipes  and cooking tips from Africa or with a African twist
  • Recipes  and cooking tips from Asia or with an Asian twist
  • Recipes  and cooking tips from Europe or with a local twist
  • Recipes  and cooking tips from Latin America or
........Read more

Typical Asian habits, food customs, recipes and philosophies - Bundle

What are typical Asian habits, food customs and Asian philosophies?

What are typical Asian habits, food customs and Asian philosophies?

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Why this blog about habits and philosophies in Asia

I love Asia. I feel at home in Asia. I am half chinese and half dutch. I feel more at ease in filipino culture than chinese culture. I have a good friend from Japan. Throughout the years, I have tried to be open to everything Asia has to offer. To embrace Asia in my being, in my core and to understand and learn more of this continent in the world. Some of the things that really caught me...  Any Asian habits that particulary interest you? 

    Habits in China

    • Don't scoop food in your bowl for yourself, but wait for your host or hostess to do so.
    • It is impolite to eat everything in your bowl; leave a small amount as a sign of respect.
    • Slurping while eating is not rude in China, but rather a sign that you like the food. Let's slurp.
    • Never refuse an offer to have some food or drinks.
    • Red is the color of happiness, do not wear it at funerals.
    • When you have tea, make sure the teapot points at the other tables, not at a person on your table, that doesn't bring luck.
    • Squat toilets, yes they are still widely used all over China.
    • Public spitting is still a habit for some people. 
    • Drinking hot water is normal and considered healthy.
    • Early rising is a habit for many chinese people and to practice tai chi.

    Habits in Indonesia

    • Gotong royong is the spirit of communal cooperation and mutual assistance. It's a deeply ingrained value in Indonesian society and is often seen in neighborhood clean-up efforts or helping neighbors in need.
    • When having a meal together it is customary to wait for the host to start eating before you dig in. It is also considered impolite to refuse food that is offered to you. If you are full, you can take a small portion and say thank you.
    • Eating together is a time for families and friends to connect and socialize. Rice is a staple food in Indonesia and is usually eaten with every meal without rice it is not considered a meal. It's not uncommon for Indonesians to eat with their hands.
    • Life Cycle Ceremonies happen around various stages of life. Tedak Siten, a Javanese ceremony, celebrates a baby's first steps. Metatah, a Balinese ritual, involves the filing of a child's teeth to mark their passage into adulthood.
    • Batik - is an Indonesian fabric with cultural significance. Different patterns have different meanings and are worn for different occasions.

