November 1-7, 2013
GREAT EXPECTATIONS OF KOIZUMI JR
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November 1-7, 2013
Contents We e k l y B r i e f i n g
Politics
Great expectations of Koizumi Jr View
Fight of the fighters
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November 1-7, 2013
Contents Food
A brewing battle
Society
Life in the kingdom of Kim
Food
Coffee with a Korean twist Food
Delicious, twisty, murukku
August 30-September 5, 2013
Contents Lifestyle
Heart-warming tours
Lifestyle
Toys from yesteryears >>DATEBOOK
Happenings around Asia
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WEEKLY BRIEFING
Japanese, Korean traditional cuisines set for Unesco listing TOKYO/SEOUL: Washoku—or traditional Japanese cuisine— and kimjang—or the traditional practice of making kimchi before winter—are expected to be included on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. Washoku is noted for its delicate presentation of a variety of seasonal ingredients, enriched by Japan’s geographical features as an archipelago stretching from north to south through the temperate zone. “It will be of major significance if washoku is globally recognised at a time when Japan is scheduled to host the Olympics,” said Yukio Hattori, president of the Hattori Nutrition College in Tokyo. “Since
the nuclear crisis [at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant began in 2011], exports of Japanese agricultural products have been battered. I hope this registration will promote Japanese food abroad.” On the other hand, kimjang refers to the process of preparing large vats of the spicy, fermented cabbage with a large gathering of family, friends or community members before the start of winter and storing the kimchi vats underground for fermentation. As Korea’s most representative dish, kimchi has had a longstanding cultural history in South Korea; however, the ancient method of kimjang is a tradition that is slowly fading out in contemporary Korea.
“Around 90 per cent of Korean families still make their own kimchi at home, so kimchi making is a huge part of our culture,” said Yena Lee of South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration. “The reasons why we selected to nominate kimjang for the Unesco cultural heritage list is because it is a very important part of our culture and we hope that we will be able to continue to keep this precious tradition alive,” Lee explained. “We also believe that having it as part of the Unescolisted intangible cultures, will also allow people outside of Korea to know and understand more about our kimchi culture.” —The Yomiuri Shimbun/The Korea Herald
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An example of traditional Japanese cuisine.
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Kimchi
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WEEKLY BRIEFING
Japan's medical robots find love in Europe
A woman hugs PARO, a medical robotic seal, in September 2012 in Yokohama.
BRUSSELS: A Japanese thirdsector cooperative project to promote the use of medical and nursing care robots as part of the government’s growth strategy is gaining traction in Europe. Behind the development is the ageing population’s growing recognition of Japanese cuttingedge technology in this field and a positive stance toward adopting such technology.
One of the most well-known medical devices is a robotic suit called Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL), which helps elderly people with physical disabilities move their body by reading information from sensors on their skin and slight changes in electric signals produced by muscles when they attempt to move their arms or legs. HAL is the first robot to be certified as a robotic medical equipment by the European Union. Another popular device is PARO, a seal-shaped robot that is believed to have a therapeutic effect on patients. The seal has been adopted by about 30 countries around the world. The percentage of people aged 65 or older in the total
population of EU nations is expected to reach about 25 per cent in 2040. Japanese technology in the fields of medical and welfare robots is highly praised in Europe. “Japan has many innovative technologies that we don’t have in Germany” said Thomas Schuldhauer, a general of BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil in Bochum. —Takehito Kudo/ The Yomiuri Shimbun
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YANGON: A floating hotel will open its doors in Botahtaung harbour near Yangon by the end of this year, according to the Myanmar Ports Authority. Myanmar company, Hla Hla Pa Pa won the approval to invest in the floating hotel project buying a 2,000-tonne engine-less vessel from Finland to build the floating hotel. After the vessel arrived here on August 18, Myanmar Shipyards carried out renovation tasks to provide 104 double rooms, two dining rooms and bars. Myanmar has involved foreign and local investors to build floating hotels by the Botahtaung jetty.
Myanmar Shipyards/EMG
Myanmar to launch first floating hotel
Floating hotel vessel owned by Hla Hla Pa Pa company docked for repairs at Myanmar Shipyards
The Yangon Port Development has already expanded as a Botahtaung port area. The land area of the port was extended towards
the Yangon River in July last year. A local company, Pearl Myay, worked on the port expansion project. – Eleven Media Group
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WEEKLY BRIEFING AFP
US$58 million
$23
Amount that Myanmar will spend for a nationwide census to be conducted in 2014. The census, first in 30 years, is scheduled to be conducted from March 30 to April 10, 2014. Image of the New National Stadium Courtesy of the Japan Sport Council
billion Amount needed to construct the New National Stadium, the main venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Tokyo metropolitan government has turned down the central government’s demand to shoulder 30 per cent of this amount or 300 billion yen in local currency.
Number of visitors that flocked to see the second Taiwan version of the giant Rubber Duck inflatable sculpture in Taoyuan County on the first day. The Taoyuan version of the floating duck is 18 metres tall, 18 metres wide and 25 metres long. Designed by the original artist Florentijn Hofman of the Netherlands, the inflatable duck was made to fit into the township's unique landscape. AFP
$3
Cost for a vote at the Philippines’ recently concluded village polls. Massive votebuying was reported nationwide with some candidates giving away anything from a sachet of 3-in-1 coffee and noodles to 10 pesos worth of “pan de sal” (bread) and outright cash of as much as 1,000 pesos ($23) per voter.
