#southeast Asian food and culture | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mangoesinthailand · 1 year

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#mangoes in Thailand #mangoes #historical studies #decolonizing the classroom #decolonial praxis #southeast Asian food and culture #Southeast Asia #Thailand #Siam #ayutthaya #mango sticky rice #habitus

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lotusinjadewell · 10 months

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Street food and scenery in Hanoi, Vietnam. Credit to nofoodphobia (Instagram).

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thebleedingwoodland · 4 months

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TS4 - Nasi Lemak

D E C O R A T I O N

Nasi lemak is a dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk that is traditionally served with anchovies, cucumbers, peanuts, and boiled eggs. The dish is rounded up with the addition of a spicy chili paste called sambal.

Although originally invented as a breakfast dish, soon it surpassed its original purpose and became the Malaysian national dish which can be eaten at any time.

1 Swatch

Polycount: 3,896

Price: 5

Low poly & Stylized, fit for TS4's style Maxis Match

Mesh is not made by me. Nasi Lemak mesh is made by carysgooi from Sketchfab

Plate is made by adamaysils from Sketchfab and with my own modification re-UVMap and retexture.

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To any modders, feel free to use this Nasi Lemak mesh for your custom food or default replacement for Nasi Lemak in The Sims 4: For Rent due to horrible portrayal of Nasi Lemak in that Expansion Pack.

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Can be found on Decorations> Miscellaneous

[ Download ]

@maxismatch4sims @maxismatchccworld @maxismatchsims4 @maxismatchsims4 @ts4cc-finds @ts4maxismatch @culturalccfinds @ts4maxismatch Thank you in advance for reblogging

EA Maxis' wrong Nasi Lemak [Read More...]

texture that should be porridge for toddler 😂

Not just me, from Indonesia which is neighbour country to Malaysia, who are annoyed at the inaccuracy. Malaysian Sims player has already complained about this. Read more on Reddit article below.

Feel sorry for the bad representation, Malaysian brothers & sisters 🙏

#the sims 4 #ts4 #ts4cc #ts4cc download #ts4cc food download #ts4 nasi lemak #ts4 asian food #southeast asian #nasi lemak #malaysian food #the sims 4 for rent #ts4 maxis match #asian culture #EA Maxis San Francisco terrible representation for southeast asian culture

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mywitchcultblr · 2 years

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Racism and Asian Foods

Yo, Southeast Asian here. I dunno, feels like talking about cuisine. I can't speak for all Asian people obviously but I see that there's people ( primary white people ) who claimed they make authentic Asian foods but then they did it wrong or used the wrong ingredients because they cannot stand the authentic taste or spice.

I know it's sounds like not a big deal, but don't call it authentic or just let's say 'Thai Green Curry' if it's NOT using the correct ingredients and not cooked properly. Just call it 'my version of Thai Green Curry' or something like that

Food is very important for Asian countries everywhere, especially my country. Food bring us together and is an important part of people's identity. The problem that I see, is that some white people fucked up Asian dish, claimed it to be authentic or at least correct and then they share their bad recipes to other white people.

Thus created a massive misinformation about the food. I saw Jamie Oliver made a 'Green Curry' and it's all SO WRONG

youtube

I'm using Thai Green Curry as an example, I'm not Thai. But this video is a great example

It's kinda sting when arrogant white people like Oliver refused to respect Asian dishes. ESPECIALLY with the fact that many European country ENSLAVED Asian countries for centuries for our spices and natural resources

A white British guy fucking up Asian food hurts my soul, and he claimed to be a pro

People like Jamie Oliver who refuses to respect Asian foods is just racist. It's one thing to experiment and make your own recipe and it's another thing to bastardized the original recipe

Also, please if you go to an Asian restaurant that serve spicy foods and you order it. Don't complain if you can't handle spice, YOU KNOW it will be spicy... Restaurant menu always provide necessary information

Some people be like "Ughh why it's spiccyyy" "ughhh too many garlic or whatever."

