How to make Amazake of Sakekasu

- Sakekasu: leas from making sake

- Amazake: traditional New Year hot (cloudy) sake (rice wine) drink. Often drunk when you visit a shrine after New Year; you can buy it from a stall there.

 

Do you know you can make Amazake from Sakekasu?

You may think Amazake is made of Komekoji, but you can also make Amazake from Sakekasu.

First, I’d like to the introduce ingredients.

The ingredients are for two people.

 

Sakekasu 50g

Sugar 2 tablespoons

Water 400cc

That's all you need.

Now, let’s see each step to make Amazake.

First, I will use Itakasu. you need to tear Itakasu into pieces before you use it.

 

Second step is boiling the water.

After the water is boiled, you need to turn down to a low flame and put Sakekasu into the water.

It’s ready to go to next step when the Sakekasu has dissolved at sugar.

 

Third step is adding sugar.

You turn up to a high flame

The drink is ready when the sugar has completely dissolved.

You can just serve the Amazake to your favorite teacup and enjoy it.

Amazake made of Sakekasu gives you gentle flavors of sake.

If you like, you can add ginger.

So far, I wrote about how to make Amazake on a stove.

Actually, there is an easier way to make it by using a microwave.

If you just want one cup of Amazake, microwave is very convenient.

You put about 30g of Sakekasu and a little hot water into a teacup and microwave it for 10 to 20 sec.

Then, you add sugar and hot water after you mix sakekasu in the cup.

It’s very easy for you to enjoy a cup of Amazake.

I hope you can have some peace and calm time with rich Amazake.

Super-easy recipe to make a chocolate cake

 I would like to introduce a super-easy recipe to make a chocolate cake.  I myself haven’t tried yet but will try before Valentine’s Day:)

You only need to prepare four ingredients; Oreo cookies, milk, chocolate chip, and whipping cream.

First, put 12 pcs of Oreo cookies in a zip-lock and crush the cookies.

Next, put the crushed cookies in a bowl and blend with 150ml of milk until you have a smooth batter.

Then, put it in a cake pan and place it into the microwave and cook at 500W for 5-6 minutes.

After that, put the baked cake in the fridge for 1 hour.

While you are waiting, prepare the chocolate cream.  Put chocolate chips and whipping cream in a bowl and place it into the microwave.  Cook it at 600W for 50 seconds.

Then, pour the chocolate cream on top of the cake.  Again, put it in a fridge for 3 hours.

Jainism and Hinduism

 Jainism:

Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation. The aim of Jain life is to achieve the liberation of the soul.

Jains believe that animals and plants, as well as human beings, contain living souls. Each of these souls is considered of equal value and should be treated with respect and compassion. Jains practice vegetarianism strictly and live in a way that minimizes their use of the world's resources.

Jains believe in reincarnation and seek to attain ultimate liberation - which means escaping the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth so that the immortal soul lives forever in a state of bliss.

There are no gods or spiritual beings that will help human beings. The three guiding principles of Jainism, the 'three jewels', are right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct. The supreme principle of Jain living is non-violence (ahimsa). This is one of the 5 mahavratas (the 5 great vows). The other mahavratas are non-attachment to possessions, not lying, not stealing, and sexual restraint. Mahavira is regarded as the man who gave Jainism its present-day form. The texts containing the teachings of Mahavira are called the Agamas. Jains are divided into two major sects; the Digambara (meaning "sky clad") sect and the Svetambara (meaning "white clad") sect. Jainism has no priests. Its professional religious people are monks and nuns, who lead strict and ascetic lives.

Hinduism:

Hinduism is a religion with various Gods and Goddesses. According to Hinduism, three Gods rule the world. Brahma: the creator; Vishnu: the preserver and Shiva: the destroyer. The Hindu Trimurti consists of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. Most Hindus are principally devoted to the god Vishnu, the god Shiva, or the Goddess.

The Vedas are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.

Hindus consider the Vedas to be timeless revelation, apauruṣeya, which means "not of a man, superhuman" and "impersonal, authorless". The knowledge in the Vedas is believed in Hinduism to be eternal, uncreated, neither authored by human nor by divine source, but seen, heard and transmitted by sages.

Diwali is the festival of lights for Hindus and Sikhs. The celebration lasts for five days and is marked by sweets, fireworks and lights. It celebrates the triumph of good, light and knowledge over evil, darkness and ignorance. Diwali celebrates a good year of harvesting and honors the Goddess of Wealth.

Posted for Reiko

My lovely dogs

My family had two dogs. The first dog was sheltie and lived for 4 years. The second dog was beagle and lived for 15 years. The first dog called “BAU” liked to look for animals in the ground. When she winded a mole, she spent long time to dig a hole, and my family surprised much when she hunted animals.

The second dog called “ARAN” was very active and liked humans. When she went to a park only for dog, she did not play with other dogs and was always near other dogs’ owners.

They make us happy and taught us how tough we have a dog. We went walk a dog every day and sometimes went to big park on weekends. However, after they left, we think that we wanted to give them happiness more. We should have talked with them more because they could understand what we said thought they could not answer.　Also, we should have made more time to play with them because they have no one to play other than my family.

We have regrets a little for the two dog’s life, so we often recall the life with two dogs. The memories with our dogs make us happy again. 

Christmas Party photographs

Apologies that it has taken me a long time to edit the Christmas party photographs & post them to Flickr 

We had a super gathering and were thrilled especially to see Santa looking fit & well after a couple of years 'off''. Rinka & Yukari worked really hard to get our venue & food sorted out; Eleanor & Hinata really stepped up as big sisters and ran two of our crafts stations, and Naomi was a star getting the koinobori painting station sorted out! Thank you Miriam, and unfortunate Simon missed out having to isolate before his trip home to family.

A postcard from...Bath, England

Hi everyone,

I'm having a great time!

Wish you were here!

See you soon!
 

Simon