100,000
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VIEW
Fight of the fighters RAM NARAYAN KANDANGWA The Kathmandu Post Kathmandu
I
n May 2009, when the UK government, under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's administration, granted settlement rights for pre-1997 Gurkha pensioners, Nepalis in the UK and Nepal assumed that the long-suffered plight of the Gurkha soldiers who served the British was finally over. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Even though the British government had given residential rights to Gurkha guards who retired before 1997, and who served in the British army for at least four years, it failed to address other major issues such as equal pensions, preserved pensions for the redundant, settlement rights for a Gurkha's adult children, better medical facilities in
Nepal, and compensation for widows of former Gurkhas. Therefore the 20year campaign for the rights of the Gurkhas continues. Twenty years ago, tens of thousands of Gurkhas gave up their lives during World War II. Hundreds of injured who fled to the remote mountains of Nepal were left to starve or slowly waste away
VIEW
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Oli Scarff, AFP
Queen Elizabeth II inspecting Gurkha guards at the Invicta Park Barracks, south England. The Gurkhas have long served alongside the British Army.
VIEW
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Noah Seelam, AFP
Indian Gurkha soldiers performing the khukuri dance—a traditional dance involving the forward-curving Nepali knife.
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VIEW
without proper medication. Some Gurkhas who fought for the British army in Malaysia and in the surrounding colonised nations were also neglected after the wars ended, and left with barely enough expenses to go home. This group is a glaring example of the unfair treatment by the British towards the Gurkhas, who did not receive army pensions, even those who served for over 10 years. At the rate things are progressing, these war veterans will probably not be able to see the equality, justice and respect they deserve served to them in their lifetime. This issue has united the Gurkhas, and fuelled the passion of the "Gurkha campaign". Many meetings, debates and discussions
among the various Gurkha organisations have been held since, and finally on April 24, 2013, we all came together for a mass assembly—united as the Gurkha Satyagraha— outside the British Parliament to present a six-point petition to the British government, as well as to the chairman of Nepal's Council of Ministers. Among those who participated in the gathering were Gurkhas who received the Victoria Cross—Britain's highest military honour—for their service in the army. Now old and frail, they are the model of the Gurkhas' years of service to the British. Of loyalty and bravery, as well as of the neglect and discrimination by the same goverment they faithfully fought for.
If the UK goverment does not meet our demands, we will be compelled to launch a mass hunger strike, and if our demands are still not met, we will launch a mass fast-unto-death protest. This is not a threat to the UK government, rather, it is what we are compelled to do. The Gurkhas have staged various protests and calls for greater awareness in the UK for a long time now. To date, we have handed over petitions to 659 Members of Parliament, with the help of (Liberal Democrat politician) Sir Bob Russel, and other politicians such as Rob Wilson, Peter Carroll, and human rights activist Bobbie Wason, who have showed us much support. The British media and other international press
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VIEW
have also helped greatly in highlighting our plight. So far, we have received three responses from the UK government. The first was a disappointment; it claimed that the British government has never discriminated against the Gurkhas, but rather have always shown high respect for us. This, in reality, is completely untrue, and we have replied as such: that the Gurkhas have faced discrimination up till today, and that we do not accept the British government's claims. To this, the government has responded: "Your petition has received attention". The British prime minister has also given us his personal response, in which he stated his appreciation for "the loyal service of the Gurkhas
in the past and now, and strongly supports the ongoing Gurkha campaign". Prime Minister Cameron also said that we should expect a response from the Defence Minister Mark Francois soon, which will form the basis for a dialogue, through which, hopefully, a solution for our problems can be reached. This is a significant milestone in the twodecade long struggle of the Gurkhas. And now, a heavy responsiblity rests on our shoulders to finally reach a settlement where the rights of the Gurkhas will be upheld. The Nepali government, as trustees of the Gurkha heritage, should uphold our cause as a national and political issue, as it is related to Nepal's sovereignty and independence;
and it is time for the Nepal government to play a decisive role in this matter. The Gurkhas have shed rivers of blood, sweat and tears for Britain and its people over the last two centuries. Despite our immense contribution and sacrifices, we have been treated unfairly. It is time for Britain to show in actions and not just words, their respect for the Gurkhas, by finally giving equal treatment and correcting historical blunders. Otherwise, the Gurkhas will have no choice, but to continue to fight for our rights, as long as there is a single Gurkha left on this planet. Ram Narayan Kandangwa is a representative of the Gurkha Satyagraha in London. ÂŹ
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POLITICS
Great
expectations of Koizumi Jr
SHINJIRO KOIZUMI (RIGHT) LEAVES THE CONTROVERSIAL YASUKUNI SHRINE AFTER HONOURING THE DEAD ON THE 67TH ANNIVERSARY OF JAPAN'S SURRENDER FROM WORLD WAR II, IN TOKYO ON AUG 15, 2012.
KWAN WENG KIN The Straits Times
A
Tokyo
Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP
political star is on the rise in Japan, his ascent ironically boosted by the troubles that plague his country—the Fukushima nuclear crisis and the delayed reconstruction of disasterhit northern Japan. That star is none other than Shinjiro Koizumi, 32, the second son of former premier Junichiro Koizumi, 71, who led the country from 2001 to 2006. The dashing Koizumi Jr was made parliamentary secretary for reconstruction in late September by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Elected to the Lower House in 2009, Koizumi bagged his first government post in just four years, an achievement that took his illustrious father seven years. The young man reportedly could have chosen a more glamorous position, such as one in the defence ministry. But he opted instead to help the victims of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster.