    Habits in Japan

    • Bonsai - Japanese people recreate nature in miniature, this specific horticulture is called bonsai. 
    • Ikigai - What is worth living? What is it worth coming out of bed for? What drives you? What inspires you?
    • Kintsugi (golden joinery) - is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. You can buy Kintsugi kits in the Netherlands, it is in my opinion a very nice way to glue broken things, with golden glue. 
    • Kirei - is an activity. You look at all your possessions and decide what you want to keep and what can go away. It is an emotional literal clean-up and clean-up action. By cleaning up, you reflect on your past and future.
    • Kurashi - translates to “way of life” or “the ideal way of spending our time,” but like many words lost in translation, it means more than that. If you haven’t tidied using the KonMari Method, focusing on your kurashi will motivate you to start.
    • Mottainai - (もったいない or 勿体無い) It is a term of Japanese origin that has been used by environmentalists. The term in Japanese conveys a sense of regret over waste; the exclamation "Mottainai!" can translate as "What a waste!" Mottainai is the feeling of sadness you have when something hasn't reached its full potential. Recycle and repair. It's all about the love you have for your old stuff.
    • O-hanami - In april are the cherry blossom viewing parties.
    • Omikuji - These are slips of paper that tell your fortune, divided into kichi (good luck) and kyo (bad luck). Depending on the shrine there are various grades of good and bad luck in between. One theory says if you read it without showing anyone else and then tie it to the branch of a tree in the shrine grounds before going home, even bad luck is converted into good luck.
    • Omoiyari - Omoi is thinking, memories and emotion. Yaru is doing. It is empathy, freely translated, it is on the other hand more ordinary and special. It's just because it's part of everyday life in Japan, not just an empathetic reaction. It is special because it makes compassion a part of the community. How do you master omoi? Start with yourself, focus inwards. If you recognize and understand your own feelings, you can translate that into compassion for others. The essence of omoiyari is that you are aware, of other people in life. You behave in a way that is pleasant for others.
    • Shintoism - Shinto is the early religion of Japan. It is a combination of two chinese characters, which means: "The way of the gods." In Shintoism the Kami are being worshipped. Kami are gods of nature. Some kami are bound to be found in certain places, others are united with bigger objects and phenomena. Amaterasu is for example the god of the sun. Marie Kondo the "spark-joy guru of tidying" and her method, the KonMari method, is based on Shintoism. Keeping the house tidy is part of the practice.
    • Shinrin-yoku - I have sent my japanese friend once a photo of me snow bathing (in a bathing suit swimming in the snow) and asked her the japanese term for snow bathing. There is no japanese term for it. And I thought there was! The Japanese have a term for forest bathing: Shinrin-yoku. To be in the forest with the trees, will make sure you will be re-energized and that you can feel your own core.
    • Sumo, Judo and Karate
    • Tea ceremony - The aim of the tea ceremony (in a small space) is to reduce daily life to the barest essentials and idealize form. Behind this idea is to intensify the brief time spent together as a moment to be cherished. Tea utensils, the preparation of tea and the tea ceremony etiquette is all very important. When you will experience a true tea ceremony it is advised to prepare yourself to understand more beforehand of this Japanese ceremony.
    • Tenei- It is about patience and respect of the daily things. Try to find harmony in the day to day activities, to be correct and punctual towards others and to be persistent of the things which are important to you, even when it is not easy. 
    • Tokimeki - As explained by the latest Marie Kondo on Netflix or in her book, do what you like and what you think is important in your life…
    • Tsukumogami - According to Shinto animism, some inanimate objects could gain a soul after 100 years of service, a concept know as tsukumogami.
    • Omiyage and Temiyage - Omiyage and Temiyage are Japanese names for two kinds of gifts. Omiyage are souvenirs you bring home from a trip. Temiyage are thank-you gifts you bring when you visit someone. Japanese people have the habit of buying plenty of gifts for their friends. As a foreigner it is appreciated when you bring Omiyage and Temiyage.
    • Wabisabi 侘 寂 - A lot of things around me are Wabisabi, especially when you try to use things as long as possible. And when you are open to see things in the light they are, and not everything has to be perfect around you. Life in it's imperfection.
    • Zakka - is to be grateful for the normal, simple things that make life special. For example your favorite sweater of coffee cup.

    Habits in Mongolia

    • There are certain habits in the ger, the yurt
    • Sleep - Always sleep with your feet facing the door, never toward the altar.
    • Whistling - Whistling in a ger is considered rude.
    • Be aware that fire is sacred to Mongolians. Do not throw garbage into the fire.
    • Elders - Always let elders lead the way and do not sit with your back or feet to the altar.
    • Hospitality - When you are offered food or drink, accept it, even if it is just a little. Use your right hand, with your left hand for support. It is customary to give small gifts to your hosts, such as fruit, candy or alcohol.
    • Holding a cup - Hold a cup underneath, not by the rim.
    • Say no in an indirect way, that is polite.