It's one thing to have opinion, I get it people have different taste, but you know the Karen- like complaining is just rude

Just don't order it if you can't handle spice

#foods #asia #asian foods #asian food #southeast asia #jamie oliver #white people #colonialism #rant #culture #social justice #equality #cooking #Youtube

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ai-azura · 1 year

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Celebrating the Lunar New Year: Origins, Customs, Traditions, and Festivities

The History and Significance of the Lunar New Year The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a holiday that is celebrated by many East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. It is a time for families to come together and celebrate the new year, as well as pay respects to their ancestors. The origins of the Lunar New Year can be traced back to ancient China, where it was a time to…

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#Ancestor veneration #Cultural performances #Customs and traditions #East Asian cultures #Festivities #Fireworks #Korean dance and music #Korean Seollal #Lion dance #Lunar New Year #New Year celebrations #Red envelopes #Southeast Asian cultures #Spring Festival #Traditional foods #Vietnamese Tet #Water puppets

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thephilosopheroftheboudoir · 11 months

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youtube

Cooking and eating cow head curry

#asian food #curries #khmer food #thai food #cambodian food #southeast asia #asian culture #asian cuisine #Youtube

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myfoodbase · 1 year

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Exploring Delicious Southeast Asian Food Scene

Embark on a culinary adventure through Southeast Asia's vibrant street food scene and discover the must-try dishes and unique culinary experiences of the region.

Trying new foods and flavors is one of travel’s most exciting experiences. And few places can match Southeast Asian’s in terms of street Asian food. The street food stalls in this area are a veritable treasure trove of culinary delights, from the hot and sour flavors of Thailand to the rich and savory dishes of Indonesia. Bring your appetite and check out some of the street food vendors if…

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#Asian food #Asian food near me #culture #food #Southeast Asia #street food #travel

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esotericpluto · 1 year

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where is your future spouse from

from left to right; intuitively choose the pile you feel more connected to. To make it easier, you can take a deep breathe, close your eyes and ask for guidance to your deities or guides. These are all general messages, so just take what resonates and leave what doesn't. This reading is timeless. If it resonates, feedback is always appreciated and motivates to keep doing pick a card readings. You can donate here.

dividers: @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

pile 1

I feel like for most of you who picked this pile this person is of Asian descent. Keep in mind that Asia is a big country with many countries and ethnic groups, so I will try to break it down more.

I do feel like for some of you who chose this pile, your future spouse might be of korean origin, but I feel like they will be half white and/or live in the west, like Europe or North America. This message seems to be more true for those of you who have strong scorpio, aquarius and possibly aries influences in your chart. If your name starts with C, E or P or has a more vintage vibe to it, it can still be for you.

For another group who chose this pile, I'm sensing someone of indian origin, I'm getting they could be kashmir and, for some of you, even telugu as well. This feels especially true for those of you that have a strong sagittarius or leo influence in your charts or if your name starts by A, L or U.

I am getting for a minority of people who chose this pile, your fs might be of levantine origin, mainly lebanese and/or palestinian, living most likely in Lebanon, for some of you, or in Southern Europe as of now. I feel like this message is especially true for those of you with strong scorpio, taurus or libra placements. Especially those who get M, S or V as first names.

pile 2

For this pile, I'm specifically getting southeast asian, most likely indonesian and/or malay. I feel like they might be living in Singapore right now. If you are a capricorn, a virgo or a cancer or have strong influences from these signs, this might be the ethnicity of your fs.

I'm getting potentially someone is of sub-saharian african descent mixed with european for some people who picked this pile. I'm getting this person might have ancestors from different parts of Africa and Europe and I'm getting difficulty pinpointing some exact places. I feel like for some of you, they might be west african and partially british. For others, this person could be afrolatino from the caribbean. Signs for this one I'm only getting scorpio and pisces, but I'm also gettingthe initials C, M and D.

There is a smaller group of you that could have a fs from a eastern african country too, potentially Ethiopia or Somalia. I'm getting this is likely true for you especially if you always enjoyed cultures and foods from different african countries, if you like the color red or if your name starts by J, F or E. Potentially if you like orange or are a capricorn rising/sun/moon.

pile 3

I'm getting a strong european influence here. I feel like this person might be italian and, for some of you, of a similar background like iberian, balkan or greek. You will meet them while on a trip to their country or city, if you are from the same country. This might resonate the most with those of you who like the color green, to wear t-shirts or whose name starts with B. If you are a cancer, leo, libra or taurus, this might also be true for you.

For others of you, I'm getting this person might be mexican, likely of a mestizo background. I feel like they might be in the US living right now, although for some it could even be Canada. This might resonate more with you if you like green vegetables like spinach or broccoli, if you like coke, if you like the colors red and pink, if you like mermaids or are of strong aquarius, aries or gemini.