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POLITICS "I don't want to take centre stage," he told reporters. "I just want to work hard as backstage staff." Since becoming head of the youth wing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in February last year, Koizumi had been leading a group of young LDP lawmakers to disasterhit areas on the 11th of each month. His popularity with disaster victims and his gift for making quote-worthy sound bites—a talent inherited from his father—make him the perfect choice for the parliamentary secretary's job. He recently called on the governor of Fukushima prefecture, where the stricken nuclear plant is located. The leakage of toxic water at the plant remains an issue despite the insistence of Abe that it is "under control". Koizumi told reporters after his visit: "I want to tackle these issues with a shared understanding with the governor, and bearing in mind that one result is better than 100 words." His appointment has also turned the focus to the plight of the victims
and has no doubt helped assure them that they have not been abandoned by the government. It was only recently that Abe had toyed with the idea of prematurely ending a surcharge on corporate taxes used for reconstruction, to induce employers to raise wages—an idea that was blasted by disaster victims. The spotlight on Koizumi has also shone brighter. In a primetime report of Abe's policy speech on growth strategies in Parliament, he was the first politician to have his view on the speech aired on the NHK national television network, even before LDP secretary-general Shigeru Ishiba. "Of course we have to implement growth strategies," Koizumi said with characteristic poise. "But if we fail to win confidence in tackling the toxic water crisis, I think the whole of Japan will not be happy." Whether his appointment was a good political choice for Abe remains to be seen. A poll by the Sankei-FNN
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POLITICS network immediately after Koizumi's appointment found that 75.6 per cent of voters had high expectations of him. In the latest opinion poll by NHK, the administration's popularity had slid to 58 per cent as Abe has yet to push reforms 10 months after coming to office and many Japanese still do not feel the economy has improved, despite two quarters of moderate growth. Like his father, Koizumi not only exudes charisma, but is also a far better speaker than Abe. Commentators see the younger Koizumi as a potential prime minister. Some say that, with a bit of luck, he may even be in the nation's top post when Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympics. Koizumi, who would then be only 39 years old, has been wellgroomed for a career in politics. After majoring in economics at Kanto Gakuin University, outside Tokyo, he won a place at Columbia University in New York, studying under Professor Gerald Curtis, an expert on Japanese politics, and earned a master's degree in political science in 2006.
Bilahari Kausikan, Singapore's recently retired permanent secretary for foreign affairs, said: "Shinjiro was an active participant in a seminar I gave at Columbia. "He speaks English well." After a stint as a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washingtonbased think-tank, Koizumi returned to Japan in 2007 to serve as his father's private secretary. The lawmaker is concurrently parliamentary secretary in the Cabinet Office, where he is involved in issues such as trade liberalisation, tax reform and social security. His father's recent call for Japan to renounce nuclear power—contradicting Abe— has not perturbed the younger Koizumi, who indicated he was supportive of his father's stance. "The world of politics is a constant battle between reality and idealism. Nobody wants to see politics that cannot talk about hopes and dreams," he told reporters. 
SOCIETY
| November 1-7, 2013 Photos from Lianain Films on Facebook
Life in the kingdom of Kim A glimpse into privileged lives of young Pyongyang elites
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SOCIETY
CLAIRE LEE The Korea Herald
S Seoul
ingaporean filmmakers Lynn Lee and James Leong started their documentary The Great North Korean Picture Show in 2008 thinking the film would most likely be about the communist state’s film industry. The film, which had its Korean premiere at the ongoing
Yun-mi and her parents
DMZ Korean International Documentary Film Festival, turned out to be something more, if not entirely something else. A lot of it had to do with the limitations the filmmakers faced while shooting: They were only able to film what the authorities let them. Three minders—in director Lee’s words, “the three Mr Kims”—always followed them along, making sure they were not “breaking the rules”. And at the end of each day, Lee and Leong had to submit their footage for censoring by the higher authorities. The pair visited North Korea on four separate occasions between 2008 and 2010 to shoot the 94-minute documentary. The result is an intimate expose of the highly privileged lives of young Pyongyang elites, who wear fake eyelashes and
eye shadow, are pleasant and well mannered, hopelessly and genuinely proud of their state. They also hum Tchaikovsky, live in Pyongyang’s modern apartment complexes and worry about gaining weight while attending the country’s most prestigious film and theatre school. Lee and Leong, who were the first foreigners to film inside Pyongyang’s University of Cinematic and Dramatic Arts, offer a touching and often bizarre portrait of youths living in the world’s most isolated country. The film follows two students. Eun-beom, whose parents are both famous actors in North Korea, looks like a South Korean teenager waiting in line for a concert when he talks about his dreams and aspirations—to become a great actor and ultimately please then-leader Kim Jong-il.
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SOCIETY
In the movie, he participates in a student film that praises North Korea’s health care system, which he calls “the best system in the world”. The passionate young man is well behaved and kind, and tries his best to answer the filmmakers’ questions in detail. What’s ironic is that his poise is the result of his gratitude to the world’s most infamous dictator. The other student the viewers get to learn about is Yun-mi, Eun-beom’s classmate. The paleskinned, soft-spoken young woman is the daughter of a highranking official. Her father works in the field of science, which is, in his own words, “the field our great leader values the most”. Her family lives in modern apartments, not very different from a middle-class South Korean family, with a piano and a separate kitchen. One of her worries is weight gain. She is jealous of her
classmate who dances better. Before her dad gets home, she thinks of what to play for him on the piano once he arrives. She sings a mellow propaganda song while playing the piano, but when
the filmmakers ask her what the lyrics are about, she finds it hard to answer. She can’t tell what is and is not propaganda. “The way we see it is that a lot of the students at this school are very, very, very privileged, and they come from very wellplaced families,” said director Lee during a special talk session held as part of DMZ Docs in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. “And the thing is that in North Korea, films are the same as propaganda. They will tell you that their films are made for the purposes of propaganda. So for someone like Yun-mi who has known nothing but privilege all her life, you know, who lives in a very comfortable apartment, who has everything that she can desire, having the job of making propaganda praising the state—she has no problem doing that because she really believes in it. It is her life.”
