u/Regular-Forever-3251

Since starting to work from home again, I've started having time to make breakfast, but I was recently questioning the very idea of "breakfast foods". Like why are eggs, toast, cereal, pancakes, bacon, etc. considered "breakfast-y" in the West, while other foods can feel somehow wrong in the morning?

Just for context, I'm Japanese, I come from a relatively old/traditional family, so we have a very distinct breakfast culture from the West, which I experienced and noticed after moving to Canada.

I'm sure a part of it is convenience, like breakfast foods tend to be quicker to cook, (like eggs vs other proteins) instead of like stews and such (though soup can be break fast-y so definitely not a hard set rule). Another matter that's especially relevant in Japan is probably smell, so things that smell strongly like curry would mean we would leave the house to go to work/school and meet people while smelling like what we ate, which would be considered inconsiderate especially in Japan (which goes into a whole other topic of what people consider smelly because we don't consider natto and grilled fish as smelly while people of other cultures might). I could also imagine toast becoming a breakfast food from a culture of baking bread at home; you don't necessarily have time to make fresh leavened bread in the morning, so toasting bread from the day before to 'refresh' it would make sense.

But apparently there's also some interesting corporate history behind this. A lot of what we consider a “traditional breakfast foods” especially in the West, was influenced by food companies and advertising. The famous example is the promotion of bacon and eggs by Edward Bernays in the 1920s. The thing is I can't say its just completely corporate conspiracy because like take corn flakes, sure it was intentionally marketed as breakfast food, but it genuinely makes sense as a breakfast food in terms of convenience.

But it's definitely not all corporate conspiracy, like eggs being in breakfasts across cultures makes sense because households used to have chickens at home, and picking fresh eggs in the morning to use in the morning was part of the lifestyle. So there are definitely organic aspects to our breakfast food culture.

So how much of our perception of breakfast is actually cultural, how much of it is marketing that we've internalized? And is it possibly narrowing our approach cooking? I don't intend to reinvent the wheel but could we maybe reverse engineer what makes breakfast what it is, and recontextualize it into our lives today to make a new "breakfast" culture?

How about y'all, What foods do you consider breakfast foods in your culture? And do you know where it comes from?

(Also as a caveat this isn't about what "should" be a breakfast. Obviously people "should" eat whatever they want, whenever they want.)

So I'm from Japan, and I love cooking, but cabbage has never been an exciting ingredient. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it but I think most of us in Japan don't have a particular opinion on it. You put it next to tonkatsu, or under the beef in a gyuudon, that kind of thing.

I moved here to Canada a while back and to put it lightly, my financial circumstances have not been the most stable. I've always liked to cook, but I became more concious of the $/100g small text on the shelves, and cabbage has become an increasingly central player in my food situation. We all know its cheap, but also it lasts forever in the fridge, (which I never expected from a green veg honestly). But the biggest realization (or I guess shift in perception?) was that it kind of works with everything.

Stir fried and it works great on top of fried rice, and instant ramen, turning it into a full meal.

In soups and stews it becomes soft and sweet when boiled (Including miso soup, I never used to put it in but now I kind of wonder why not because it works really well with the earthiness of miso).

In dishes like pasta with not enough veg, I throw some cabbage in to boil with the pasta.

Also as a side dish, recently Yamitsuki cabbage has become popular on social media, but it adds great texture to my meals that tends to err on being mostly soft stuff on carbs.

The reason why I say "a shift in perception" was I found it interesting how Western cooking seems to treat cabbage as a central dish ingredient, while in Japan we treat it more like a side character to be thrown underneath as a pillow for whatever you're already making.

So since moving to Canada I've started to really appreciate it more. I'll see a whole cabbage at the grocery store for a few dollars and think, oh that's basically a week's worth of veg right there. It might be the most boring vegetable in the world, but it's one that I think should be a pantry staple alongside onions.

Edit：I'm from Kanto so while we do eat Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba, it's much less than in Kansai, and it certainly isn't as prevalent in our home cooking. For us it feels more like a special thing at summer festivals.

Right now I just buy however many I need for the day if I'm making something specifically with potatoes, but it's so much more cheaper to get them in the big bags. I used to buy the bags but I always found that by the time I got to the last few potatoes they'd all be going bad so I stopped because it was a waste.