For some of you, although a larger minority, your fs might also be argentinian or brazillian. This can be true especially if you like soccer (I think this one are my guides joking), cinema, romance movies/books, the color white and pink, lana del rey. Alternatively, if your name starts by N, A or Z and your signs are leo, virgo or cancer.

#pac #pick a card #pick a pile #fs pac #fs pac reading #fs pick a card #future spouse readings #future spouse pac #future spouse pick a card #free readings #intuitive readings #tarot readings #love readings #love pac readings #free intuitive readings #free tarot readings

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quartztwst · 5 months

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I DELETED THE ASK IM SO SORRY WAAHHHH 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I'm also Hmong!!! I don't really say it much bc not a lot of people know of us 😭😭😭 I grew up with both of my parents families but I'm trying to learn our culture so I can't speak hmong. I know a bit but I can't speak it.

But it's alright if you don't know the culture, I even don't know it 😓😓😓 we just gotta learn though!!

Here’s a short basic context or info about Hmong people though:

Hmong people are an Asian ethic group in East and Southeast Asia. We are found in many different countries!! Examples like Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, China, and America!!! (There’s probably others in other countries too).

AND HERE'S MY TWEEL HMONG HCS!!! (BTW these are based on my experiences as a Hmong American person and also this will have explanations about our culture which will be highlighted in blue.)

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:

- Jade and Floyd are slightly tanner because not all Asians are pale white 💀💀💀 jk but I think they're the types to get easily tanned in the sun (and Azul gets sunburnt)

- They have a few freckles/marks/(DOTS?? HOW TF DO YOU DESCRIBE THOSE?? BEAUTY MARKS WTF??) on their face. Yall never seen me draw them bc um.... I drew these like.. today HELPP

- Jade also has the string bracelet on his wrist. They're like the things that keep your soul with you and they keep you from getting sick and bad luck/spirits (I MEAN THATS HOW MY MOM EXPLAINS IT LMAOO. I remember my grandparents would tie one on my wrist and speak in another language. I don't remember if it was Thai or Chinese.)

Examples of it:

- I used to draw Floyd with it because I thought that since he seems like the type to get noticeably more in trouble than Jade (because he's discreet) and his grandma would be worried for him so she would tie that to his wrist so he wouldn't get more in trouble (bc some older generations think that sometimes the things you do or that you're sick is because your soul has been flying away?? Or that your soul has been taken. Its nothing bad. It's just something cultural and in their religion of Hmong people.) But I feel like he would get annoyed and cut it off later LMAOO

- (Tais means Grandma on mom’s side) So Jade has it but you can't see it with his gloves and long sleeves in the way.

- There's not much to say about their appearances 😭😭😭

SOME HMONG HEADCANONS OF THEM:

- Jade knows the Hmong language and how to speak it but Floyd doesn't but he knows some of it (I'M PROJECTING. I'M PROJECTING SOOO BAD.)

- I think Floyd doesn't really put the effort on learning because "everyone else speaks English (in my universe 😓😓😓 idk)" so he doesn't really bother learning how to speak it but he does know some words.

- He uses a lot of context clues to understand like if he knows some words of the sentence, he'll respond but if there's words he DOESN'T know, he'll be like "huh? Gucci pow.... (<- BAD PRONUNCIATION OF HMONG WORDS)"

- Jade knows Hmong and English so this mf is bilingual.

- Sometimes he would whisper stuff in Hmong to Floyd and THEY BOTH WOULD GIGGLE BC THEY'RE MAKING FUN OF SOMEONE 😭😭😭 AND YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND (UNLESS YOU DO) SO NOW YOU'RE SCARED IF THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUUUU

- Or there's no giggling because Floyd doesn't understand so all you hear is a "huh?" And Jade says nevermind, LEAVING FLOYD CONFUSED AND ANGRY.

- Their mom speaks both Hmong and English while their dad only knows Hmong but is trying to know English (because it's better for business but I feel like he'll have other people speak for him).

- I like to think that Floyd doesn't really wanna speak to his dad than his mom is because of the language barrier. It's hard to speak to eachother with limited words (i know by experience 😞😞😞). It's genuinely sad but they both try their hardest to understand eachother.