    Habits in the Philippines

    • Use of 'face' in communication - Briefly raise eyebrows to confirm or to mean yes to a question and also used as a brief greeting (all silent).
    • Indicating direction by pursing lips and turning head in direction, all silent as well.
    • Baon - refers to the monetary allowance or food normally provided by the parent to a child who goes to school.
    • Bayanihan - When a house is broken, the whole community helps fixing the house. You might have seen the pictures of a group of people carrying a hut, when it needs to be transferred. It is a true community spirit. You talk, you help and protect the people around you. It is team effort, only possible when done with a group. It is truly a beautiful thing. 
    • Cockfighting is a popular national sport in big and small arenas all over the country. Goal is to gamble (win money) and eat the roosters who lost the game.
    • Finding your spot - Recently I was back in the Philippines, taking public transportation. When you would like to take your window seat, be reminded you have to climb over other peoples lap. Squeeze in between the seat in front of you and the seat with the passenger on it. Enough space, a little intimate but do-able, it has something about it.
    • Pacquiao - Filipinos adore boxer (and politician) Manny 'Pagman' Pacquiao.
    • Pagmamano - Children take your hand, put it on their forehead, as a way of greeting you. It is an act of respect. The child says mamo po, can I have your hand please? Most of the time, they say God bless (you), when put on their forehead.
    • Pasalubong -In the Philippines it is common when you have been on a trip, that you bring a token of love back to the people who stayed home. It is a filipino tradition of travellers bringing gifts from their destination to people back home. It can be anything, something to eat or to drink is always a welcoming gift, since filipinos love eating! It is actually not about what you bring, it is something that you have brought, so the other person knows you thought about them while away. The first time, I heard bring pasalubong, from multiple people, and didnt know how to act. When you see souvenir stores in the Philippines, it has the sign pasalubong. So now you are prepared.... just bring something back... 
    • Noise and music - Filipinos are crazy about high volumes and karaoke (called videoke) and music from the 70s like The Carpenters. There was one big world hit: Anak by Freddie Aguilar in 1978.
    • Remedio - Is fixing things, even though you dont know how to fix it. The filipinos use remedio. Remedio used to drive me crazy. It is fixing things with what you have, in a creative way, and if it works again... that will be clear in the near future. You have to be flexible to embrace remedio.
    • Squeeze - Squeeze your but, in the jeepney, also when you think it is already full. There will be place, when you squeeze. When you are for example sitting at the window in an airplane and you have two filipinos beside you, you squeeze your body in and out going to the aile. It is not a habit to stand up, when you can squeeze, when used to it, it works perfectly fine.
    • Volume - Pump up the jam, pump up the volume. Filipinos love loud music, loud talking, as long as it is lively. The high amounts of volume makes you feel festive and alive, even when there is not a party.
    • 'Whitening' products such as soap, make-up, deodorant are very popular, to stimulate white skin.

    Habits in South Korea

    • In South Korea, and other places I have seen it in Asia, they brush their teeth, three times a day after a meal. People bring portable toothbrushes and you often see people brushing their teeth in the washroom in their office.
    • Family is everything and the eldest son carries the responsibility of the family.
    • Kimchi is a national dish. People make kimchi at home. In the supermarkets a lot of dark bordeau red buckets can be found, so you don't see the stains of the herbs going to be fermented with the vegetables.
    • I personally love banchan. When you order Korean food it is likely you get a lot of different small bowls, (most of the time vegetarian) side dishes. For me as a dutch person, I can do without the maindish, since banchan is so delicious.

    Habits in Taiwan

    • Politeness - Taiwanese people are very polite and respectful. It is customary to bow when greeting someone and to say “thank you” and “please.”
    • Respectfulness - Taking off shoes when entering a house: In Taiwan, it is customary to take off your shoes before entering someone's house. This is done as a sign of respect and to keep the house clean.
    • Respect for elders is considered vital, as is loyalty toward the family.
    • Leave some food on your plate - It shows appreciation for the amount of food served and is considered polite.
    • Cleanliness - Using toilet paper with the right hand: In Taiwan, toilet paper is used with the right hand, while the left hand is considered unclean.
    • Bubble tea is a Taiwanese invention, same like stinky tofu. That stinks.
    • KTV – Karaoke is a popular waste of time or night.
    • Convenience stores – Open 24/7, with a variety of food, drinks and everyday items available.
    • Gifts – Knives and scissors are not appreciated and will be seen as severing a relationship. Clocks and handkerchiefs are best avoided, that will be connected to death and funerals. Check the label: made in Taiwan is not an interesting gift and the recipient from Taiwan already has (all) things made in Taiwan.