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SOCIETY
It was Yun-mi’s teacher who recommended her to be one of the main characters for Lee and Leong’s film, because her highranking parents were in fact against the idea of her becoming an actress before she took the school’s entrance exam. She went against her parents’ wishes to pursue her dream—to be a great actress and make her great leader happy—and her teacher was very proud of Yun-mi for that, said Lee. The way she treats her parents is in fact very casual; she openly whines about how her mother won’t let her drink coffee, and greets her father almost childishly when he gets home. “The question is how much freedom there is for people within the system,” said director Leong. “Because if there was no freedom, if everyone in the system thought it was a bad system, the system wouldn’t survive. “For example, the scene where
Yun-mi sings that song with her piano, she doesn’t really know what the lyrics are about. It’s like a blind spot for her. It’s almost like she’s swimming in this water of propaganda. She does not see it anymore. But at the same time, she is able to go against the wishes of her own parents, which is actually quite a rare thing to do in many Asian societies. So there are spaces for freedom, but there are also blind spots as well.” In the movie, Yun-mi and Eum-beom seem particularly close. It’s unclear if they are dating, but the romantic tension is clearly there. They share a lot of giggles and silly jokes, read Kim Jong-il’s words out loud together, and stroll the winter campus covered in snow. Acting classes are also a lot of fun. They know when to be serious and when to make fun of themselves. Sometimes they want to be lazy, sometimes they
dread dancing classes. They’d prefer pretty shoes over boots on a cold winter day. These are the fleeting moments of youth and innocence, which may soon become regrettable but forgivable. One of the most memorable scenes takes place at a large skating rink. Eun-beom stands right beside Yun-mi, humming Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”, while the photographs of Kim Jongil and Kim Il-sung, placed on the rink’s ceiling, loom large behind them. There is something that’s both romantic and bizarre about the scene, which makes the movie unforgettable. The film, regardless of the censorship and other limitations, captures some of the most beautiful and vulnerable qualities of youth: an innocence yet to be lost, a romantic worldview, and the kind of idealism that only ignorance—or innocence—and safe upbringing can maintain. ¬
SOCIETY
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SOCIETY
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SOCIETY
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LIFESTYLE
Toys from yesteryears
PATTARAWADEE SAENGMANEE THE NATION Bangkok
LIFESTYLE
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Super space capsule
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LIFESTYLE
Super astronaut robot
LIFESTYLE
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Racing motor
LIFESTYLE
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Wind-up dog
LIFESTYLE
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Calculator
LIFESTYLE
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A set of 50-year-old metal chairs of the type used in theatres.
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LIFESTYLE
C
haiyot Sertsaibua, 34, plays the bass guitar, but he splits off some of his passion for oldfashioned stuff. His garage is wall-to-wall vintage cars and he and his pals had a stall in the Rod Fai Night Market where they sold tin toys from the 1950s and '60s, as well as great old furniture and musical instruments. "Vintage Toy & Decor is a hobby," Chaiyot says. "I started creating vintage cars out of my own head eight years ago. I have some mechanical skill, so I select good spare parts, both old and new, from various shops and markets. "In 2010 I started collecting rare tin toys because they're so charming and clever in the way they fold up on the power of one small motor." When the Rod Fai market closed, Chaiyot moved his inventory online, letting collectors sift through his wares on Facebook. It's got videos showing what's in
stock and how the mechanical toys function. Meanwhile space in his house serves as a small warehouse that customers can visit by appointment. Most of the toys come from Japan, and anyone around Chaiyot's age will succumb to nostalgia when they survey the goodies. There's a 1986 Super Apollo Space Capsule with nosecone that lights up. It not only rolls around with a battery's help, it will pop open a door to reveal a miniature but realistic TV set inside. Nasa also provided the inspiration for a 1962 Super Astronaut robot
that packs laser guns and makes noises when it's shooting. "I brought a lot of the tin toys at Klong Thom Market, but some come from a friend's loft, most from Japan but also from America and Germany," Chaiyot says. "The price depends on the functions, design and whether it's still in the original packaging." A good-tempered Charley Weaver Bartender doll, also from 1962, will demonstrate his cocktailshaking technique—until he gets drunk and his face turns red and smoke comes out of his ears. There's a 1960 Aircraft Vehicle with guns that light up, a 1950 Cabin Cruiser from Ohio Art and a 1970 Continental Blue Locomotive train. You can find 20-year-old vintage die-cast model cars in various scales, a set of 50-year-old metal chairs of the type used in theatres, and even a sousaphone. That's in case you always wanted to play the tuba but never got the chance. Now you do. 
LIFESTYLE
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STUFFED ANIMALS PREPARE TO “EAT” A PANCAKE DURING THEIR TOUR.
HEART WARMING TOURS When ‘pack the toys for a trip’ means literally that
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LIFESTYLE YUKIKO TAKANASHI The Yomiuri Shimbun Tokyo
SONOE AZUMA OF UNAGI TRAVEL TAKES A PICTURE OF STUFFED ANIMALS ON A BICYCLE AS PART OF A TOKYO TOUR AT YOYOGI PARK.
O
ne sunny September day, Pen-chan, a stuffed penguin from Ishikawa Prefecture, went on an excursion with a stuffed sheep named Hiroshi from Kyoto Prefecture and three other companions. They weren’t told where they were going, as the trip was to be a mystery tour. Ultimately, they enjoyed a bike ride in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, where they took in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic monument and had pancakes for lunch. In the afternoon, they visited the observatory of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office in Shinjuku Ward. Altogether, the tour cost 2,000 yen (US$20.50) per animal. Yes, you read that correctly—stuffed animals were travelling, not their owners. For the last three years, Sonoe Azuma, 38, of Unagi Travel (http://unagi-travel.com/) has organised tours targeting stuffed animals. She sometimes posts travelogues and snapshots on Facebook, allowing their owners to experience the trip vicariously. Azuma got the idea for Unagi Travel by taking her handmade stuffed eel on trips and putting up its travelogue on her blog. The idea was received well among her friends, which eventually led her to launch the travel agency. She started small, as participants came to her through word of mouth. Lately, the tours have become popular, however, and she organises a maximum of 10 trips a month. Destinations include Izumo, Shimane Prefecture; Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture; Yokohama and even the United States. “So far, more than 200 stuffed animals have participated in the trips, and some of them sign up regularly. I would say 40 per cent of my business is repeat customers,” Azuma said.