- Jade and Floyd like to share Azul some of their foods in their culture (THEY STILL HAVE THEIR CANON FAVORITE FOODS. Also i still dont know how the fuck they cook their food in the sea. I know they eat raw food like Jade said BUT MR. ASHENGROTTO SAID HIS MOMMY OWNS A RESTAURANT AND AZUL KNOWS HOW TO COOK???)

- Like Naab Vaam, Pho, and stuff (some of our food are actually from other countries that we live in/came from like Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and etc. We just put our own spin on them so they may or may not taste the same as their origin.)

- I don't think in the sea they wear clothes but Jade and Floyd found some Hmong clothes on the surface and found it cool.

- I don’t actually know their exact type of Hmong clothes they wear though. (Hmong people have different types of clothing depending on who you are and where you’re from. It’s very important to know which one you are. Also there’s 2 different dialects of Hmong and probably MORE?? idk……)

- I drew them wearing Hmong clothes that my family wears though:

ITS NOT A GOOD PICTURE but I was so proud of myself guys please it was months ago since i made that nfkjanfkjasdjhfjhjfk

- I was hoping to figure which type of Hmong they are like Hmong Green, Hmong White, etc etc BUT I’M TOO EMBARASSED TO ASK MY MOM BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SHE’LL THINK IT’S SILLY TO USE THIS INFO ON ANIME CHARCATERSUIDHFAHDJKFHK

- So i just use the info i already know 😭😭😭😭

- (Also the necklaces hanging on their necks are silver necklaces. THEY’RE SO FUCKING HEAVY. MY MOM HAS A REAL SILVER ONE AND GOD DAMN. THEY GIVE YOU SO MUCH NECK PAIN. But they represent our wealth 😞😞😞. Good thing they recently made ones without real silver. Also there’s Hmong clothes with silver coins on them and they also represent wealth!! They hurt less!!)

- Hopefully I can recreate the Tweels in Hmong clothes in better art!! I CAN BARELY SEE THIS ONE.

I think I’m done for now. I was hoping to say more but I don’t have any more 😭😭😭😭 But I hope you find these somehow a bit interesting and helpful about Hmong culture. I was really excited to tell someone my Tweel Hmong HCs because hkuahfjdkshfjkahj I DON’T KNOW I JUST GET HAPPY!! I love sharing my culture even if I’m still learning it. Not a lot of people know about us because we don’t have a country. But im really happy to meet other Hmong people on here and share the representation!!

#twisted wonderland #twst #jade leech #floyd leech #octavinelle #azul ashengrotto #hmong #headcanon #headcanons #twst headcanons #twst hcs #jade leech hcs #floyd leech hcs #hmong hcs

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geckoscream · 4 months

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hello, it is i, sam (any pronouns), a new simblr. 🐸✨

well, not really, since i had a simblr last year but i deactivated it bc i was too busy in college (i still am busy due to me working on my thesis film), and i've been posting for a few days already. i came back upon hearing about the for rent pack referencing southeast asian food and culture. if i see a filipino reference, i wear my biggest pair of sunnies, pull out my philippine flag, and wave it as a colorful array of fireworks explode behind me. /j

i plan to keep my style mostly maxis mix. i'm also going to post mostly random screenshots and some cas lookbooks and portraits. if i'll post anything gameplay-related, expect it to be a bit odd. chaotic. not-so-organized. silly, even. perhaps i'll even make bad cc in the future. btw that's my sim, tina fish, and she has a daughter, tuna. yes i plan to name everyone after food.🐟

feel free to follow and reblog, i'd like to make friends and mutuals here again. we can talk about the endless bugs that makes the sims 4 so annoying and occasionally funny, and much more (*cough* honkai star rail *cough*).

#sims 4 #the sims 4 #ts4 #new simblr #ts4 simblr #simblr #geckoscream

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thebleedingwoodland · 3 months

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*Adding more Southeast Asia representation for The Sims 4: For Rent Expansion Pack*

The Sims 4 Indonesia Culture (Fanmade Stuff Pack) by Waronk & Cepzid

CC Download link

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Gokil sih ini!

Ada warung tenda, truk tahu bulat, bisa jajan bakso gerobakan, makanan indonesia banyak yang bisa dibeli di sini, truk tahu bulat & sepeda bisa dibawa pula!!

Sangat autentik Indonesia & kreatif!

