#National Rice Pudding Day

[rabbitcruiser]

National Rice Pudding Day

All  we can think of is a bowl of some good old rice pudding this National  Rice Pudding Day taking place on August 9. For many of us, starting from  our childhood to our adulthood, rice pudding has been a staple in our  diets. Made with a base of rice cooked in milk and sweetened with sugar,  syrup, or honey, rice pudding can be found in many cultures and  cuisines all over the world. Of course, each region has its own unique  take on the dish. Some add nuts and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or  cardamom to it, while others throw in a dash of wine to give it that wow  factor. For a more fragrant look and feel, many people in the Middle  East also add pistachio slivers and rose petals before serving it. You  can have it hot or cold, and as a breakfast dish or a dessert after  dinner. So, how are you having your rice pudding on August 9?

History of National Rice Pudding Day

National  Rice Pudding Day celebrates the ancient rice pudding dish in all its  glory and greatness. While we may know the sweet version of the dish  today, did you know that it actually started out as a savory treat? It  is difficult to pinpoint the exact location and time of the creation of  rice pudding, but many scholars believe it may have originated in either  ancient China or in ancient India. Both these countries have a long  history of including rice as well as sugar in their religious and  cultural activities, so it only makes sense that the combination of the  two may have been included in their cuisines as well. ‘Kheer,’ which is  Hindi for rice pudding, was first recorded in ancient India in 6000  B.C., and it was included as a staple in a prescribed Ayurvedic diet  regime. It is also interesting to note that the early versions of the  Indian rice pudding did not actually include rice or sugar. In place of  rice, Indians made use of the cereal grain known as sorghum.

Elsewhere  in the world, rice pudding was being made with rice. The grain had  reached Europe through exports delivered by water or the Silk Road in  the 1300s. Because it was being exported from Asia and was not being  grown in Europe, rice automatically became extremely expensive. Thus,  rice pudding could only be enjoyed by the elite and royalty of European  countries. Before the 1500s, rice pudding was savory in nature. It was  made with rice being boiled in a broth with saffron and almond milk.  Chefs started including sugar into the dish to make it sweet, and soon a  sweetened rice pudding started gaining popularity. It was in the  eighteenth century that rice pudding became more commonplace and less  expensive, all thanks to globalization. The lowered rice prices meant  the grain was in easier reach of the masses, and in today’s world, it is  considered to be a cheap, but filling meal.

National Rice Pudding Day timeline

6000 B.C. Indian Rice Pudding for Healthy Living

Ancient India includes rice pudding in the Ayurvedic diet in order to ensure healthy living.

14th Century Forme of Cury in England

Rice pudding, known as Forme of Cury or rice pottage, is made with rice, almond milk, and saffron in English Royal kitchens.

17th Century Sweetened Rice Pudding Recipes

Some of the modern-age rice pudding recipes come from the Tudor time period, and are called ‘whitepot.’

18th – 19th Century Rice Becomes Cheaper

Rice grains become cheaper, allowing access to the public who can now enjoy rice pudding treats, unlike their predecessors.

How To Celebrate National Rice Pudding Day

Make rice pudding

Have a rice pudding contest

Try a new rice pudding recipe

Take  a trip down memory lane and make your favorite rice pudding recipe.  Because of its versatility, you can choose to have it hot or cold, and  for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Rice pudding is one of the  highest-rated comfort foods out there because of its gooey, yet grainy  texture that leaves one filled with love and warmth.

Participating  in a rice pudding competition is one of the best ways to celebrate the  day. There are two ways you can go about doing this. You can either hold  a rice pudding cooking competition or you can have an eating  competition. Whether you choose one, two, or have both, it’s going to be  a fun-filled day.

Going  back to what is tried and tested can be comforting, but seeking out the  new can reward you with invaluable experiences. Give new rice pudding  recipes a try. It could be a sweet or a savory recipe, the choice is  yours.

5 Facts About Rice That Will Blow Your Mind

Sticky rice for strong cement

White rice is brown rice

Rice is grown everywhere but Antarctica

The shelf-life is decades long

Good for health

The Great Wall of China is held together with sticky rice that has been mixed with calcium carbonate.

All white rice comes from brown rice, and this is because the white rice has the brown coating of bran removed.

