The Month's Greetings + A Public Service Announcement

RAMADAN KAREEEEEEEEEMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

Ah, the blessed month has come, such a sweet time of friendship and caring, reflection, purification and contemplation, as everyone else looks on and wonders why those weird masochistic Muslims are so happy about starving themselves.......

Anyway, I just thought I would benefit mine readers with a little tip. If you are a Muslim, and, like me, live in a country as a minority, you would be aware of the relative difficulty of obtaining permissible food. When one eats out one would often have to head off to some prespecified Indian joint or kebab place, which tends to get rather tiresome in terms of variety. There ain't exactly many halal Mexican or Italian restaurants around, if you get my drift.

Which brings us to the wonder of Japanese food. Ahhhhh, so apparently one can finally eat well with a clear conscience! Dearest Nihon, with your clean and fresh flavors, and abundance of seafood and vegetables, surely a dream for any Muslim (or for that matter, Jew). Not like damn Chinese cuisine with seemingly always finds a way to get infiltrated with some form of animal product even when you order vegetarian.........

Who could possibly resist  a nice wholesome, refreshing bowl of soba noodles?

Or some delectable sushi?

So innocent eh? But the dark truth is:

MIRIN.

Aiiiieeee!!! Mirin, that sweet rice wine used to often in Japanese cuisine! Whether in sushi rice or the sauce of agedashi tofu, it is surprisingly common for alcohol to be used in the preparation of Japanese food.

So be warned, my brothers and sisters. We should always abtain from the haram, but this is especially important when breaking one's fast in this holy month. Always check with the staff that no grog has been used in the preparation of your Oriental iftar! Things are not always as they seem.........

That's my little bit of sanctimony for today. May your fasting be accepted!

Sayonara........