LIFESTYLE A helping hand
Owners send their stuffed animals out on trips for various reasons. “I want to see and walk around the sights that I viewed through my stuffed animal’s journeys someday,” said a 51-year-old woman from Saga Prefecture who became reclusive after it became difficult for her to walk due to illness. She said she has changed after having her stuffed animal travel on Azuma’s tours, working to rehabilitate her legs, which she was reluctant to do before. She even went shopping all the way to the next prefecture for the first time in several years. “Seeing my stuffed animal travelling encouraged me. I began to think that I should do what I can do, instead of lamenting over things that I can’t,” the woman said. A severely impaired woman in the Kanto region who uses a wheelchair is a regular participant in Azuma’s tours. The woman has seen her stuffed animal walk along narrow roads and stairs, and support other animals in a group photo. According to Azuma, the woman was so impressed with the animal “doing what she can’t” that she visited Azuma, although she usually doesn’t like to go out. Azuma said she has received such feedback as: “My family was despondent over losing my father, but the stuffed animal’s trip cheered us up, and we now have more conversations at home” and “It was a good opportunity for my
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son in primary school, who couldn’t let his stuffed animal go, to become independent.” Another person said, “I’m worried about changing jobs, but I enjoy interacting with strangers whom I met through my stuffed animal.”
Imaginary companions
According to Ochanomizu University professor Nario Ihara, such stuffed animals may fulfil the role of an “imaginary companion”. Imaginary companions are a psychological phenomenon seen often among children. People in this psychological state regard imaginary beings, such as animals and fairies, as friends in their own fantasy world, and talk or play with them to compensate for loneliness. The phenomenon usually disappears as they grow up. Imaginary companions seem to serve as an intermediary for people to take a next step. “Making their alter ego travel acts as a bridge until the owners can actually go into the outer world and interact with others. Stuffed animal tours may serve as a rehearsal for their mental stability,” Ihara said. Azuma hopes her tours will be a good opportunity for owners to begin warm communication, rather than just be satisfied with letting their alter egos travel. “I’m happy if my activities encourage those who can’t be positive to take a step forward,” Azuma said. ¬
FOOD
Hops warriors are drawing frontlines for the fight to conquer China's craft beer market
PERFORMERS CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF THE QINGDAO BEER FESTIVAL IN AUGUST 2013.
China Daily
A brewing battle
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FOOD MATT HODGES China Daily Beijing
F
oreigners have been flying the flag for craft beer in China. But as it gains traction among locals in top-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai—on both the production and consumption sides—a series of potential turf wars may lie ahead. By the time the sun set on the revellers, barbecues and beer stalls of the 14 microbrewers from around the country that assembled at the Kerry Centre Craft Beer Festival in Shanghai's Pudong last month, its days as a mostly foreign affair seemed numbered. The same goes for China's emerging craft beer market. There was the Chinese man nosing beakers of craft beer like a professional sommelier. Then there was the flamboyantly displayed tattoo of a Terracotta Warrior on the forearm of a local as he pulled drafts of Hop Warrior, specially made by a foreign brew master and featuring tropically scented hops. The body art suggested a spirit of fearlessness in the face of battle. But towering over it all was the Buddha-like serenity radiating from Gao Yan, who stood at the other end of the festival on September 14, surrounded by fawning acolytes. Gao authored "Get Your Own Brew", the first Chinese book on home brewing. "There are already more than 150 home brewers in Shanghai. Maybe in five years we'll see more of them turn into real microbrewers."
FOOD
Many are hamstrung at present by legal regulations that make it difficult to operate small breweries in China, he says. As he spoke, several men rushed over waving copies of his book. "They're my fans," he says, beaming. "We went from brewing to educating." Beijing and Shanghai have emerged as breeding grounds for microbreweries in the last few years. Forbes reports their numbers have doubled since 2010 in Shanghai, where a handful of foreigners rank as the captains of industry in this niche market—for now. Meanwhile, last month's Beijing Beer Geeks Festival became the first craft beer festival in China to see a majority of Chinese breweries, Beijing Today reports. Participants included Panda Brewpub and Tipsy Face Microbrewery. "The Chinese microbreweries are actually more experimental than those run by expats because they're more into using weird ingredients like ginseng, asparagus, seaweed, aniseed and Sichuan pepper, which sometimes taste really good—and sometimes taste really bad," says Kathryn Grant, managing editor of the domestic beer magazine Hops. "It's good, though, because they're coming up with interesting new tastes that you
China Daily
AO YAN HAILS MASTER GAO, WHICH HE OPENED IN 2008, AS CHINA’S FIRST FULLY LICENSED MICROBREWERY FOR CRAFT BEER.