Rice is grown everywhere except Antarctica because of the continent’s extremely cold temperatures.

Rice, when stored in a cool and dry environment, will be good to consume for the next 10 to 30 years.

Because rice contains several minerals and antioxidants, it is great for your health, particularly for your skin.

Why We Love National Rice Pudding Day

It’s a celebration of rice pudding

It’s a celebration of ancient times

It’s a celebration of a staple food item

Rice  pudding has come a long way in terms of development. It has been  enjoyed by millions for centuries. With easy-to-make recipes and simple  yet enjoyable taste, rice pudding is loved by many all over the globe.

A  look into ancient history will reveal a lot of information on how  people led their lives in order to ensure healthy and peaceful living.  One historical overview of rice pudding allows us just that benefit of  looking into how human civilizations utilized a single rice pudding dish  in their daily lives.

Rice  is a staple food item for many countries in the world. In fact, 50% of  the world’s population consumes rice on a daily basis. Apart from  helping our skin stay smooth and supple, rice also aids in healthy hair,  is good for our overall health, and keeps our tummies filled and happy.

Source

[nationaldaycalendar]

August 9, 2022 - NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY – NATIONAL VEEP DAY – NATIONAL RICE PUDDING DAY

August 9, 2022 – NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY – NATIONAL VEEP DAY – NATIONAL RICE PUDDING DAY

AUGUST 9, 2022 | NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY | NATIONAL VEEP DAY | NATIONAL RICE PUDDING DAY NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY | AUGUST 9 National Book Lovers Day on August 9th harnesses all the excitement bibliophiles feel about books into one celebration. Read more… NATIONAL VEEP DAY | AUGUST 9 National Veep Day on August 9th recognizes the succession plan of the President of the United States. The day…

[murderousink23]

08/09/2023 is National Book Lovers Day 📚♥️🌏, National Rice Pudding Day 🇺🇲, National Veep Day 🇺🇲, Indigenous Day 🇺🇳

[ami-ven]

Happy National Rice Pudding Day!

[realnewsposts]

National Rice Pudding Day: A Delightful Celebration of Comfort Food

In the tapestry of culinary celebrations, there’s a delightful day that brings forth both nostalgia and taste: National Rice Pudding Day. Observed on August 9th each year, this day pays homage to a dish that has transcended borders and generations, creating a symphony of flavors that tickle the senses and warm the heart. Continue reading Untitled

[lialia0213]

Hi sweetie. Can you tell us more, like random facts, about Vasi? 🥰

Her height, her favourite place, music, hobbies.... 👉🏻👈🏻

Of course! ☺️☺️

* Vasilisa is about 5’5 ft tall!

* I haven’t figured out her weight yet but her body type she has an Average hourglass thick tone. She has hip dips and a small round belly (so think of Nani (Lilo and Stich), American singer Tyla, and Twyla (monster high).

*Has a lot of beauty marks.

* since her race is elf/vampire her nationality is Afro-latina! But to simplify it she’s Afro-Brazilian (like myself 😌)

* She has a nose ring, belly piercing and others.

* She has a small fairy wing in one of the back of her ears.

* Her voice VA is a mix between Spectra vondergeist (Monster High) and Chihiro Fujisaki (Danganronpa)

* She has a kind, understanding, outgoing, shy, quiet personality. She RARELY ever gets mad but when she does.. she can be pretty scary.

* Her best friends are Amber Orlock, Gytha Demona, Nerys Blyssen ( which they are in the working process 😅)

* She occasionally plays the Quest of Yore with Barely and goes on Quests with him. That is of course dressing up as well! 😂

*She sometimes floats like Marceline (adventure, Time) and Spectra (monster high)

* She loves to go on day and night strolls. In the daytime for favorite places are the park, the Manticore! Tavern, and the Labyrinth mall. In the night time she likes to go on her land to look at the stars and of course ride along with Barley 😁.

* She likes poetry, drawing landscapes, spells and mythical creatures, fajitas, and rice pudding.

* Her Dislikes though are dishonest and cruel people, being taken advantage of, being an out cast, bullies, colt Branco (at times), spiders.

* She listens to a lot of variety of music. But her absolute favorites are 2000s rock, rock folklore ( like Barely lmaoo 😭) j-pop and k-pop!

