Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Favorite Summer Foods




One of the most popular foods during the summertime in Japan is "Hiyashi Chuka", which is cold ramen noodles with toppings and sauce. With the heat and humidity in the hottest months of Japan, the last thing you want to eat is something hot. The sauce is usually soy sauce and vinegar based. Sometimes it can be more of a creamy sesame seed sauce. The most common toppings are cucumber, fried egg, and ham. This is the most typical style of "hiyashi chuka"; however, anything really goes with the toppings.

In the Aichi area where I grew up, a dollop of mayonaise is mixed in with the noodles. Most regions will usually have hot mustard on the side instead. In the Hokkaido area, the toppings are more salad like. It is usually a limited summer time only menu at restaurants and is not available during the other seasons. It is a great refreshing summer dish that leaves you completely satisfied without feeling sluggish.





The cucumber, ham, and egg is typically julienned and arranged on top of the noodles like so...







Barley tea is also a favorite drink during the summertime. Green tea or barley tea is rarely sweetened in Japan. Open up any Japanese person's fridge during the summer and there is usually a pitcher of barley tea ready to be served.


Words for today:
summer - Natsu(na-tzu)
Cold ramen noodles - Hiyashi chuka(Hee-yah-shee Chew-kah)
Barley tea - Mugi cha(Moo-geeh chah)
sauce- tare(tah-leh)

Monday, June 7, 2010

Foodology...Natto

Natto...the wonderfully slimey, smelly, good for you food of Japan. It is soybeans that have been fermented and is often eaten for breakfast. Natto, which is pronounced (oddly enough) "not-toe" is definitely an acquired taste, even for people who grew up in Japan. If it were to be sold here in America I would name it "I can't believe it's Not Toes!" Yes, the smell is quite unique to say the least. There are no toes in it, but does smell a bit like that.


It tastes like soy beans, but with a bit of tangy cheesiness. Most natto comes with a little packet of sauce and mustard to mix in. Depending on the region, some people may add an egg or some scallions to give it a little more flavor.


Natto is well know for it's health benefits and is good source of protein. A lot of women in Japan love to eat it for skincare benefits. Some health benefits include: reduction of blood clotting, prevention of certain cancers, preventing osteoporosis, lowering cholesterol, and improvement of digestion.


How To Eat Natto!



The sauce and mustard come inside the package







Remove the sauce and mustard packet from the package




Remove the plastic covering off of the beans




Remove the lid by tearing it by the perforation




Squeeze the sauce and mustard on the beans




Use the lid as a place to put all your trash




Mix the beans, sauce, and mustard all together...make sure it gets slimey





Separate the yolk from an egg





Drop the yolk on to the beans (A lot of you might be pretty grossed out by now)





Again, put your trash on the lid







Stir again until the yolk is completely mixed with the beans




Pour natto over steaming hot rice, throw lid on top and throw away immediately. (It stinks)





Enjoy with a side of miso soup






Itadakimasu!




Gochisou-sama!



Words for today:

Itadakimsasu!- (eeh-tah-dah-key-mah-s)...what you say before you eat a meal.

Gochisousama!- (go-chee-sew-sah-ma)...what you say at the end of a meal.

Rice- gohan(go-hahn)

Egg- Tamago (tah-mah-go)
















































































Sunday, June 6, 2010

Summers in Japan...Cicadas.





One of the first things that come to mind when I think about summers in Japan is the drowning sounds of the cicadas. These sounds are a reminder that summer has officially come. They live underground for most of their lives, then emerge when they are ready to mate. The "singing" that you hear are what would be mating calls.


They are harmless creatures that hang out on the barks of trees and as a child I would try and catch them with nets. Some people find the sound of them annoying, but I find it very nostalgic and almost an essential part of summer in Japan. I also find them quite melodious and knowing how short their lives are after they emerge, quite frankly, I would be singing that loud too. They are the perfect lullaby to falling asleep after eating some cold noodles, laying in front of a fan with a towel as a blanket, the sound of Japanese windchimes in the distance...

Words for today:

Natsu (nah-tsu)- Summer

Semi(Seh-me)-Cicada