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FOOD wouldn't find in the West. "The craft beer culture in China is really interesting right now. It's just starting out, like 10 years ago in the US when brewers started going rogue. It's not just a 'ganbei' (drink to get drunk) culture anymore." Her free quarterly magazine was published in English in 2011 but went bilingual last year due to popular demand. "Everybody kept asking us when we were going to do a Chinese version, and now that's bigger than the English one," Grant says. Its Autumn 2012 edition shines a spotlight on, among other topics, pumpkin ale. Whereas Shanghai's expatriate craft brewers paint themselves as artisans and beer scientists, Gao comes across more like an unkempt professor. He hails Master Gao, which he opened in his native Nanjing in 2008, as China's first fully licensed microbrewery for craft beer. But he has yet to see a profit after having invested 5
million yuan (US$820,000) in pursuing his dream. Next year will be a game-changer, he says, if he can successfully launch his craft beers nationwide. "I know we're going to be selling a lot," he says, heavily accenting the last two words. "The market is there. But I want to make sure everything is ready first." He has already released a bottled beer called Baby IPA. IPA is a generic term for pale ale that dates back to the India Pale Ale brewed in 19th-century England. Craft beer began bubbling up through the cracks in China about five years ago. But it may still account for as little as 0.01 per cent of the domestic beer market— the world's largest with 50 billion litres consumed in 2011 alone. In contrast, it makes up 6 per cent of the Australian beer market and 12 per cent of the US market, according to New Zealand's Leon Mickelson, who helped organise the Kerry Centre festival in his role as brew master at its onsite
brewery, called simply The Brew. "What is most exciting for me is being in the world's largest market for beer, which is also the largest untapped market for craft beer," he says. "To be one of the first pioneers here is so rewarding. Every day we're moving forward." Most Chinese still drink cheap, pale and watery local brands like Tsingtao, Yanjing or Harbin. But young white-collar workers in cities like Beijing and Shanghai are increasingly exposed to premium beer at annual celebrations like Oktoberfest and the Kunshan Beer Festival. "We're definitely seeing a trend switch, where locals are getting into different styles of beers," says Michael Jordan, the American brew master at Shanghai's Boxing Cat Brewery. "Using local ingredients is part of the story." Jordan and Mickelson seem as much a binding force for Shanghai's foreign microbrewers as Gao is for the Chinese home brewers. "A lot of the craft brewers
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FOOD here know each other and support each other. It's a real beer community. That's unique," Jordan says. "The typical Chinese mentality is more like: Why do you want to help your competitor? But we're all small operators, so we have to build this together. "I think there is some animosity among home brewers with local versus foreign. But I don't really get into those circles much." With gauntlet-throwing names like Triple Threat, tropicalfruit-infused hops and exotic ingredients, it's little wonder the novelty-starved Chinese are starting to tune in and chug back. To tap growing demand, Cheerday Brewery plans to integrate a craft beer section into an 82,000-square-metre beer village that is being built in Qiandaohu (Thousand Island Lake) in Zhejiang province's capital Hangzhou. So says Alan Duffy, an Irish entrepreneur who consults for the architects in charge of the project in the
resort area—one of the top destinations for domestic tourists. American Gary Schkade says: "Chinese don't want the old stuff anymore. They want what other people don't have. "I work with Shanghainese guys, and 80 per cent of them are getting a taste for craft beer. People like Boxing Cat introduced it piece by piece, but now you're getting main guys like Reberg introducing new innovations." Reberg, a Shanghainese brand, brews its beers locally, packs them in stainless steel bottles and markets them to five-star hotels. As it observes the 16thcentury Bavarian Purity Law, it can only contain barley, hops and water, arguably placing it on the more conservative edge of the craft beer spectrum. Craft beer's influence in China is also pouring over provincial capitals like Sichuan's Chengdu, Hubei's Wuhan and Guangdong's Guangzhou, which have all hosted their own dedicated festivals. The way Chinese are embracing
the culture is itself novel, says Shanghai-based Gudrun Hellauer-Schwichtenberg, deputy general sales manager for BLN Restaurants and Caterings. "They describe it online as a mixture between beer and food. They also have their own myths around our beer," she says. "They really analyse it, which I don't think people in the West would do." Back at The Brew's temporary stall in Pudong, which claimed pride of place at the entrance to the beer festival, a middleaged Chinese man ambled up and barked the word "poppy" several times. It was enough to get him a drink. Sophie Cheng, a middleaged woman from Hong Kong, says she enjoyed the IPA, but the pure wheat beer "wasn't as fresh as in Germany". Generally, beer has been gaining popularity in China in recent years, while demand for wine and spirits has been losing steam.
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FOOD China Daily NEW ZEALAND’S LEON MICKELSON HELPS ORGANISE THE KERRY CENTRE CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL IN SHANGHAI.
Beer consumption grew by an average 30 per cent a year from 2006 to 2011, according to London-based global market researcher Mintel. Its average
price rose by about a quarter in roughly the same period. Meanwhile, wine sales' growth slowed from 50 per cent a year over the 2007-10 period to just 12 per cent in 2011. Sales of spirits also saw growth ebb by 8 percentage points to 16 per cent year-on-year in 2011. However, there is still a huge gulf between rich-tasting craft beers that retail for anywhere between 30 to 60 yuan a glass and bottled Chinese beers like Snow or Tsingtao, which can be purchased for about 10 per cent of the cost at most grocery stores. Shandong native Brian Wang, a bartender at the Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai, explains: "I don't like factory beer. It tastes like water. Craft beer is much better. I first got into Hoegarden, but now I like IPA, pilsner and wheat beers." When asked for his thoughts on one of the craft beers at the festival, the 23-yearold smelled it before letting it soak into his palette.
"This has wheat in it, but I can't taste the peppercorn. Maybe I'm not very professional yet," he says. "But 30 yuan is a little expensive. We'd normally pay 10 yuan for a glass this size." However, not all of China's expat brewers are convinced by craft beer's sales pitch. "I would have a problem selling something I'm not satisfied with, but some of these craft brewers sell batches along the way as they experiment," says Rene Schwichtenberg, a brew master for Paulaner in Shanghai. Paulaner is one of six breweries in Munich licensed to produce and sell Oktoberfest beer. "You can't drink craft beer all night. It's not designed for that," Schwichtenberg explains. "A good beer is one that you can drink all evening and not have a headache the next day. That's a good beer." ÂŹ US$1 = 6.1 yuan
FOOD
| November 1-7, 2013 Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald
“MORNING COFFEE” IS PREPARED WITH EGG YOLK, SALT, SESAME OIL AND NUTS AT CAFE SANDA IN SEOUL.