@waronkccs-blog @hanalinori (Cepzid)

Check out their mods, they're very talented modders in The Sims 4 community. Thank you very much for sharing your content!

#the sims 4 #ts4 #reblog other people's post #ts4 mod #ts4 indonesian culture #waronk #hanalinori #cepzid #tahu bulat #indonesian food #southeast asian #the sims 4 for rent #bakso

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coolvietnamlove · 2 months

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Hanoi, Vietnam: Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is known for its centuries-old architecture and a rich culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences. At its heart is the chaotic Old Quarter, where the narrow streets are roughly arranged by trade. There are many little temples, including Bach Ma, honoring a legendary horse, plus Đồng Xuân Market, selling household goods and street food

#Hanoi #Vietnam

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boccher · 7 months

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Ok this fish poll has me intrigued... a lot of people saying that, if they were told they were having meat, they wouldn't expect to get fish. I can't really relate to that at all, Fish is as regular as chicken or pork in my diet, it would be a reasonable expectation for me. Maybe for people living far inland, seafood is considered a special-occasion food, and so they separate it from meat in their mind.

Also I have no idea if most people in Australia consider fish to be meat or not honestly. All I know is fish is a common protein in my parents cuisine (Southeast asian) and our family would all consider it meat. but how much of my definition is influenced by my nationality and how much by my culture...

Another thing I read in the notes of that post was "offal isn't meat"? Like, I've eaten liver, heart, tripe, I never wouldve thought someone doesnt consider them meat. odd textures for sure, but still meaty.. I guess the idea for some people is that meat only includes muscle/fat/connective tissue, and not specialised organs. I dunno what to think of that

And then there was someone saying freshwater fish are meat and saltwater fish aren't.... I'm not sure how you can even tell the difference when it's on your plate. Don't some species of fish live in both

This just makes me think, how was meat first conceptualised in each culture and what made them all so different. it'd be really interesting to see, like, the root argument for all of these factors of contention, and how they were influenced from that culture's diet, location, customs and practices and all that

#meat #food #im full on rambling about meat instead of getting out of bed

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yakuzacanons · 8 months

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YakuzaCanons Masterlist Part 1

For Part 2 of the masterlist, click here!

Below are the links to all my headcanons for each of the Yakuza characters. Currently covers Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, Yakuza 5, Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, and Yakuza Ishin. Categories are separated by each individual character. If multiple characters are in one post, then it will be filed under miscellaneous.

Kazuma Kiryu

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Dating A Popular Male Host

How He Uses His Voice With His S/O

Getting His Hair Braided By His S/O (Ishin)

Majima Goro

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Age Gap Dating Headcanon

Makoto Jealousy Headcanon

Majima Getting Doted On By His S/O

Having A Crush On Someone Similar To Makoto

Having A Crush On Someone Similar To Makoto Pt. 2

Being Friends With A Younger Person

Having A Crush On Someone From Another Culture

Reaction To His Kitsune S/O Spitting Out A Hairball

Dating A Chubby S/O

Living With A Depressed S/O

Getting Caught As Goromi

Y0 Majima Headcanons

Childhood Headcanons

Teaching His S/O Self Defense (Ishin)

Finding Out One Of His Subordinates Has A Crush On Him

Akiyama Shun

At Karaoke With A Shy S/O

Blorbo Bingo

How He Uses His Voice With His S/O

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Saejima Taiga

Saejima Body Headcanons

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Teaching His S/O Self Defense (Mild NSFW)

Platonic Headcanons

Tanimura Masayoshi

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Dating A Southeast Asian S/O

Dating A Coworker

Ryuji Goda

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

S/O Helps Him Bleach His Hair

Growing Up And Crushing On His Childhood Friend

Blorbo Bingo

Nishikiyama Akira

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

His S/O Calming Him Down

Dating A Trans Guy

Blorbo Bingo

Daigo Dojima

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Office Sex Before An Important Meeting (NSFW)

Mine Yoshitaka

Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Play Wrestling With His S/O

Blorbo Bingo

Mine With A Sugar Baby

Teaching His S/O To Sword Fight (Ishin)

Tianyou Zhao

Getting Handmade Mooncakes As A Gift

Sneaking Into HQ To See Them

S/O Takes His Glasses

Ice Cream Date

Getting A Flower Ring/Flower Crown

Arcade Date

S/O Sneaking Pics Of Him

Joon-Gi Han (Y7)

