JAPAN – Today, January 13th, 2014 Japan is celebrating like every year “Seijin no Hi”, translated “Day of adult” Every young adult turning 20 years of age, will gather at prefectural offices. Months in advance, the local office will send you a card reminding the adult, that he/she is turning 20 and the details of the celebration, time, place…The day of, the girl will be dressed in “Furisode”, a special “Kimono” with long sleeves. You basically wear that “Furisode” once in your life. It is very tide, you have almost no space to “breath” to “eat”. There is a special way to walk, you cannot walk like a “westerner”. Boys wear western clothes, a tie and usually the suite hast to
be blue. After the special ceremony, families and friends gather together in local restaurants or houses and eat food. Lots of fish, nowadays, young adults like to eat western food as well, but the tradition of eating “makisushi” or smoked salmon is still there.
Society reinforces to assist the ceremony, meaning it is mandatory. It is also reminds every young adult, the responsibility of a Japanese citizen.
From 2001 on, Japan decided to celebrate this holiday on the second Monday of January and it is also called “Happy Monday”. Families take the day off and it is the perfect day to make a large festivity.
I do remember that wearing that “Furisode” for almost twelve hours, I was unable to eat, so I do not remember very well, what I had. Although my children are still under twenty years old, I cooked a special white fish in Ponzu sauce, I served with white rice and Misoshiru (Miso soup) to remember that I was once 20.
White fish
salt, pepper
solive oil
shiitake (if you use dry, please place them in warm water, at least 10 minutes in advance)
bell pepper
1 TBSP butter
1/2 cup ponzu
1/2 cup water
1. salt, pepper the fish and brown them in olive oil, until almost cooked and remove.
2. in the same pan, add bell peppers and shiitake, cook for about 5 minutes.
3. add butter, let it melt, add ponzu and water.
Serve immediately.
Susana @ Delicioso y Divertido
MUSLIM WORLD: Today, most of the Muslim countries celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad. They gather at mosques, they pray and read the Quran. After the gathering, they exchange foods and good times. In some places, they celebrate even with fireworks. There are other countries, that do not celebrate this festivity at all. The first country that started to celebrate Mawlid al-Nabi was Egypt, back in the 11th century.
I was not ready to try another recipe from the region, so I went to a “middle east deli store” and bought again already cooked Fava Beans and Pita bread, to enjoy breakfast, like in Egypt : Fowl.
Can of cooked Fava Beans (It must be fava beans)
1 clove garlic
salt, pepper
olive oil
fresh mint, optional.
1. In a pan, add olive oil, light brown the chopped garlic and add the beans.
2. light smash the beans
3. salt, pepper and sprinkle some mint.
4. eat on pita bread.
While in the western world, people eat, bread with butter and jam or ham and eggs, people in Egypt eat Fava Beans on Pita Bread.
Susana @ Delicioso y Divertido
I also found an interesting article, from Cairo via @Eatocracy CNN
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2014/01/13/egyptian-street-food/
Delicioso y Divertido! 