Coffee with a Korean twist Korean coffee culture signals changing lifestyles through the years
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FOOD JULIE JACKSON The Korea Herald
A Seoul
n egg yolk, a pinch of salt, some pine nuts, walnuts and a drop of sesame oil: Sounds like some tasty ingredients for a light salad or quick meal, but no, these are the ingredients of Korea’s once-popular coffee concoction “morning coffee”. In the 1960s and ’70s, morning coffee in Korea had an entirely different meaning than the ritualistic cup of joe so many people grab before heading out to face the world. Morning coffee was the beverage of choice at the local “dabang”—old-time Korean coffee shops—where people stopped by in the morning to grab their breakfast-in-one served piping hot in a cup. The coffee drink is made by taking an egg yolk, sprinkling it with a little salt and adding a drop
of sesame oil before gently placing it into a cup of coffee—instant coffee was the original choice. Some added a couple pine nuts and a walnut for an extra touch. Kim Chang-won is the owner of Cafe Sanda, a quaint venue in the back alleys of Nakseongdae in Seoul with only four small tables to its name. It specialises in coffee bean roasting and hand drip coffee. Kim is a coffee connoisseur, to say the least. He has taken his love and appreciation of coffee to another level, constantly conjuring up new, and sometimes daunting, creations such as coffee ramen and coffee stew. After reading about morning coffee one day, Kim decided to find out what the all fuss was about. “This was a really popular drink in Korea decades ago,” said Kim. “It was said that back in the day, reporters used to gather in the dabang and drink morning coffee before going to work.” One of the main ideas behind
morning coffee was certainly not the taste; rather it was intended to make one feel full and more energised with this one drink. “The salt is used to cut down the richness of the yolk,” he said. “You can drink the entire thing all at once, or sip the coffee and save the yolk for last.” Although the thought of drinking an oily egg yolk coffee may trigger one’s gag reflexes, the idea of making a meal out of coffee has actually become a trend among some coffee drinkers. In the 2009 hit KBS drama Iris, starring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-hee, a scene showing one of the characters putting butter in her coffee had some viewers trying it for themselves. This particular butter coffee is often referred to as “Bulletproof Coffee”, the richness of the butter giving one the sense of feeling full. “Coffee has a close relationship with a country’s culture and people,” said Kim. “I think of
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FOOD coffee as also having a helping hand in communication as well.” While the streets of Seoul are lined with endless rows upon rows of cafes and coffee drinking establishments, the number of people who drink instant coffee in Korea is still roughly 76 per cent, according to estimates from Dongsuh Food, the maker of Maxim coffee. Instant coffee was all the rage in Korea for decades; instant coffee vending machines can still be found everywhere, on the streets, inside subway stations and most business offices; there are numerous Korean restaurants serving a small paper cup of instant coffee as a free treat after one’s meal. According to the Korean Association of Automatic Machine Operators, instant coffee vending machines were once a thriving business with nearly half a million machines scattered across the country in
the 1990s. However, the rise of coffee chain behemoths Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and other major cafe establishments in the country as well as the low cost and ready availability of mix coffee packets have resulted in the number of instant coffee vending machines plummeting, with only 51,782 machines left in the country as of 2011. Instant coffee mix packets, on the other hand, can be found in almost every Korean household and office building, and can be purchased in any grocery or convenience store. “Our culture is unique because anywhere you go—the gas station, work, convenience stores—there’s always going to be a hot water dispenser and coffee mix,” said an official from Dongsuh Food. “In the US, coffee makers are everywhere but in Korea coffee mixes can be found everywhere. This has to do with how easily you can find the mix, and also
how easy it is just to make one at work or anywhere.” The coffee mixes have managed to stay relevant in the competitive market by offering a variety of different flavours. No longer are people limited to the most popular ground coffee, sugar and powdered creamer mix; consumers can now choose among americano, cappuccino, mocha and latte mixes in a wide variety of different flavours. However, one of the biggest reasons it is thought to maintain its popularity is its simplicity and low cost, with an instant coffee packet averaging at only about 130 won per mix. “Cafes are a cultural space where you can communicate with other people... but a lot of the Korean population usually drink coffee at work or home,” said the Dongsuh Food official. “A unique aspect about Korean coffee culture is that coffee mix is set up in all workplaces for free, because it’s so cheap.” ¬
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FOOD Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald A CUSTOMER SELECTS HER CHOICE AT A COFFEE VENDING MACHINE NEAR CHEONGGYECHEON STREAM IN SEOUL.
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FOOD Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald
AN ARRAY OF INSTANT COFFEE MIX SACHETS.
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FOOD
DELICIOUS, TWISTY, MURUKKU With Deepavali just around the corner, what better way to celebrate the Festival of Lights than with the popular ‘twisted’ snack, murukku. Here are our top murukku recipes: THE STAR, Petaling Jaya
SPICY MURUKKU Ingredients . 1 cup dhall flour . 1/2 cup plain flour . 1 tbsp chilli powder . 2 stalk curry leaves . 1/2 tsp salt . 1/2 tsp turmeric . 1 tbsp sesame . 1 tbsp butter . 1 1/2cup water Method . Mix everything except water. . Pour enough water while kneading. . Knead till you get a soft dough. . Heat oil till medium hot. . Use murukku mould for the dough and . press over hot oil. Fry till golden brown.
SPICY MURUKKU Note: If you don't have a murukku mould, you can roll the dough using a rolling pin. Roll a thin layer. Then cut thick slices. Reduce chilli powder if you don't want it to be too spicy.
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FOOD
ORIGINAL MURUKKU Ingredients . 3 cups rice flour . 3/4 cup black pea (ullunthu) flour . 3 tbsp margarine . Hot water . 1 tbsp carom seeds or ajwain (ommum), cleaned . A pinch of salt . 1/2 cup sesame seeds, roasted . Coconut milk from one coconut (concentrated milk only)/ or hot boiling water . 2 tbsp cumin seeds, cleaned . Murukku mould . Cooking oil Method . Roast rice flour over low fire. . Wash and dry the carom seeds, cumin and sesame seeds. . Then roast them over low heat. . Boil coconut milk (can be replaced with just hot water). . In a large bowl, add the rice flour and black pea flour, carom seeds, sesame seeds, cumin, apinch of salt and margarine. Mix well.
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Pour in the hot water or coconut milk, bit by bit and mix till you get a soft dough. Heat up the required amount of oil for frying. Prepare the mould. Add in the dough and squeeze out the murukku and shape them like a mosquito coil onto a plate or squeeze direct into the hot oil. Remove once they turn slight golden in color. Murukkus can last for months if stored well.