What do you guys do? Are you like me and only buy potatos as you need or do you have a strategy for storing potatoes or cooking potatoes into something you can freeze? I tried freezing mashed potatoes but I found they always came out with a sub optimal texture after freezing. I think one challenge is I'm Japanese so I eat rice more often, and I crave mashed potatoes and other potato dishes sometimes, just less frequently

Full Recipe↓ Day 23/100 | YAKITORI

I recently found an underrated channel doing a series of Japanese recipes using only ingredients you can find at TESCO, and I especially found this one for making Yakitori at home really interesting and informative, because it features tips on making it as close as possible with the kind of produce you can find in a western grocery store (which helps becaues I'm Japanese but I live in Canada, I think this person is in Dublin? But it's still very applicable because the produce seems very similar).

So the leeks in Western supermarkets tend to be very thick, so if you try to do the normal yakitori process using it, it doesn't get cooked through before the chicken is cooked, so peeling it down until its the perfect size, around the size of normal japanese negi, makes for the perfect cook!

(Thank you Mod-san for letting me check with you before posting! ^_^)

I've been eating a lot of instant noodles, its cheap, it's easy, it's filling, it's gotten us peasants through challenging times. It's fine on it's own, but I think even we deserve a little extra sometimes.

How do you all "jazz up" your noodles?

I have a few I do but here's are two frequent go-to for me:

Tan Tan Style:
Start with Buldak Noodles, but in the bowl only put 3/4 of the spicy sauce.
Then add Peanut butter, Honey, a bit of soy sauce and rice vinegar
Mix up the sauce before tossing the noodles in it. Add some sesame oil if you have it.

I grew up in Singapore where we had Tan tan mian at a place called Crystal Jade, and the flavor ends up being kiiiinda reminiscent of that!

Creamy Egg Style:
Start with Buldak Noodles
Add a raw egg in the bowl and mix
Once the noodles are ready, put it in the bowl and mix with the egg vigorously (Let the heat of the noodles cook the egg)
Then put in the sauce packet, mayonaise, salt/soy sauce to taste

I know they sell the carbonara buldak but personally I like this better and I get the protein from the egg.

One big difference between Islam and Christianity that I think gets overlooked is the centralized / decentralized nature of the authority. (I'm mainly referring to the historical Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions here, rather than Christianity as a whole)

So throughout eclesiastical history, religious authority was mostly institutionalized, centralized in the Church / clergy. Clerics had a special religious role in the interpretation of doctrine (e.g. the Church fathers), and being a religious mediator for the general population.

On the other hand in Islam, the Quran stands above any and every human or organization. While Caliphs have political responsibilities, when it comes to defining Islam, no single Caliph, or Imam has that ultimate authority. Also an imam isn't like priests, they doesn't possess a unique ability to mediate between a Muslim and Allah. If an imam isn't present, any relatively knowledgeable Muslim can lead the prayer.

The same decentralization appears in Islamic scholarship. There are multiple madhhabs that are equally respected, and religious knowledge was transmitted through a large, decentralized network of scholars, teachers, students, and communities rather than one central institution.

Even the preservation of the Quran is distributed through a decentralized system of mass memorization, recitation and communal transmission, instead of a single institution. Meanwhile each version of the bible is published by a central church authority.

There are also political effects. When religious authority is concentrated in a central institution, that institution naturally becomes a major source of political power and legitimacy. European history shows how deeply the church and state intertwined, and how religion became synonimous with manipulation. It's undeniable that some Muslim rulers used religion politically too, but there was no single universal ecclesiastical institution whose control meant control over Islam itself, and control over the people.

So why is this important? I think this is worth thinking about because all these different aspects of decentralization ties into the purity of our religion, distinguishing it from political incentives. The fact that for us Muslims, God is the ultimate authority, and each and every individual is personally accountable to Him and Him only.

In Japan we have a whole category of dishes called Don 丼 for dishes where its just stuff put on rice, but it's certainly not just a Japanese thing.

I'd love to know what kind of stuff you all like to put on your rice, and if it's from a specific culture pleasse do share!

