Green tea culture in Japan + benefits of drinking green tea + easy Matcha recipe

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my daily doses of green tea. Coming home from work and sipping on a huge cup of green tea is what gives me that ultimate moment of relaxation. Not only do I enjoy drinking green tea, I love snacking on matcha KitKat, biscuits, matcha caramels... wait.. don't tell me your only drinking green tea? If so, your missing out! Let's talk about Japanese green tea culture and keep reading till the end for a little bonus.


Japanese green tea culture
Japanese green tea, or matcha 抹茶 is specifically grown and picked tea leaves ground to a fine powder. These are then processed to flavor wagashi, ice cream, noodles, mochi and a other varieties of food. (look at my wagashi post to get an idea of Japanese sweets flavored with matcha) Just name a dish and there's a huge possibility there's a matcha version of it. That is how popular matcha is in Japan.
What made matcha so popular is the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. This is a widely practiced ceremony which focuses on the preparation and presentation of matcha.  These ceremonies can vary from a highly formal tea event to less formal tea gathering. Not only for me, but for many people around the world matcha helps them to relax and calm their mind. It is said that many monks drank matcha to remain calm during their meditation sessions.

Benefits of green tea
according to matchasource.com powdered matcha has 137 times more antioxidants than regular brewed green tea this is because when you consume matcha, you ingest the whole leaf and receive 100% of nutrients from the leaf. One cup of matcha equals to 10 cups of regular green tea!
Not only does it contain antioxidants called polyphenols which aid in protection against cancer and heart disease, it also has many more health benefits such as;

✿ It boosts your metabolism and burns calories

✿ It detoxifies your body in a natural way

✿ It's rich in vitamins, fiber and chlorophyll (a green pigment which you find in all kinds of veggies)

✿ It lowers cholesterol and blood sugar

✿ It has anti-aging properties 

this is only a small collection of all the benefits matcha has. If you want to know more about the benefits, I suggest looking at the matcha source website which gives you a lot of information and also comparisons between matcha and regular green tea.

Easy matcha recipe
If all the benefits made you excited to start consuming matcha please try out this easy recipe. Matcha is very easy to include in your daily recipes as it can be combined with both sweet and savory dishes. If you are just tried matcha and aren't really accustomed to the flavour, try adding it gradually in some of your dishes. You can add it to your yoghurt, breakfast bowl, mix it in with your smoothies, add it to some milk and more endless options. You may want to invest in a traditional matcha whisk which is called a chasen (shown on the picture below). This enhances the flavor of the matcha and makes sure it's perfectly mixed. Also don't add your matcha to any boiling liquid, wait a couple of minutes after the liquid has boiled and then add your matcha to prevent it from getting a little bitter.
This recipe is perfect for those of you who love the matcha taste or want to try something different. Matcha goes perfectly with the sweet coconut flavor!

Matcha coconut latte
This recipe requires only two ingredients; powdered matcha and coconut milk.
1. Heat up the coconut milk until it comes just two a boil.
2.Transfer it to a bowl and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
3. Add a little bit of hot water and 2 tablespoons of matcha.
4. Whisk it with your chasen (or a small kitchen whisk) until it becomes frothy.
5. Serve in a tall glass and add toppings if you like. I like to add just a little bit of honey and desiccated coconut on top.

Please try out this recipe and include some matcha in your healthy lifestyle!
I hope you enjoyed reading.
~ mei mei

10 reasons to start learning Vietnamese

Ever thought of learning one of those amazing sounding Asian languages? What pops into the mind of most people at the beginning (including myself) is of course Chinese, Japanese and Korean. But how about one of those beautiful languages which are not thought of frequently? Such as Tagalog, Thai or Vietnamese? Imagine studying one of these languages and blowing people away by doing something totally different. Surprising them with your newly achieved skills and introducing them to a language which is so unique.