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FOOD
ACHI MURUKKU
Ingredients . 3 cups rice flour . 1/2 cup wheat flour . 1 egg . A pinch of salt . 1 cup sugar (or according to your liking) . Coconut milk from one coconut (white only) . Achi murukku mould (Bunga Ros mould) (To season the mould leave it in oil overnight)
Method . In a large bowl, add flour, egg, salt, sugar and coconut milk. . Mix till you get a batter (almost like pancake batter). . Heat oil. Put the mould inside the heated wok. . Dip the mould into batter and then fry in the wok.
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When a flower like design is formed, gently remove the murukku from the mould. It should be exactly the shape of the mould. . Remove and repeat the process.
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FOOD
KAI MURUKKU (HAND-TWISTED MURUKKU) Ingredients . 1/2kg rice flour . 5 tbsp roasted urad dhal flour . 5 tbsp butter . 1 tbsp cumin seeds . Salt to taste . 1kg cooking oil for frying
Method . Mix rice flour, urad dhal flour, butter, cumin seeds and salt and form a dough. . Take a lump of dough in your fist and using the fingers to push the dough out, form a rope-like pattern, shaping it into a spiral at the same time—you can use a circular board of the desired size as guide. . Make five circles for a small spiral and nine circles for a big spiral.
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Each time you run out of dough, take another lump of dough and start again, connecting one end with the other to form a continuous spiral. Deep-fry the spirals in a wok of oil until golden brown on both sides.
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FOOD
SESAME SEED MURUKKU Ingredients . 300g rice flour . 50g black gram flour . 1 tsp cumin . 1 tsp salt . 1 tsp ajowan seeds (oman)
Method . Sift rice flour and black gram flour into a non-stick frying-pan. Fry over a gentle low heat for 4-5 minutes. . Stir constantly to prevent flours from burning or getting brown. Remove and leave overnight, preferably, to cool completely. . Put prepared flours into a mixing bowl and add salt, cumin, ajowan seeds and sesame seeds. Mix in butter or margarine and gradually pour in enough coconut milk to mix into a stiff dough. . Put enough dough into a murukku mould fitted with a star nozzle and pipe into spirals, starting from the centre, onto square pieces of greaseproof paper.
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10-15g sesame seeds, pan-fried 30g butter or margarine, softened at room temperature . 560ml coconut milk (from 1 grated coconut)
Lightly press the tail end of the dough against the side of the coil of dough (this is done to prevent the murukku from uncoiling or getting out of shape during frying.) Once all the dough is used up, heat enough oil in a wok until just hot but not smoking. Slide in the murukku dough and fry over medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain murukku on several layers of kitchen paper. Store in an airtight container when cool.
DATEBOOK
| November 1-7, 2013
SINGAPORE
GREENURBANSCAPE ASIA GreenUrbanScape Asia is a new trade exhibition and conference reflecting the emerging importance of finding landscape and urban design solutions in the region. The latest and best solutions to environmental issues of the landscape and urban greenery industry are awaiting visitors to discover there. When: November 7-9 Where: Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre
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| November 1-7, 2013
SHANGHAI
SHANGHAI ART FAIR This is Asia's celebrated art exchange, proven to have the largest scale, longest history and highest internationalisation level in China. It presents domestic and overseas collectors marvellous art-collecting opportunities. When: November 14-17 Where: Shanghai MART
DATEBOOK
| November 1-7, 2013
BEIJING
THE BIRD'S NEST ICE AND SNOW FESTIVAL The Disney princess-themed festival will take place at the US$423-million Beijing Olympic venue—the Bird's Nest. The stadium has worked together with the Disney company and made a dream world of "Disney Princesses". The charming 2,000-square-metre area incorporates up-to-date technology and LED effects. The dream world presents seven Disney princesses with carefully orchestrated exhibition areas: Mermaid Submarine Dream Concert, Midnight Party of Cinderella, Floating Projection of Beauty and the Beast, Snow White Interactive Area, Tangled Castle, Lamp of Aladdin Interactive Area, and Sleeping Beauty Photos Area. When: December 2013 Where: Beijing Bird’s Nest
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| November 1-7, 2013
SURIN, THAILAND
SURIN ELEPHANT ROUND-UP AND ELEPHANT SHOW Surin, the northeastern province is very well known to both Thai people and international tourists as “the Land of Elephants”. It has been presenting the Elephant RoundUp for more than 50 years. Now, as an internationally recognised event, Elephant Round-Up begins with a wonderful elephant parade through the streets, and the famous “elephant breakfast”. After that, the shows also include elephant talent competitions, demonstration of the various techniques used to capture and train elephants, a presentation of ancient elephant warfare techniques, a series of shows displaying the strength and skill of the animals, such as football games and a tug-of-war between men and elephants. When: November 1-30
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| November 1-7, 2013
PENANG/LANGKAWI
RAJA MUDA SELANGOR INTERNATIONAL REGATTA 2013 The Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta is one of Asia’s oldest keelboat sailing events now on its 24th year. It is organised by the Royal Selangor Yacht Club in association with the UK-based Royal Ocean Racing Club. With a mixture of overnight passage and harbour races starting in Port Klang, the coastal course comprises a total of 240 miles up the Malacca Straits, with stops at the unique tropical islands of Pangkor, Penang and Langkawi. Competitive sailors from Asia and beyond come to Malaysia each year in their hi-tech racing yachts, to participate alongside local challengers and historic vessels. When: November 15-23 Where: Straits Quay Marina Penang, Telaga Harbour Langkawi
DATEBOOK
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VIENTIANE, LAOS
LAO HMONG NEW YEAR The Lao Hmong New Year celebration features colourful displays of traditional costumes made from green, red and white silk and ornate silver jewelry. It features music from traditional Hmong instruments such as the Hmong-style khene pipe and leaf blowing. Other festivities include the Makkhon (cotton-ball) throwing ceremony, ox fighting, spinning-top races and crossbow demonstrations. When: Early December--
| November 1-7, 2013