My personal favorite would probably be Ten-don, tempura on rice with the tentsu sauce going all over the tempura and getting soaked up by the rice. but my go to for cooking is probably oyako-don, chicken and egg cooked into a savory and sweet blob that gets put on the rice, its easy, delicious, and fills me up!

I've been coming across a lot of people (not just Muslims btw but especially atheists too) framing discussions with science and religion as conflicting things, but this framing is fundamentally mistaken.

I'm a Muslim revert and also a scientist with a background in particle physics. To me, science and religion aren't competing fields. If anything I would say they are distinct, and at times complementary.

Science is a method for formalizing our observations of the physical universe.
Religion deals with philosophical and metaphysical questions.
They're different domains just like how you'd never say mathematics and history compete with each other right?

Now from an Islamic perspective, studying the universe is studying God's creation, what the Quran calls ayat, or signs. In fact many Muslim intellectuals were inspired by their faith to study the natural world, including people like Ibn al-Haytham and Al-Khwarizmi who's work is foundational to the science we have today.

And from a scientific perspective, an essential part of the scientific method is actually defining what we don't know. So when we say “We have no evidence for X” this doesn't mean “we have evidence against X.” Laymen often conflate these two conclusions, and this violates the scientific method, compromising its authority. So science, as a method, should not and will not conclusively prove/disprove metaphysical claims like the existence of God, Heaven, or Hell. If anyone does, they are abusing the scientific method.

So science and religion are not "enemies". They are different ways of asking different kinds of questions about our reality.

Hi all! I’m a Japanese Muslim, and recently I’ve been noticing a lot more adversarial and hostile trends in interfaith discourse online. And I find this unfortunate, Especially when I see fellow Muslims engaging in arguments and debates of this nature, frankly I find it embarassing.

And look I get it, people watch MMA fights for a reason, many find conflict entertaining and the algorithm rewards what gets views. But honestly, I don’t think this is truly the way for either of our faiths. We may have significant theological disagreements, and I don’t think we need to pretend those differences don't exist. But I’d much rather build understanding by also celebrating what we do share. Like Christianity and Islam are the only two faiths that love and revere Jesus! (peace be upon Him)

So to my Christian brothers and sisters, may we always strive to treat one another with understanding, sincerity, and kindness, even if we disagree on some things. ^_^

(Also thank you u/McClanky for the double check!)

So something I've been thinking about recently is the importance of community in Islam.

Ultimately, Islam is about our individual relationship with our Creator. Each of us will stand before God alone, accountable for our own choices. But one of those choices will be how we carry ourselves in relation to the people around us right. Our environment and our community are a part of our test.
For example, why is a public shahadah important if imaan is ultimately a matter of the heart right? Because becoming Muslim doesn't just affect you. It means other Muslims now have rights and responsibilities towards you, and you towards them.
Also, why is a public marriage important? Because a marriage doesn't only unite two individuals. It affects families, social responsibilities, and the wider community.

Something else I've noticed is the number of people who ask, "My imaan feels weak, what should I do?" (Though quite often these posts get deleted pretty quick) More often than not, one of the biggest factors is the company we keep. We are social creatures. Surrounding ourselves with people of good character, good adab, and sincere faith can really influence our own hearts. And Shaytan knows that isolation makes us more vulnerable.

So perhaps it's worth asking ourselves “What kind of community am I choosing to surround myself with?” That choice itself is an act of our free will, and I wouldn't be surprised if it’s one of the things for which we’re each held accountable for on the Day of Judgment.

And Allah knows best. ^_^

Recently saw a Binging with Babish video where he tried some people's struggle meal suggestions

Please share your go-to struggle meal / Low-effort meals!
If its from/influenced by a specific culture I'd love to know too! ^_^

For me something I make often is Butter rice (バターライス) Where its just hot rice with butter, soy sauce and nori just shredded by hand mixed in. If I have it, I like to have some kimchi to go with it to cut through the butter with something spicy and sour

When learning pronunciation, learning the pronunciation of single words and phrases in "textbook environments" is usually not an issue.

But when it comes to full natural conversations, the best way is often reduced to "just get used to it". And this is often the case in any language, not just for Japanese.