    Habits in Thailand

    • Thai people will talk about architecture, dance, festivals and food when you ask about their culture. 
    • Sanuk is a term to express that everything should have something sanuk. Something which is worth doing. The sense or approach with a little playfulness. Even work can be sanuk, singing while working, cracking jokes in combination with the thai smile. 
    • Saving face is important as is in many Asian countries. The habit is to avoid confrontation, and not to embarrass yourself or others.
    • Social rank plays an important part in society. It goes with obligations, obedience, caring for, respect, sharing of wealth. The "big person or senior" pays the bill when dining or entertaining. The person with the most social rank pays for everyone.

    Did you know that.... 

    Asia is the biggest continent in the world. It is huge, this is the list of most Asian countries (including the Middle East)

     

    What are typical Indian habits, food customs, recipes and philosophies in India?

    What are typical Indian habits, food customs, recipes and philosophies in India?

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    What are the customs in India regarding food?

    • Make sure you don't eat with your left hand in the presence of Indians. That's happening. Indians eat with their right hand, the left hand is used to clean the bottom.
    • Indian food is very varied and, especially in the North, vegetarian due to Hinduism.
    • According to Hinduism, the cow is a sacred animal and should therefore not be eaten.
    • Characteristic are the many spice mixes (massalas) that you eat together with rice on coconut leaves. In the north there are mainly biryanis, tandoori and creamy sauces with yoghurt.

    What are the best recipes in India?

    • Thalis: The thalis in the south are served on large steel plates with all kinds of small containers with spice mixtures and vegetables. This is eaten with rice, on a coconut leaf. It is also accompanied by bread (chappatis or naan) and yoghurt (raita).
    • Tandoori: This dish is mainly eaten in the north. It contains tandoori spices, often in combination with ordered chicken.
    • Naan: This is a leavened bread and is suspected in various Indian dishes.
    • Jalebi: Fried dough in syrup.
    • Dosa: Fermented pancake with vegetables, meat and sauces, a typical dish from South India.

    What are the best drinks in India?

    • Lassi, a sweet yogurt drink that is often used to cool spicy food.
    • Chai (tea) is a favorite in India and is spiced differently, often with sugar, ginger and cardamon.
    • Numbi Pani: lime water with sugar and often salt.
    • Kingfisher is the most consumed brand of beer in India.

    What are notable holidays and festivals in India?

    • Carnival: This four-day festival in February is mainly celebrated in Goa.
    • Independence Day: August 15 (1947) India became independent from Great Britain. There are festivities all over the country.
    • Navratri: This is a 9-day Hindu Festival to honor the god Durga. It is celebrated even more exuberantly in Guajarat and Marashtra. (October-September).
    • Naga Panchami: The snake festival. A festival celebrated by the Hindus in which they worship a real cobra or pictures of one.

    What are the remarkable habits in India?

    • Namaste is a common way to greet, it involves pressing the palms together and bowing slightly. It means "The divine in me honors the divine in you."
    • Eating with your bare hands is prefered for digestion and taste and texture purpose. Eat with your right hand only (you shake hands with your right hand), with your left hand is considered dirty, you wipe your butt with your left hand.
    • It is custom to sit cross-legged on the floor while eating, which increases flexibility and aids digestion.
    • People in India wiggle with their heads, that means what it means.
    • Do not touch heads, that is considered not done.
    • Touching the feet of elders as a sign of respect and receiving blessings is widely practiced.
    • It is customary to remove shoes before entering homes and temples as a sign of respect and cleanliness.
    • Cows are holy and walk around freely everywhere.
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