Vietnam is an amazing country and Vietnamese is an amazing language. For both beginning and advanced language learners, Vietnamese is a perfect language to study. According to the graphic below its difficulty is rated as 'medium' meaning it's significantly different from English but can be learned with some devoted studying. Since Vietnamese is not a common language being studied it's also perfect for the aspiring polyglots among us.
Now let's get to my 10 reasons to convince you even more!

1 - Vietnamese is spoken by 75 million people. which means they have more speakers worldwide than Korean!

2 -  There are large communities of Vietnamese speakers in Australia, the United States and other countries. In the US it's even the sixth most spoken language and in France it's the most spoken Asian language.

3 - Vietnamese is heavily influenced by other languages. Major influences in the early days from Chinese, later by French (through colonialism) and English (trough globalization).
Which makes it easier for you learning Vietnamese if you already speak one of these languages.

4 -  Vietnamese uses a Latin alphabet with accent markings
So that means no difficult memorizing like Chinese or Japanese.

5 - Vietnamese is a challenging language for (aspiring) polyglots, since it's probably something completely different than you're used to. However perfectly doable for beginners since it's a language of medium difficulty.

6 - There are only three accents in Vietnamese language (Northern, Southern & Central)
unlike for example Chinese which has a different accent for almost every part of the country (Yue, Wu, Min, Hakka etc.)

7 - There are only six tones in Northern Vietnamese and even fewer in the other dialects.

8 - Vietnamese, like many other Asian languages is an isolating language, which means it does not use different marking for tense, gender, number and so on.

9 - Also like many other languages (such as Japanese) it uses the SVO (subject-verb-object) word order for their sentences.

10 - And last but not least; Vietnam is a beautiful country, with great history, delicious food, and kind people who will be impressed by you speaking or even trying to speak Vietnamese.

I hoped this sparked your interest for this beautiful language.
If you want to start with Vietnamese I suggest reading my post learning Vietnamese Northern or Southern accent.

Thank you for reading!

~ mei mei

Tried & Tested - Tandem language app review

Today I will talk to you about a new language app I found. Unfortunately this app is only available in the Apple store, if you're an Adroid user I would suggest you to have a look at one of my older posts which will give you some good recommendations for Japanese learning Apps for Android. With that being said, let's get straight into business!
Alright, so Tandem describes itself as a ''community of language learners'' with over 3 million users. It allows you one on one conversations with people who share your interests. I tested Tandem for one week to see if it is any different than the other language exchange apps out there.


Signing up
So this was a bit fussy.. First of all, you can only sign up if you have a Facebook account. No, I'm not kidding. You can't sign up with just your email address or without making an account at all. So if you don't have Facebook, no Tandem for you my friend. The explanation for this according to them is ''to make sure everyone on Tandem is a real and friendly person''. If you are like me and you're a real and friendly person and have a Facebook account you can continue to sign up. The process for this is rather simple and they will ask you a couple quick questions about your interests, which languages you speak, which language you want to learn and they will ask you to write about a topic you're interested in. After you signed up, you will get a screen like pictured right and then you just have to wait...


Using Tandem
After 30 minutes or so I got an email that I got accepted and I was ready to use my account. The profile will look something like my profile here, but with your own interests an your own topic of course. When people are looking for someone new to chat with, they will see your topic at first so make sure it something interesting or catchy. You can search for new people by the language your interested in, by topic or by place. Only after a few minutes I signed up, I received a request from a nice lady from Vietnam to help me with my Vietnamese. If you studied a foreign language before you know how important it is to connect with natives and how easy it is to ask all your questions. If the little awkwardness is out of the way, you can chat like friends and study at the same time. Tandem also has a call / video call function which allows you to call your new friends for free.

Verdict
I will score the Tandem app in the same way as a did with my previous app reviews. Overall I would give Tandem a 3/5. The layout is very simple, although this can come over as boring, it does makes it easy to use. I would suggest this app to people who want to meet natives to chat with. If you are going to use Tandem, write down what you want to learn and also write down what you've learned from your buddy. This will keep you from only having fun while chatting and helps you remember that you have a goal.