My question to everyone is, have you had any material that gives you structure to help with pronunciation in full conversational applications? Or had any material that helps you to build, or guides you in building, that "intuition" that you need to understand running sentences in full conversational contexts at natural speeds?

If not, is this something that would interest anyone? Thank you!

So firstly don't get me wrong, I do love answering this, especially when I see that my story reignited passion for the deen in the person I'm talking to. I also know it's the first time they are talking to me an I'm talking to them.

It's just that from my perspective it's something I've talked about so many times now that it's starting to get tedious... 😅

Anyone else feel this at all?

One thing I've been thinking about recently is the difference between giving someone a conclusion and helping them build the framework to understand that conclusion.

It's like if someone asks about flowers, you can either hand them a bouquet, or invite them into a flower shop.

A bouquet is beautiful, but it's already arranged according to someone else's choices. A flower shop lets someone see the different flowers, understand them, and choose what speaks to them. Our role is to provide the basket and guidance to help them carry what they find.

I think this applies a lot to any kind of pedagogy, but especially to dawah. Sometimes when someone asks a question, our instinct is to immediately give our own answer. But perhaps the first step should be understanding where they are coming from: What assumptions are they starting with? What are they actually struggling with? What question are they really asking?

Then instead of simply handing them a conclusion, we can help them explore the framework that leads to that conclusion.

For example, if someone asks about Allah's justice, instead of only saying "Allah is Just", we can first understand what they mean by justice, then explain the Islamic framework of justice and allow them to see how the pieces connect for themselves.

Obviously this doesn't mean changing Islam to fit everyone's preferences. But there is a difference between forcing someone to accept an answer and helping them understand why that answer makes sense. A person who discovers the reasoning behind something will usually have a deeper connection to it than someone who was simply handed the final conclusion.

"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction..." (16:125)

Perhaps part of wisdom in dawah is not only knowing what to say, but understanding the person in front of us so we can guide them toward the truth in a way they can genuinely engage with.

And sometimes the best way to share a flower is not to hand someone a bouquet, but to invite them into the garden. ^_^

I’m Japanese and have recently been helping people with conversation skills. The thing is I think I found a different “method” for looking at pitch patterns, and I’ve looked around at documentation and everything is the same High-Low thing with the line and dots going through it, but I want to double check because I find it highly unlikely I’m the first person to invent the system I have in mind.

Can you tell me how yall have learned pitch patterns? If it turns out I might have something worth sharing I’ll make another post in the future.

Thank you!

One thing I think we as Muslims don't explain enough when discussing God's justice and forgiveness is that, in Islam, there are effectively two separate accountings when we wrong someone.

The first is between the creation themselves (ḥuqūq al-'ibād). If I wrong an innocent person, they have rights over me. If justice is not achieved in this life, we believe there will still be justice on the Day of Judgement through Qiṣāṣ (just recompense) huquuq al-khalq (the rights of creation). No oppression goes unanswered, even if it appears to in this world. Allah is Al-'Adl (The Most Just), and no victim will be forgotten.

But there is a second accounting that is often overlooked: between the individual and Allah (ḥuqūq Allāh).

Suppose I harmed someone. Even if that person forgave me, or I fulfilled whatever justice was due between us, there remains another question: What about my relationship with the One who created me?

Allah gave me everything: my life, my body, my intellect, my free will, the air I breathe, and every blessing I have. I then chose to use those very gifts in disobedience to Him by oppressing one of His servants. That, too, is a betrayal.

So when we say Allah is The Most Forgiving, it isn't at the expense of justice. Rather, justice between people is upheld, and then Allah, if He wills, may forgive the sin committed against Him.

For me, this makes Allah's forgiveness even more profound. It's not that He overlooks injustice. It's that after perfect justice has been established, He still leaves the door of mercy open for those who sincerely repent.

And Allah knows best.

EDIT: Small terminology correction: Qisas is more specifically a term usually for worldly legal retaliation, so it was not the most precise word here. The concept I was referring to is the restoration of huquuq al-khalq (the rights of creation), where Allah's perfect justice between the creations is established on the Day of Judgement, not just between humans but all of creation. Thank you DonDag0 for the reminder!