Sneaking Into HQ To See Them

S/O Brings Fresh Bread To HQ

Ice Cream Date

Getting A Flower Ring/Flower Crown

Dating Headcanons (SFW + NSFW)

S/O Sneaking Pics Of Him

Joon-Gi Han (Y6)

Dating Headcanons (SFW + NSFW)

Shinada Tatsuo

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Tachibana Tetsu

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Mirei Park

Blorbo Bingo

Rikiya Shimabukuro

Going Around Tokyo With His S/O

Osamu Kashiwagi

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Dating An S/O Who Likes To Cook/Other Food Headcanons

S/O Takes His Glasses (Bartner-Wagi Edition)

Miscellaneous Headcanons

Ishin Dating Headcanons

Masaru Watase

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Masaru Sera

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Takabe Mamoru

Sneaking Into HQ To See Them

Romantic Intimacy With His Hands

S/O Takes His Glasses

S/O Taking Pics Of Him In Secret

Yu Nanba

S/O Takes His Glasses

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Getting A Handmade Sweater/Scarf

Koichi Adachi

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Getting A Handmade Sweater/Scarf

Tsuruno Yuki

General Dating Headcanons (SFW + NSFW)

Shigeki Baba

General Dating Headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

Hana

General Dating Headcanons (SFW Only)

Yuki

General Dating Headcanons (SFW Only)

Nishida

Blorbo Bingo

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southeastasianists · 2 months

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Often described as the world’s largest Buddhist monument, Borobudur rises from the jungles of central Java: a nine-leveled step pyramid decorated with hundreds of Buddha statues and more than 2,000 carved stone relief panels. Completed in 835 AD by Buddhist monarchs who were repurposing an earlier Hindu structure, Borobudur was erected as “a testament to the greatness of Buddhism and the king who built it,” says religion scholar and Borobudur expert Uday Dokras.

Though Buddhists make up less than one percent of Indonesia’s population today, Borobudur still functions as a holy site of pilgrimage, as well as a popular tourist destination. But for the Indonesian Gastronomy Community (IGC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating Indonesian food culture, Borobudur is “not just a temple that people can visit,” says IGC chair Ria Musiawan. The structure’s meticulous relief carvings, which depict scenes of daily life for all levels of ninth-century Javanese society, provide a vital source of information about the people who created it. Borobudur can tell us how the inhabitants of Java’s ancient Mataram kingdom lived, worked, worshiped, and—as the IGC demonstrated in an event series that ended in 2023—ate.

The IGC sees food as a way to unite Indonesians, but the organization also considers international gastrodiplomacy as a part of their mission. Globally, Indonesian food is less well-known than other Southeast Asian cuisines, but the country’s government has recently made efforts to boost its reputation, declaring not one, but five official national dishes in 2018. To promote Indonesian cuisine, the IGC organizes online and in-person events based around both modern and historical Indonesian food. In 2022, they launched an educational series entitled Gastronosia: From Borobudur to the World. The first event in the series was a virtual talk, but subsequent dates included in-person dinners, with a menu inspired by the reliefs of Borobudur and written inscriptions from contemporary Javanese sites.

In collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other partner organizations, the first meal in the Gastronosia series was, fittingly, held at Borobudur, with a small group of guests. The largest event, which hosted 100 guests at the National Museum in Jakarta, aimed to recreate a type of ancient royal feast known as a Mahamangsa in Old Javanese, meaning “the food of kings.” The IGC’s Mahamangsa appeared alongside a multimedia museum exhibition, with video screens depicting the art of ancient Mataram that inspired the menu and displays of historical cooking tools, such as woven baskets for winnowing and steaming rice. Another event, held at Kembang Goela Restaurant, featured more than 50 international ambassadors and diplomats invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

But how does one translate 1,000-year-old stone carvings into a modern menu that’s not only historically accurate, but appetizing? “We have to have this very wide imagination,” says Musiawan. “You only see the relief [depicting] the food…but you cannot find out how it tastes.” The IGC designed and tested a Gastronosia menu with the help of Chef Sumartoyo of Bale Raos Restaurant in Yogyakarta, and Riris Purbasari, an archaeologist from the Central Java Province Cultural Heritage Preservation Center, who had been researching the food of Borobudur’s reliefs since 2017.

