Japanese Rice

Rice is the staple food for the Japanese. Japanese rice is of the Japonica type, which is a white, short, wide grain rice with a starchy texture when cooked. Japanese rice when prepared properly tends to be slightly sticky with the grains clumping together, but it should never be mushy.

How to Prepare Japanese Rice

Ingredients

• 4 cups short grain rice
• 4 cups water
• extra water

Method

1. Place 4 cups of the rice into a bowl that holds twice the volume of rice.
2. Pour water into the bowl until it just covers the rice. Holding the bowl carefully with one hand, stir the rice briskly for 10-15 seconds with the other hand.
3. Carefully tip the milky water out, covering rice with one hand.
4. Repeat for a second and third time until the water runs clear.
5. Drain rice in a fine mesh sieve and leave for 30 minutes if you have time.
6. Place the rice and 4 cups of water into a saucepan.
7. Bring to the boil with the lid on and then simmer for 14 minutes.
8. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to rest with lid on for 5-10 minutes.
9. Before serving, gently turn the rice over with a moistened rice paddle to allow excess moisture to escape as steam.

Note: When you have left over rice, keep it in the freezer, wrapped with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

Twilight Jazz at Cruden Farm

Twilight Jazz at Dame Elisabeth Murdoch`s Cruden Farm is back again for 2011. The event is on Saturday 5th February 2011 from 4-8pm.

Tickets are $15 for pre-booked, or $20 on the day at the gate. Children under 12 are FREE

Bring your picnic basket, rug, table and chairs and sit back and enjoy the ambience and surrounds of the beautiful garden. You can enter Cruden Farm via Cranbourne Road, Langwarrin (Mel Ref: 103 G6).

Japanese Fashion Trends for Winter 2010/2011

What are the Japanese Fashion Trends for Winter 2010/2011?

Girly fashion is still very popular this Winter with brands like Alba Rosa and items like mouton coat, fur coat, and lace one-piece. Animal prints are a must have along with the colour of the season camel. Japanese girls love to mix foreign brands with Japanese brands to create their own look and style. Japanese brands that exemplify the cute look are Dazzlin, Mercury Duo and Cecil McBee.

Mouton Coat

Lace One-Piece

The Grunge Rock style is also very popular now with items like chunky sweaters, combat boots, leather jackets, and ripped leggings a huge trend this Winter. Leather is key and it comes in everything from black shifts to cropped leather jackets. Boots remain the statement shoe of the season with various styles dominating the runways and footpaths. The best stores for these clothes are Topshop, Sly and Moussy.

Japanese Fashion

Picture of the Week Children`s Peace Monument, Hiroshima, Japan

The Children`s Peace Monument is a statue dedicated to the memory of the children who died as a result of the atomic bomb. The statue is based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died from radiation from the bomb. She believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes she would be cured. Still to this day, children from around the world fold cranes and send them to Hiroshima where they are placed near the statue.

This picture is of the area near the statue where the folden cranes are collected and is dedicated to peace.

How to become an English Conversation Teacher

Japanese Meals

A typical Japanese meal consists of rice, soup, a main dish and two or more side dishes. The dishes are served in individual small bowls or on plates and eaten with chopsticks. Soup is served together with all the other dishes rather than as a starter as in Western-style dining. Desserts are sometimes served, but usually just consist of some fruit, which is eaten after the meal. Green Tea is usually drunk throughout the meal, but beer and sake are also enjoyed together with the meal.


The Traditional Japanese Meal or Banquet

Japanese Cooking

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

Best Beaches on the Mornington Peninsula

The Mornington Peninsula has some of the best beaches in Australia with an array of different beaches, with something for everybody. The beaches range from the thundering surf of the Southern Peninsula to the calm sandy beaches of Port Phillip Bay to the tranquillity of Western Port. Whether it`s swimming, surfing or just a nice stroll along the beach you are after, the Peninsula is the perfect spot to suit your tastes.

Here is a look at the best beaches the Mornington Peninsula has to offer

Bay Beach

Frankston Beach offers stretches of clear shallow water and soft sand, great for young and old. It is a perfect spot for family picnics, or a lazy day of lounging in the sun. Frankston has a 200m pier and waterfront boardwalk and is also located close to the Frankston CBD with plenty of food options, from take-away to restaurants.

Rye Beach also offers stretches of clear shallow water and soft sand, great for young children with sand banks and beautiful warm water. There are lots of gems hidden behind the tea trees and a little walk from your car park will lead you to a wonderful discovery.





Surf Beach

Gunnamatta Surf Beach and Portsea Surf Beach are two of the best surf beaches in Victoria. Located at opposite ends of the Mornington Peninsula National Park these spectacular beaches are renowned for their huge waves. Waves of 2m plus are not uncommon, making these beach breaks a must for experienced surfers. Both beaches are patrolled every day in the holiday period and at weekends up until Easter. Conditions can be hazardous for swimmers and swimming between the flags is a must. The best conditions for swimming are usually at low tide and on days with the Northerly wind blowing.

All Round Beach

Sorrento Ocean Beach also known as Sorrento Back Beach offers something for everybody. It`s famous rock pool makes for ideal swimming for kids of all ages, while surfing and swimming are also possible at the patrolled beach. It is a safer beach than Portsea and Gunnamatta, but can still be treacherous with best swimming conditions at low tide. There is a great walk up to the nearby Coppins Lookout, which offers majestic views of the ocean from Pt Nepean to Cape Schanck.

Swimming Beach

Pt Leo Surf Beach is an ideal middle beach for swimmers. It doesn`t have the rips and huge waves of Portsea and Gunnamatta, or the tame gentle waters of Port Phillip. Located in Western Port and facing Bass Strait this beach still attracts waves and is ideal for bodysurfers and less experienced surfers, while also still being patrolled for swimmers.



Walking Beaches

There are some great walking beaches and walks on the Mornington Peninsula. London Bridge in Portsea provides amazing rock formations and plenty of rockpools for the kids to explore, and its only a 20 minute walk back along the beach to Portsea Surf Beach. Koonya Ocean Beach in Blairgowrie is another spectacular beach to walk along, but is not for swimming as it is one of the most dangerous beaches of the peninsula. At one end of the beach a track leads to Spray Point where huge waves regularly crash against the rocks below.

Frankston Waterfront Festival

Japanese Cooking at Home by Hideo Dekura

Japanese Cooking at Home by Hideo Dekura makes creating Japanese food easy. Japanese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. This book has step by step instructions and clear recipes for creating authentic Japanese food at home. Choose from modern or traditional Japanese recipes with each meal stunning to look at, nutritious and very tasty. It features traditional Japanese dishes including tempura, teriyaki beef, sushi, sashimi, miso soup and daikon salad.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

Japanese Cooking at Home