* Her favorite movies are Twilight, all Saw movies, Harry Potter, Let Me In (2010), Kill Bil volume 1 and 2, and the grudge.

* She makes jewelry as a hobby.

* She wears a lot of her mother’s jewelry and clothes to always have her by her side.

* Can speak MANY different languages ( including sign language)

* Wears a bunch of goth clothes ( so like corsets and a bunch of medieval dresses) and other wears!

* She’s a Mage and does a lot of magic such as healing, reading people’s minds, and Telekinesis.

* One of her strengths are Shapeshifting, healing, using any form of magic. But her downsides are that she has to drink and eat more than a normal being can do. She can also get sick easily.

* Whenever she’s available she’ll help Ian with some magic stuff and teach him different spells and potions and honestly how to maintain it better!

* Now since she’s half elf and vampire blood doesn’t have an effect on her only because she took majority of her mother’s side. But every once in awhile she does get the cravings often. So she drinks pigs blood and makes it into boba 🧋 (I’m assuming there’s such thing as pigs in the universe 😭)

*Since she has a lot of her mother’s traits she will have longer ears and eyebrows when she gets older. 

* She owns a Phoenix as a pet (I name her Fawkes after professor Dumbledores from Harry Potter 😁😁)

* She Keeps a lot of charms and crystals in her room from Barley  

* Loves to cook and bake!

* She reads a spell book that her mother left for her.

* Knows how to figure Skate and do ballet and Plays the violin and the piano (so I guess you can say she was very active)

I think that’s pretty much all of it! I hope you enjoy! ☺️

[blackswaneuroparedux]

In the name of Bacon will you chicken me up that egg. Shall I swallow cave-phantoms?

- Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French

I went to a restaurant once that said it served "breakfast at any time" so I ordered French toast during the Renaissance. My waiter got the joke.

What isn’t a joke is the traditional English breakfast as a national institution. Most of us love a full English breakfast; you can even travel abroad, to the Mediterranean resorts in Spain for example, and find this quintessentially British dish on sale in cafes and restaurants.

Sometimes also called a ‘fry-up’, the full English breakfast consists of fried eggs, sausages, back bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried bread and often a slice of white or black pudding (similar to bloodwurst). It is accompanied by tea or coffee and hot, buttered toast. These days, breakfast may also include other items such as baked beans and hash browns.

There are many regional versions of this staple. For example, the Ulster Fry includes Irish soda bread; the Scottish breakfast boasts a tattie scone (potato scone) and even maybe a slice of haggis; the Welsh breakfast features laverbread (barra lawr, made from seaweed); and the Cornish breakfast often comes with Cornish hogs pudding (a kind of sausage).

The tradition of breakfast dates back to the Middle Ages. At this time, there were usually only two meals a day; breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was served mid or late morning, and usually consisted of just ale and bread, with perhaps some cheese, cold meat or dripping.

A lavish breakfast was often served by the nobility or gentry at social or ceremonial occasions such as weddings. A wedding mass had to take place before noon, so all weddings took place in the mornings. The first meal the new bride and groom ate together would therefore be breakfast and became known as the ‘wedding breakfast’.

By Georgian and Victorian times, breakfast had become an important part of a shooting party, weekend house party or hunt and was served a little earlier. The gentry loved to entertain lavishly and that included breakfast.

Breakfasts were unhurried, leisurely affairs with plenty of silver and glassware on show to impress the host’s guests. The breakfast table would groan under the weight of the produce from the host’s estate. Newspapers were available for the family and guests to catch up on the day’s news. Indeed, it is still socially acceptable today to read newspapers at the breakfast table (a definite ‘no-no’ at any other meal).

As well as eggs and bacon, which was first cured in the early 18th century, the breakfast feast might also include offal such as kidneys, cold meats such as tongue and fish dishes such as kippers and kedgeree, a lightly spiced dish from colonial India of rice, smoked fish and boiled eggs.

The Victorian era saw a wealthy middle class begin to emerge in British society who wished to copy the customs of the gentry, including the tradition of the full English breakfast. As the middle classes went out to work, breakfast began to be served earlier, typically before 9am.

Surprisingly, the full English breakfast was also enjoyed by many of the working classes. The punishing physical labour and long hours of work in the factories of the Industrial Revolution meant a hearty meal first thing in the morning was necessary. Even as late as the 1950s, almost half the adult population began their day with a good old English fry-up.

