Category: Healthy Food

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Spring Equinox & Naw Ruz Blessing

According to my beautiful Persian friend, Naw Ruz means New Day as tomorrow is the first day of spring after today, Spring Equinox.  I was anointed with drops of dewy rose water, had morsels of delicate cookies and sips of wine accompanied by delicious green herb rice and green quiche/frittata called Kuku? Some cute name this dish has and so scrumptious ! Special symbolic foods are served as a tradition to celebrate Persian New Year!  

Golden calligraphy of Hafiz poetry graced this shrine thoughtfully decorated with symbolic New Year’s auspicious eggs (origin of Easter eggs?), bulb flowers of tulips and hyacinth, iris, violets and orchid blossoms still blooming from the winter season, welcoming spring with refreshed smile – school of goldfish swimming in water, pot of green grass, herbs, coins, strands of beads and a rock and ashes and … beautifully lit candles on marble. The symbolism of each carefully selected item curated… but first, to begin with the ritual of looking into the central mirror to set New Years resolution … an affirmation …got me to really appreciate not only this New Day but our friendship. (there were even “Meoto” rice bowls of cherry blossoms from Japan:) So honored to learn about this celebration that dates back centuries, steeped in long Persian history – Persian civilization dates back so far as one the oldest on earth so particularly fascinated to learn the symbolic meanings to all that graced before my eyes. Thank you for sharing your light, dear Friend:)

Variety of fresh spring herbs are folded into this green rice and frittata – Tastes like Spring !
Here’s a poem by Hafiz I found that made me think of my peace loving or just plain, loving and elegant Persian friend:

ELEGANCE
It
Is not easy
To stop thinking ill
Of others.
Usually one must enter into a friendship
With a person
Who has accomplished that great feat himself
Then
Something
Might start to rub off on you
Of that
True
Elegance

Laughter comes easy when you are breathing that air of “true elegance” …it’s rubbing off, as I set my Affirmation for this New Day.

***
Sky report is cloudy with some rain but undeterred, cherry blossoms are slowly starting to blossom. Undeniably …

SPRING had arrived. 

Happy New Year!!!

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Curry Rolls – Bakery Heaven

A miracle that I did not gain any weight visiting these bakeries in Tokyo – thanking the no-car life with lots of yoga… Nevertheless, I am back on “spring detox” cleanse next week on mostly plant based protein intake. Sayonara Japanese breads, the biggest temptations there – it was not sushi…rather, it’s all the rolls, pastries, cakes, breads – “kashi-pan” plain as in “melon-pan” or filled with jam, custard creams, chocolate puddings, bean pastes, savory and sweet … they are the biggest temptations.
The much loved import from India for decades must be flavor of curry. Here in Japan. You find it of course on rice, even in udon noodles but most loved baked into bread. 3-5 varieties at this bakery near banks of Sumida river.   

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Where am I ?

Nepal? At last !???

Ah, no – a hole in the wall Indian Curry restaurant in a section of town called Tsukishima (translates to “Island of the Moon”) in Tokyo. “Island of the Moon” is actually a more down to earth by the banks of Sumida river, a rather common man’s locale relative to the more upscale Yamanode/hillside area such as Hiroo, Aoyama, Daikanyama, etc. Here in this riverside town, welcomed by a restaurant staff with not one Japanese among them … so figured it’s very authentic. A handsome young waiter from Nepal who spoke relatively decent Japanese asked “rice or naan with your dish?” Can I have a little of both? I asked – SURE, beaming he brought this – Naan is bigger than my face … There’s really no custom of taking home leftovers in Japanese eatery but he was happy to wrap the naan leftover so I can take it to go. Impressed with an extensive party menu available here but with so many restaurants in Tokyo, it’s not easy. Hope they stay in business in spite of the intense competition, I thought as I left … You pay no tip in Japan so, only about $7, their lunch special comes with tasty salad (grated carrots make the dressing sweet and sour, colorfully orange:) and a drink (Yum – lassi:) All you need is a yoga studio upstairs and you have a great go-to place…

Why Indian food when in Tokyo? What about sushi you ask?