Comments on: Mango Kanten http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/mango-kanten/ Deliciously transcending that awkward instant ramen stage, one meal at a time Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:00:06 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: dudewheresthestove http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/mango-kanten/#comment-1644 dudewheresthestove Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:27:27 +0000 http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/?p=279#comment-1644 I'm 1/2 Japanese, so, I like to think of myself as having fewer preconceptions about Japanese foods....but I thought I thought avocado was a bit avant guard for serving in a Japanese temple! It's always so fascinating to see how people express their faiths / values in their foods...keeping kosher, Chinese monk's food, etc. - in that way, each meal is a reminder of life's beauty and bounty. There's also this notion of <a href rel="nofollow">"flexitarianism" </a>- eating vegetarian most of the time...I think it's interesting...getting most of the benefit of vegetarianism with a lot less effort! I’m 1/2 Japanese, so, I like to think of myself as having fewer preconceptions about Japanese foods….but I thought I thought avocado was a bit avant guard for serving in a Japanese temple! It’s always so fascinating to see how people express their faiths / values in their foods…keeping kosher, Chinese monk’s food, etc. – in that way, each meal is a reminder of life’s beauty and bounty.

There’s also this notion of “flexitarianism” - eating vegetarian most of the time…I think it’s interesting…getting most of the benefit of vegetarianism with a lot less effort!

]]> By: Tess http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/mango-kanten/#comment-1643 Tess Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:26:15 +0000 http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/?p=279#comment-1643 Japanese temple food is vegetarian food eaten by Japanese Buddhist monks. In other countries (I think) Buddhists might eat dairy foods occasionally, but in Japan, traditional temple cuisine uses no animal products. The food is not eaten IN the temples, but around them—people visit/tour the temples and often eat on the temple grounds. It's not part of a relegious service. It appears that many Japanese people follow both Buddhism and Shintoism. Not quite in a secular way, but perhaps almost—depending on the occasion, the families, and something like "behaving properly" that I don't understand. Odd, but vegetarians will have a difficult time eating in Japan because so many dishes rely on dashi that is usually made with bonito flakes (fish). Odd also because many Westerners view Japanese food as light on meat, so (I think) many young vegetarians think Japan would be a fun place to have an adventure teaching English there. Japanese temple food is vegetarian food eaten by Japanese Buddhist monks. In other countries (I think) Buddhists might eat dairy foods occasionally, but in Japan, traditional temple cuisine uses no animal products.
The food is not eaten IN the temples, but around them—people visit/tour the temples and often eat on the temple grounds. It’s not part of a relegious service. It appears that many Japanese people follow both Buddhism and Shintoism. Not quite in a secular way, but perhaps almost—depending on the occasion, the families, and something like “behaving properly” that I don’t understand.

Odd, but vegetarians will have a difficult time eating in Japan because so many dishes rely on dashi that is usually made with bonito flakes (fish). Odd also because many Westerners view Japanese food as light on meat, so (I think) many young vegetarians think Japan would be a fun place to have an adventure teaching English there.

]]> By: dudewheresthestove http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/mango-kanten/#comment-1641 dudewheresthestove Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:25:37 +0000 http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/?p=279#comment-1641 Oh cool! Is that something that people serve in the temple? Oh cool! Is that something that people serve in the temple?

]]> By: Tess http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/mango-kanten/#comment-1640 Tess Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:19:10 +0000 http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/?p=279#comment-1640 I just made an avocado kanten! I'll be posting about it in a few days, but it was very interesting. Found the recipe in "The Enlightened Kitchen," by Mari Fujii. It's a book about temple food in Japan. I just made an avocado kanten! I’ll be posting about it in a few days, but it was very interesting. Found the recipe in “The Enlightened Kitchen,” by Mari Fujii. It’s a book about temple food in Japan.

]]> By: dudewheresthestove http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/mango-kanten/#comment-1617 dudewheresthestove Sat, 31 May 2008 06:53:02 +0000 http://dudewheresthestove.wordpress.com/?p=279#comment-1617 Oh my gosh! that makes me SO happy!!! Please enjoy :-)!!! Oh my gosh! that makes me SO happy!!! Please enjoy :-) !!!

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