The range of human activities depicted in the reliefs of Borobudur is so wide that it has inspired research in areas of study stretching from music to weaponry. There have even been seaworthy reconstructions based on the “Borobudur Ships” displayed on the site’s lower levels, exquisitely rendered vessels like the ones that facilitated trade in ancient Southeast Asia. So it’s no surprise that Borobudur has no shortage of depictions of food-related scenes, from village agricultural labor, to the splendor of a royal Mahamangsa, to a bustling urban marketplace. Baskets of tropical fruit, nets full of fish, and even some modern Indonesian dishes are recognizable in the reliefs, such as tumpeng, a tall cone of rice surrounded by side dishes, which is still prepared for special occasions. Some images are allegories for Buddhist concepts, providing what Borobudur archaeologist John Mikic called “a visual aid for teaching a gentle philosophy of life." Uday Dokras suggests that these diverse scenes might have been chosen to help ancient visitors “identify with their own life,” making the monument’s unique religious messaging relatable. The reliefs illustrate ascending levels of enlightenment, so that visitors walk the path of life outlined by the Buddha’s teachings: from a turbulent world ruled by earthly desires at the lowest level, to tranquil nirvana at the summit.

Musiawan says that the IGC research team combined information from Borobudur with inscriptions from other Javanese sites of the same era that referenced royal banquets. While Borobudur’s reliefs show activities like farming, hunting, fishing, and dining, fine details of the food on plates or in baskets can be difficult to make out, especially since the painted plaster that originally covered the stone has long-since faded. Ninth-century court records etched into copper sheets or stone for posterity—some accidentally uncovered by modern construction projects—helped fill in the blanks when it came to what exactly people were eating. These inscriptions describe the royal banquets of ancient Mataram as huge events: One that served as a key inspiration for the IGC featured 57 sacks of rice, six water buffalo, and 100 chickens. There are no known written recipes from the era, but some writings provide enough detail for dishes to be approximated, such as freshwater eel “grilled with sweet spices” or ground buffalo meatballs seasoned with “a touch of sweetness,” in the words of the inscriptions, both of which were served at Gastronosia events.

Sugar appears to have been an important component in ancient Mataram’s royal feasts: A survey of food mentions across Old Javanese royal inscriptions revealed 34 kinds of sweets out of 107 named dishes. Gastronosia’s Mahamangsa ended with dwadal, a sticky palm-sugar toffee known as dodol in modern Indonesian, and an array of tropical fruits native to Java such as jackfruit and durian. Other dishes recreated by the IGC included catfish stewed in coconut milk, stir-fried banana-tree core, and kinca, an ancient alcohol made from fermented tamarind, which was offered alongside juice from the lychee-like toddy palm fruit as an alcohol-free option.

Musiawan describes the hunting of animals such as deer, boar, and water buffalo as an important source of meat in ninth-century Java. Domestic cattle were not eaten, she explains, because the people of ancient Mataram “believed that cows have religious value.” While Gastronosia’s events served wild game and foraged wild greens, rice also featured prominently, a key staple in Mataram that forms the subject of several of Borobudur’s reliefs. It was the mastery of rice cultivation that allowed Mataram to support a large population and become a regional power in ninth-century Southeast Asia. Rice’s importance as a staple crop also led to its inclusion in religious rituals; Dokras explains that in many regions of Asia, rice is still an essential component of the Buddhist temple offerings known as prasad.

The indigenous Southeast Asian ingredients used in Gastronosia’s Mahamangsa included some still widely-popular today, such as coconut, alongside others that have fallen into obscurity, like the water plant genjer or “yellow velvetleaf.” Musiawan acknowledges that modern diners might find some reconstructed ancient dishes “very, very simple” compared to what they’re used to “because of many ingredients we have [now] that weren’t there before.” But in other cases, ninth-century chefs were able to achieve similar flavors to modern Indonesian food by using their own native ingredients. Spiciness is a notable example. Today, chillies are near-ubiquitous in Indonesian cuisine, and Java is especially known for its sambal, a spicy relish-like condiment that combines pounded chillies with shallots, garlic, and other ingredients. But in ancient Mataram, sambal was made with native hot spices, such as several kinds of ginger; andaliman, a dried tree-berry with a mouth-numbing effect like the related Sichuan pepper; and cabya or Javanese long pepper. “It tastes different than the chili now,” Musiawan says of cabya, “but it gives the same hot sensation.” Chillies, introduced in the early modern era by European traders, are still called cabai in Indonesian, a name derived from the native cabya they supplanted.