Overall rating; Tandem Language Exchange
Visual / layout; 3/5
Information; 3/5

Pro's
- Easy to use
- Free calling option
- Great way for connecting with new people

Con's
- Only accessible with Facebook account
- No group chats


Did you already use Tandem before? Or are you going to use it now? Let me know what you think!

Thank you for reading.

~ mei mei

Ultimate guide to Japanese desserts 和菓子

So after introducing all of you to the Vietnamese dessert cuisine it is time for the Japanese version! Get ready for a tongue tickling, surprising, will-leave-you-salivating post with the most surprising flavor combinations to sooth your sweet tooth. In Japan as we all know, everything is about tradition. The average meal does not include a fancy dessert in many Japanese households and in restaurants it is more common to end your meal with some fruit for dessert. However, traditional sweets called wagashi 和菓子 are consumed during the whole day, most of the time accompanied by a cup of good quality tea.

Core ingredients
Wagashi / Japanese sweets usually consists of one of these popular elements;  anko / bean paste, mochi / Japanese rice flour cake, matcha / green tea, sakura / cherry blossom, sweet potato and some staples such as gelatin, honey and fruits.
As you can see from the ingredients it's not your usual butter, flour, whipped cream type dessert. That's also where many westerners go wrong. They have this misconception of Japanese desserts being overwhelmingly sweet, while in reality the desserts have a very subtle sweet flavor or are not sweet at all! So, having said that let's have look at some delicious Japanese sweet treats.


Mochi 餅 / Dango 団子
Mochi is a sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour and stuffed with delicious filling such as sweet red bean paste, green tea flavor, fruits or actually anything you can think of. As seen on the top picture is the popular Sakura mochi (cherry blossom flavored) which the Japanese eat for Hinamatsuri / Girls Day. Mochi can even be filled with ice cream and then deep fried.. sounds good huh?
Dango, also made of glutinous rice flour is a little stickier and usually not filled but just colored with several types of flavorings. It is topped with a sweet soy sauce glaze.


Azuki 小豆
One of my personal favorites; red bean (can often be translated as adzuki or aduki). I love everything with red bean filling. Azuki is sweetened red beans and is a very popular filling for many types of sweets. Pastry's, mochi and even jelly's and puddings are flavored with the sublte sweetness of Azuki. On the right side you see a famous street food dish which is called; taiyaki. Taiyaki 鯛焼き which literally means baked sea bream, is a fish shaped cake made of a sweet batter filled with Azuki or one of the other popular fillings.

Crepes / Pancakes パンケーキ
Pancakes as you know them but then thinner and with more crazy fillings. Often filled with whipped cream, ice cream and fruits and folded in a triangle or cone shape. Another popular type of pancake is; dorayaki どら焼き. Dorayaki is simply sweet red bean filling sandwiched by two pancakes.


Ice cream アイスクリーム
More western influences in Japanese dessert cuisine but the Japanese love ice cream. Again, Azuki and Matcha are popular flavors, however Japanese ice cream flavors go far beyond those two. Ever thought of taro or sakura flavored ice cream?. Or how about your favorite soft serve but then triple the size? Or shaved ice cream? The Japanese have it all. Served as a street food snack in busy spots such as harajuku, the beautiful cones are seen everywhere not only because of the cool looks but also of the many delicious flavors. Worldwide know brands such as Haagen Dazs even have special flavors in Japan such as sakura & cream, honey milk, green tea truffle.


This small post could never possibly cover all of Japan's sweet treats but I hope it spiked your interest. Maybe one day go to Japan and try it yourself. Or make those thin crepes at your own stove top!