[queenofcandynsoda]

Christmas in Sol Fertilis

In the Catholic counties of Sol Fertilis, Christmas is a major holiday as it blends the Catholic Christian traditions with the Sol Fertilian cultural elements. Their variation of Santa Claus is named Pater Nativitatis. He has a companion named Comitissa Luminis. Pater Nativitatis, meaning Father Christmas in Latin, takes center stage as the benevolent gift-giver. Adorned in traditional Sol Fertilis attire, Pater Nativitatis embodies the spirit of generosity and blessings. Families eagerly await his arrival as he travels across the counties, delivering gifts that symbolize the cherished values of the heart, home, and prosperity. Pater Nativitatis becomes a unifying figure among the ranks. Comitissa Luminis, Pater Nativitatis' mystical companion and name meaning “Companion of Light”, enhances the Christmas celebrations with her radiant presence. Dressed in flowing garments adorned with luminescent motifs, she carries a lantern that represents hope, knowledge, and the enlightenment of the coming year. With her Romani heritage, her lantern also means resilience, wisdom, and nomadic traditions. Comitissa is not merely a companion but a symbol of the guiding light that leads the nation toward understanding, harmony, and wisdom during the festive season.

For the days leading up to Christmas, there would be Christmas trees being decorated and set up everywhere, along with poinsettias, wreaths, and garlands. The ornaments would look like acorns, pomegranates, wheat, quail eggs, and stars. There would be gold and white ribbons around it with Christmas lights that have red, black, green, blue, and purple. On the top, there would be a topper that resembles a crown with a lantern on it.

On Christmas Eve night, families attend the midnight Christmas Mass services in their county’s church, adorning their homes with Nativity scenes. In their homes, families would leave a bottle of sweet white wine for Pater Nativitatis and rosé wine with panellets for Comitissa. In the morning, families would open presents while having a light breakfast consisting of orange scones and coffee.

Throughout the day, every store in the county would be closed, causing many people to spend their day at home. Families would come together in households while lower ranks would celebrate in communal gatherings. There would be watching Christmas specials, either from government or network channels, listening to music from government-sanctioned musicians, or enjoying the folklore of Pater Nativitatis and Comitissa Luminis.

In the evening, families would have Festum Lucis, meaning Feast of Light in Latin, to commemorate the light that Comitissa has brought to their homes. In this banquet, families would eat the Lux Aves, which has Romani game birds such as quail, pheasant, and partridge. They are roasted with herbs and spices. Pater Nativitatis' Blessing Ham is a dry-cured ham roasted with rosemary, thyme, paprika, honey, salt, and pepper. Comitissa Luminis' Enlightened Seafood Platter is a Romani seafood and fish dish. Nomadic Pilaf is a rice dish that has Romani spices and herbs. Luminaria Fruit Salad has pomegranate seeds, grapes, apples, ruby strawberries, oranges, and mint, drizzled with red honey. Rosemary bread is often eaten as well. Finally, there is a Light of Wisdom Dessert Platter comprising Romani and Mediterranean desserts. They would include cannoli, sorbet, rice pudding, and semolina cake. To go with this, there is beer and sparkling wine, along with non-alcoholic options.

When night comes, families look at Christmas lights on public buildings and Households. They also consist of scenes of the Nativity, Pater Nativitatis and Comitissa Luminias, and other Christmas decorations. Finally, they carry around luminaries, symbolizing the Romani when they had to travel through the night.

At the end of the day, families would make a final prayer before heading to bed. On the next day, the Head of Households will start preparations for New Year’s celebrations.

Pater Nativitatis

Pater Nativitatis appears to be a handsome older, tall man of French/Germanic descent. He has silver hair and green eyes. He wears black robes adorned with gold and silver embroidery and a golden crown with rubies and onyx. His footwear is a pair of black traveling boots. He also wears a red velvet cape and a staff that is made of polished wood, wrapped with holly and the Lux Aves symbols. 

He is also known as “Sexy Santa” in other countries.