Gastronosia is just the beginning of IGC’s plans to explore Indonesian food history through interactive events. Next, they intend to do a series on the food of ancient Bali. By delving into the historic roots of dishes Indonesians know and love, the IGC hopes to get both Indonesians and foreigners curious about the country’s history, and dispel preconceptions about what life was like long ago. Musiawan says some guests didn’t expect to enjoy the diet of a ninth-century Javanese noble as much as they did. Before experiencing Gastronosia, she says, “They thought that the food couldn't be eaten.” But afterward, “They’re glad that, actually, it's very delicious.”

#Southeast Asia #Indonesia #Ancient History #Mataram #Food History #Gastronomy #Borobudur

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ultrainstinctslasher · 1 year

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HELLO

ok so basically, and, Im sorry if some of these slashers arent those you write for. But Michael, Hannibal, Thomas, and Brahms with a filipino s/o who LOVES baking them treats from their country? I think this is esp interesting with Hannibal since the guy is used to european cuisine and probably hasnt tried anything southeast asian. To make your job easier Im giving you a list of pinoy pastries;

bibingka, cassava cake((highly recommend this to you)), pan de coco, pandan cakes((Pandan is a lovely flavor and I highly recommend)), leche flan, and taho ^^ Hope you enjoy this ask sshahs Sorry if its long :,,))

Slashers x Filipino!Reader who bakes

Notes: I am so sorry for taking so long. I literally say this for every ask, but holy shit this took me so long to get to. I've had cassava cake before, and it's sooooo good. Hope you enjoy.

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Michael Myers vs Bibingka

You should know by now that Michael has a huge sweet tooth, and if you don't... what are you even doing

Anything that isn't sweet enough is automatically ruled out, so when he sees you using rice to cook desert, he refuses to eat

You had to explain to him that bibingka was sweet, with banana leaves, coconut milk and plenty of sugar, but he refused

Although Michael was raised outside of social norms, he learned enough before being admitted sanitarium to know what foods are and aren't sweet, and rice isn't sweet

Your best bet is to bake it when Michael is out the house and serve it to him when he gets home

When he does eat it, he falls in love

With it, not you. Duh, Y/N

He'd want to watch you bake all the time after eating it and would probably never leave you alone until you bake what he wants

You're sweating nervously when he asks you to bake him bibingka again, fully aware of how upset he'll be if he finds out that there's rice in it

Que 'accidently' falling asleep

Hannibal Lecter vs Pandan Cake

Whether you like it or not, he will try to criticize

He likes to cook more than he likes to bake, but he has enough knowledge about it know what you did right and wrong (mostly he likes to point out the wrong though)

He's tried your cooking and baking before and he admits it's pretty good, but he's never tried any dishes from the Philippines

A petty part of him is a bit jealous of your wider pallet of foods in your knowledge, but he was better than letting that known

He'd never seen you so happy when he asked you to cook something from the Philippines

You decided to bake him pandan cake, a simple, sponge-like cake with a unique taste

He wasn't very impressed with the presentation, and he made that pretty clear with the barely audible 'tsk'

He was surprised to see the green interior, and the smell was mouth-salvating

The moment he tasted it, he wanted to take back all the petty comments he said about your baking (albeit inside his head)

This would probably be the only time he'd compliment you, never having tasted something so sweet and soft

He'd say something simple like 'It's amazing darling,' but he wanted to say so much more. Too bad he's too prideful

That being said, he would wait for the day you bake again with eagerness

Brahms Heelshire vs Taho

Petty

So damn petty

"Ew, what's that."

It's not even a question, just a clarification of his disgust

British boy does not like something flavorful (not surprising)

He didn't even try it

Even when you looked really sad

You tried to get him to at least try it, but he was hard-set on not going near it

When you finally give up, he actually starts to feel bad

"I just wanted you to try something new, you know? Something that comes from my culture and maybe I could even teach you. I just want us to bond mo-"

"STOP TRYING TO GUILT ME INTO TRYING IT!"

You simply looked at him with a sad face, fully aware he was about to crack

"Ugh- Fine. I'll try it."

He loved it.

So much.

But he refused to tell you

"It's fine. But I'm not eating anymore!"

He snuck down at night and ate the rest

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