I hope you enjoyed reading!
~ mei mei

The story of Zhuge Liang / Kong Ming the famous battle strategist

Zhuge Liang 诸葛亮
(courtesy name Kong Ming)
was considered the most accomplished and feared battle strategist of the Three Kingdoms era. Zhuge Liang went by the nick name of Hidden Dragon 臥龍  (also translated as; Crouching Dragon or Sleeping Dragon) due to the fact that many people underestimated his skills and abilities to achieve great accomplishments.

Early life
Zhuge Liang was born in 181 AD in Yangtu, Shantung province. His parents passed away when he was still at a young age and he was raised by his uncle. His family was forced to flee their home when the powerful Cao Cao of the Wei state invaded their village. He then lived in a cottage in the Longzhong district. Legend states that Liu Bei 劉備 heard of Zhuge Liang's wisdom and went to his cottage three times to request his help. After a long conversation Zhuge Liang agreed to become Liu Bei's military advisor as he was interested in his plan for setting up a new kingdom in the west. The first time Zhuge Liang's skills came to the surface was when he convinced Sun Quan of the Wu East to become allies with Liu Bei and fight Cao Cao together. Zhuge Liang warned Sun Quan that if Cao Cao was not opposed now, it would be impossible to deal with him later.

Battle of the Red Cliffs
The famous battle between the allied forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan against Cao Cao was called the Battle of the Red Cliffs / the Battle of Chibi. Descriptions of the battle differ widely in details. Even the place of the battle is still debated. Most important is that Liu Bei and Sun Quan succesfully defeated Cao Cao, reunited their territory and gained control of the Yangtze.

Aftermath
After their victory Liu Bei took command over several cities in Jing. Another victory followed soon after when Liu Bei's troops invaded the province of Yi and captured general Yan Yan. They fought Liu Zhang and conquered his capital city Chengdu. Cao cao's Hanzhong was also succesfully conquered however, Sun Quan betrayed Liu Bei and took his territories in Jing while they were invading the Yi province. Liu Bei declared war upon Sun Quan but lost at the Battle of Yiling. Liu Bei grew ill and eventually died. Before his death he asked Zhuge Liang to take control of the state and take care of his son. Numerous battles were fought to restore Shu Han and take control of Wei. Zhuge Liang was known for his amazing battle strategies, setting traps and even predicting the weather. Some have said Zhuge Liang's success is based on having supernatural powers.
In AD 234 Zhuge Liang set off on his final campain. The two armies of Shu and Wei faced eachother in another battle but Zhuge Liang became sick and eventually died.

Inventions
During his life it is said that he invented numerous items such as a multi bolt firing crossbow, his own chess game, the hot air balloon / lantern, items to improve transportation and it is even said he invented the steamed bun! How can you ever dislike him now?

More Kong Ming
Zhuge Liang is still a popular topic in modern China.  Many movies, novels, and even video games feature Zhuge Liang as a great hero. See below for some popular examples.
Movies and series;

Red Cliff 2009 - with Takeshi Kaneshiro as Zhuge Liang (see top picture)

The Legendary prime minister 1985


 Three Kingdoms 2010

Games;

Destiny of an Emperor


Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Dynasty Warriors


Kessen II



Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義
And not to forget the story that popularised the excistence of Zhuge Liang is the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. A historical novel set about the years of the Shu Han dynasty. Zhuge Liang is displayed as one of the main characters and a hero. Whether everything written is true is still a debatable topic since some of the mythical and magical plot twists seem questionable. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature and is one of the most beloved works not only in China but trough out East Asia. With 120 chapters and 800000 words, it's still on the top of my to-read list.

I hope you enjoyed reading!
~ mei mei

Learning Vietnamese; Northern or Southern accent

After awakening my interest for Vietnamese I found out that it is quite difficult to get some information online. There is not so much decent information for studying Vietnamese, even on this world wide web. This is can be kind of discouraging for those who want to learn Vietnamese because everyone needs resources and everyone needs study materials. Luckily I have my partner who speaks the language and several colleagues as well. Therefore every single thing that I learn from them I will share with you, as I do with Korean and Japanese. So today is my first Vietnamese language related post.

