Get to know different types of Japanese crackers

Senbei are traditional Japanese crackers that have been enjoyed for centuries. The crackers were first introduced to Japan via China during the Tang Dynasty, but these early senbei were made from potato and had a cake-like texture. Modern Japanese senbei made from toasted rice were created during the Edo period, when the salty soy sauce variety of Japanese rice crackers became particularly popular.

In the eastern Kanto region, senbei are made from non-glutinous rice flour mixed into a dough and formed into flat discs that are baked or roasted over a flame. However, senbei made from glutinous rice can be found in the western Kansai region. Senbei are sold everywhere from supermarkets and department stores to yatai (street food stands) at outdoor festivals. Specialty senbei artisan makers also still exist, especially in older neighborhoods and districts.

Shoyu (Soy Sauce)

Soy sauce-flavored senbei are the most common flavor found in Japan. These senbei are made by brushing or dipping the rice crackers in soy sauce as they’re toasted over a flame, giving them a wonderful aroma and deeply savory flavor.

Seaweed (Nori)

Nori-flavored senbei are made by wrapping toasted rice crackers in a thin sheet of dried nori seaweed. These can also be made by mixing small shredded pieces of nori or aonori (powdered seaweed) into the senbei dough before baking.

Kuro Goma (Black Sesame)

While senbei are typically made with a dough of rice flour, black sesame senbei are made with a dough of flour and sesame seeds instead. The result is a deliciously nutty senbei cracker with an attractively speckled surface.

Togarashi (Red Chili Pepper)

For fans of spicy foods, togarashi senbei is sure to be a favorite. After toasting, the rice crackers are coated thickly in red chili pepper powder and flakes. The flavor can be too spicy for many Japanese people.

Ika (Squid)

Ika senbei, also called “ika-sen”, are one of several varieties of seafood senbei. Ika-sen can be made a few different ways, such as mixing pieces of grilled squid together with a binding agent and baking them flat, or by baking a single piece of whole squid onto the surface of a rice cracker. Not only does ika senbei have a striking appearance, but it’s incredibly delicious - the perfect accompaniment for a cold beer.

Ebi (Shrimp)

Ebi senbei, or “ebi-sen”, are made by mixing finely minced shrimp into senbei dough before baking. The color of the shrimp adds bright threads of red and pink to the toasted rice cracker when cooked.

Zarame (Sugar)

Although Japan has many kinds of savory rice crackers, there are a number of sweet senbei crackers as well. Sugared senbei is made with zarame sugar, known for its large crystals.

Read more: Enjoy the most famous egg dishes from Japan

Source gurunavi

Best street foods in Dubai

Although Dubai may be known for being a futuristic city teeming with malls, shopping, and fancy restaurants, many people don’t realize that the street food in Dubai is also a traveler’s dream. Here’s the secret to what the locals in Dubai actually eat!

Shawarma

Made with either thinly sliced chicken, lamb, or beef, this is probably the most common and filling street food in Dubai. Rolled into a soft flatbread and filled with fresh vegetables, onions, and a delicious spicy or creamy sauce, this is one of the best street foods worth traveling to Dubai for.

Chips Oman Roll

One of Dubai’s most favorite childhood snacks, this roll is sold in every cafeteria or road side tea ship. A simple roll made with spreadable cheese and smashed spicy potato chips, for reasons unknown this remains Dubai’s absolute favorite with children and anyone who wants a quick snack down memory lane.

Samboosa

Originally brought over from India and based on the Indian samosa, these are triangle shaped stuffed pastries. Filled with succulent meats, vegetables, and spices, these are a popular snack for a long car ride. Be careful though, they can get addictiveand you’ll start to lose count of how many you’ve eaten!

Manakkish

Another delicious road side food is manakkish – basically a large flatbread cooked in an oven with different assortments on top, almost like a pizza. You can choose from meat toppings to vegetable toppings to thyme and olive oil, and will never regret ordering one!

Lugaimat

This is a dessert street food that is purely Emirati, and a huge hit with tourists! Lugaimat are fried balls of dough, made perfectly so the outside is crispy while the inside is still fluffy and piping hot. To finish it off locals will lightly sprinkle date syrup or rose flavored honey over the top of these bite-sized donuts. You won’t be able to just have one, and people will usually order an entire bowl just for themselves!

See more: Most impressive architetures in Dubai

Source: Internet

7 popular restaurants in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai has hundreds of dining options, so whether you are looking for a fragrant bowl of khao soi noodles, a romantic table in an old teak house, or a chic urban venue to enjoy the local fare and do some people watching, the perfect restaurant awaits. Choose from these top 7 best restaurants below and you cannot go wrong.

The Restaurant at Anantara

The Restaurant at the Anantara Chiang Mai Resort offers breakfast, lunch and dinner to both hotel guests and visitors from outside the hotel. The Restaurant offers a fine dining experience at one of Chiang Mai’s finest five-star hotels. The outside area has riverside views of Chiang Mai and is a great place to spend sunset. The inside area has a mix of tables and booths to sit in and large glass windows so guests can still see the river and garden area.

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center

Is it the most utterly delicious meal in the city? Not exactly. Is it a quintessential Chiang Mai experience? 100 percent. The northern Thai equivalent of dinner theater couples deliciously pan-regional meals, think slightly sweet, northern Thai-style pork curry, chile-based dips, as well as a couple central Thai dishes with traditional dance, and has been entertaining both local and foreign visitors for the last 40 years.

David’s Kitchen

David’s Kitchen is my favorite place in Chiang Mai for fine dining. This is where you go when you want to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, impress a date or just enjoy a very nice meal. Most of the menu is comprised of French recipes such as lobster bisque, escargot, and salad Nicoise. The restaurant also offers seafood selections and local recipes elevated to a fine dining standard.

The chef’s favorite dishes, and the ones he is mastered most, are beef. Reservations are highly recommended and essentially required if you want a table on most weekends or holidays, as this is one of Chiang Mai’s most popular restaurants.

Huen Phen Restaurant

This long-time favourite restaurant has been serving up mouthwatering northern Thai fare for more than four decades. It serves one of the best khao sois in Chiang Mai, along with a range of northern Thai fare prepared according to the family recipe. The non-descript open-air section is open for lunch, whereas dinner is served in an atmospheric dining room.

Good View

Good View is a Chiang Mai institution due to its riverside location, live music and good value menu, offering a range of Thai, Japanese and International cuisines. The Kantoke, a customary platter of Chiang Mai delights is highly recommended.

Mit Mai

The back hills of Chiang Mai province are home to remote communities of Yunnanese Chinese, and for several decades now, this restaurant has brought their cuisine to the city folk. Go for dishes with uniquely Chinese ingredients such as pleasantly salty Yunnan-style air-dried ham, wok-seared greens, spicy and fragrant DIY salads, and for contrast, one of the typically mild, comforting soups.

The House

This upscale, cosmopolitan restaurant in the middle of the Old City is set in a mid-century wooden house and offers an East-meets-West fusion menu and a selection of Thai favorites, too. The result is a modern, international venue to match the crowd.

Read more: Best foods to try in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Source Internet