Comitissa Luminis

Comitissa Luminis appears to be a young Roma woman with long black hair and a pair of chocolate-brown eyes. She wears a flowing and long white and gold ankle-length skirt and blouse, intricately patterned and adorned with Christmas stories. Her headscarf is white with gold embroidered stars. She also wears a shawl that has the colors black, red, green, purple, and blue, representing the colors of the ranks, along with gold Roma embroidery, coins, and beads. Finally, she wears a pair of light brown boots with golden toes as she walks around a lot.

[bakedbakermom]

okay so since getting my new adderall prescription i've noticed that some days it works just fine and some days it does not work At All. 10mg usually makes me feel like my brain has shifted from neutral (gunning the stupid engine and getting absolutely nowhere) into first or even second gear but 3 of the last 10 doses have done precisely Fuck All.

i know there's been a national shortage since the start of the pandemic and like. i'm not trying to start a conspiracy here. but i also know i'm not the only one whose meds have become less effective in the last few months.

do i think they're putting less meth in the meth medicine? maybe. possibly. fda regulations allow for variances in the amount of active ingredients in a drug (iirc it's up to 20% depending on the medication) and it would not surprise me if some manufacturers are gliding just above the floor in that regard.

but also as someone who is extremely sensitive to the INACTIVE ingredients in medication (as in, generic birth control makes me want to rip my uterus out with a dull and rusty spoon but the name brand one only makes me crave rice pudding)... that could have something to do with it, too.

there is not enough accountability. not enough transparency. i am putting these drugs in my body that are supposed to alter the actual chemistry in my brain and i can't even trust them?? i hope there's a way for individual consumers to submit their medications for analysis because this shit is so bizarre and crappy and i just want to Function, y'know?

[chronicparagon]

About the Writer

Favorite time of year: Autumn

Comfort food: Fried pickles with ranch dressing, almond butter & jam sandwiches, dill pickle flavored pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, butter croissants, cinnamon glazed pecans, tator tot hot dish, Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) over rice with Tonkatsu sauce.

Favorite desserts: S'mores cookies from Insomnia Cookies, chocolate chip cookies, banana pudding, s’mores, cookies & cream lobster tails (flaky pastry in the shape of lobster tail filled with pastry cream), cupcakes (vanilla, lavender ginger honey, wedding cake, confetti, cookies & cream), honey cornbread and strawberry jam ice cream, lavender ginger honey ice cream

Things you collect: Plushies, T-shirts and hoodies, antique medicine bottles and vials, crystals, mugs, blankets

Favorite drink: Dr. Pepper

Favorite musical artist: Enigma, E Nomine, Brule and AIRO, Ganja White Night, Scandroid, Halluci Nation, Deep Forest

Last song you listened to:  Guts's theme song from Berserk (It's actually a calming song)

Last movie you watched: M3gan

Last series you watched: None sadly. Been more focused on work and schoolwork.

Series you’re currently watching: N/A

Current obsession: What the heck my dissertation topic is going to be (kind of have a general direction but it needs to be more specific), also my cats.

Dream place to visit: South Korea, Egypt, the UK, Ireland, Alaska, Mexico

A place you’ve been that you want to go back to: I would like to go back to Japan, especially Kofu, Kyoto, and Fujiyoshida. Kofu was my group’s home base and I loved it. I also want to see Kyoto again and I miss being very close to Mt. Fuji at Fujiyoshida. I would also like to return to the rainforests in Belize, and see my tribe's Homeland in the warmer months when there is more flora, too. I miss Salem, MA too. It was a pretty town with a rich history like the Witch Trials.

Something you want: Peace and healing for the Earth and all life on it. I also really want my family, friends (IRL and online), and pets to be happy, safe, and live long and healthy lives. I think about them every day and I love them so.

I also want you all to be safe, happy, loved, live a long life and be healthy.

Currently working on: One of my research papers, which is on community-based participatory research and tribally-driven research frameworks. I need to prep my presentations and start my advocacy strategy for another class too.

Tagged by: @poeticphoenix [thank you!!]