We will start by asking ourselves; do I want to learn the Northern or Southern accent?
Do I really have to choose? That's what I thought myself too, but the answer is yes. It is definitely better to make a decision right at the start to prevent confusion for yourself. I will help you to choose today.

So let's start with the Northern accent. Northern accent or also known as Hanoi accent, is from my point of view the best to start with because it's 'standard' Vietnamese. When I say standard, I mean it is clean Vietnamese compared to the Southern accent. The Hanoi dialect represents the phonetic system more fully then others which makes it more understandable. However Southern accent sounds amazingly different as of the people are singing to each other when talking. When you have set your mind on learning Southern accent you must be prepared to have some difficulties finding materials since most of the books are written in Northern accent. Many people have to learn the Northern accent first to cover the basics and then adjust their pronunciation to Southern accent.
For those who it is considerable learning the Southern accent is those who come to Vietnam for business purposes. You most likely have to do all your business in Saigon. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is the biggest and the most important political, economic center in the whole county of Vietnam. therefore learning the Southern accent would be a good choice.

In the end you can just choose whichever accent you like more or would be more convenient for you. In this case there is no right or wrong. People all over the country still understand each other despite the differences in their accent.



Please look forward to more Vietnamese language related posts!

~ mei mei

If you're not ready for Murakami yet ~ Reading Guide

You have probably heard about Haruki Murakami if you ever tried to start reading Japanese literature. But what I hear often is that people are intimidated by the amount of books Murakami wrote and don't know where to start. I just finished an amazing novel called 'Strangers'which is kind of written in the same vibe Murakami writes his books in. This book is perfect to read before starting on Murakami books or to prepare yourself for Japanese literature. Also for you bookworms who are accustomed to American fantasy novels this eerie ghost story is very refreshing to read. I will introduce you to Taichi Yamada's 'Strangers' today.




Introduction
This book does the magic blending surreal elements into reality in an unique way. It is a nice compact easy to read book and sucks you in from the first chapter.
'Strangers' is narrated by a middle-aged man called Hideo Harada, a television scriptwriter who is recently divorced and is living in an apartment building where most of the apartments are used as offices, leaving the building abandoned in the evening. One night he looks up at the building and notices a lit window and discovers there lives a young attractive woman called 'Kei', which he starts an affair with. A short time after, he goes back to Asakusa where he grew up as a kid before his parents were killed in a car accident. He finds a man who looks exactly like his father at the age he died. The man invites him for a beer at his house and Hideo accepts the invitation, trying to find out more about the man who resembles his father. Arrived at his house, Hideo becomes even more confused to find out the man's wife looks exactly like his mother. As confused as he is, he feels comfortable at the 10 year younger couple's house who treat him like their son. He visits the couple again and again while also building on his relationship with Kei. However Kei puts him in a difficult position, he has to choose between his nostalgic past or embrace the present.
The supernatural feel of the book makes you curious about what is coming after the current chapter and makes you keep reading. With surprising plot twists and an amazing ending Taichi Yamada (who is a famous script writer himself) draws you in to the story.
I do have to say, as subtle as Yamada's way of storytelling is, the translation is less subtle. A sushi chef saying 'Yo' to his customers? I don't think so. Also the translations of the father speaking casually to his son, might be a translated a little too casual. But you amazing translators can see for yourself if you agree to this one.

More 'Strangers'
Apparently 'Strangers' has also been made into a movie which is called  異人たちとの夏 (ijintachi to no natsu) and is directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, who also made 'The Girl Who Leapt Trough Time'.
It was released in the US under the name of 'The Discarnates'. I have to find the movie somewhere and then see if it is as good as the book. Since it is listed everywhere as a horror movie I do need to come up with some courage though.

Try this short novel to awaken your interest in Japanese literature. It is not really a horror, so if you keep that out of your mind it is an amazing novel.
Please tell me what you
thought of the book when you read it!

~mei mei