Tagging: @s-talking @s-pecialist @b-erserk @spectralhunter @whispers-in-daydreams @strawberrycolaaa @rubbarband @pinklocksoflove @gearlessjunkdogjoe @keithhoward @thehouseofivo @burdened-boy @beloved-death @animaexitosus @synshubblog @ancientforged @mannequinentity @destinscelle @misfitxofxfriends @the-expatriate @singulos @txctical-pursuit @tximidity @skullboysfinale @hriobzagelthewanderer @makoheadrush @taraxacum13 @members-of-the-guild @pluviacuratio @pocket-sized-lawyer and everyone else who wants to do this ~

[inochinoyomikata]

Inochi no Tabekata 2 ch 3-2 Translation

3-2 Otogiri Tobi– End * Attachment • Point

——Where was that? Was it at a family restaurant? He also remembered riding a bus or something. Tobi Otogiri’s brother may have taken him to some shopping center. Was there a restaurant inside? If he remembered correctly, Tobi’s older brother chose a children’s lunch for him. It came with fried shrimp, hamburger steak, and fried chicken as well. It also came with pudding. Orange juice too. A small flag stuck in red colored rice. It felt very luxurious. He thought he asked his brother if he could eat it. His brother was laughing. It was decided.

“Tobi, you are special.”

For some reason, he remembered very clearly what his brother told him.

+++ + ++++

A car was flashing its hazard lights on a side road that the junior high students did not pass on their way home from school. It was a pretty big silver one-box car. It was not an unusual car. He often saw cars of the same shape in the morning. The car that Asahi Monika got into on the first day after transferring was a similar one-box car. Or rather, it was this car. 

After school on the day after Asamiya gave them his smartphone at the supermarket food court, Tobi and Ryuuko were taken by Monika to ride in the one-box car. She told them that they didn’t have to come if they didn’t want to, but there was no reason to refuse now.

The spacious rear seats of the car had facing seats. It was not even a train, so they could sit across from each other.

There was one person in the driver’s seat and one in the passenger’s seat, and only one in the back seat. A man in a suit was sitting in the farthest seat.

“Nice to meet you. Tobi Otogiri-kun and Ryuuko Shiratama-san?”

He wasn’t sure how old he was, but he didn’t think he was young. He had a long face and was really smiling. The slightly nasally voice was quite loud in volume.

“Come on, come in, sit down, here, here, if you could, if you could.”

The man crouched down and recommended the  seat across from him for Tobi and Ryuuko. Monika, who sat down next to the man, gave him a look that seemed to tell him to sit down quickly. When Tobi and Ryuuko silently took their seats, the sliding door in the backseat closed on its own.

“Well…”

The man unbuttoned and fastened his jacket as he sat back in his seat.

“Somehow, like this. I get nervous when I meet young people for the first time like this. Um, that’s right. Can we get the car going?”

The car immediately started running. Ryuuko had frozen completely. Anxiety was showing up on her face, and thanks to that, even Tobi became restless.

“It’s okay, Tobi. ‘Cause I’m here.”

Baku’s leisurely manner may be acting, but it was reassuring.

“Ah… That’s right.”

The man pulled out business cards from the chest pocket of his jacket. He pulled out two business cards from inside and handed them to Tobi and Ryuuko.

“I am called Kudou. Nice to meet you.”

“I-I’ll take it!”

Ryuuko accepted the business card as if she were worshiping it, but Tobi casually picked it up and read it. 

“Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office…? Administrative section, section chief… Kudou Keiki.”

“I’m an official. To put it plainly, I’m a national civil servant, a public servant.”

Kudou smiled and rubbed his hands together.

“I am working day and night for the sake of the people. Well actually, I was planning on having someone else take care of this, but the schedule didn’t work out. Or rather, it's because that person insisted, this unknown person who happened to be convenient passed through instead.”

“...Um, what kind of relationship do you have with Monika?”

When Ryuuko timidly asked, Kudou widened his eyes, “Oh!”

“That’s right. Yes. I’m Monika-kun’s boss, or rather I’m her friend and guardian, and that’s the kind of relationship we have. In the end, Monika-kun is helping my friend and subordinate boss’s work.”

“Well, the boss’s boss.”

Monika glanced at Kudou with eyes that made him think he was a useless person.

“I don’t have parents. I have a guardian instead of a protector. I feel like I’m lending a hand to that person. At work, that guardian becomes my direct boss.”

“Monika-kun’s boss, and that boss.”

Kudou smiled and lowered his head. This man was basically a smile, but he smiled in various ways, such as narrowing his eyes, raising the corners of his lips, and showing his teeth.

“Who’s the guardian?”

Ryuuko turned around and looked at the driver's seat. Monika shrugged her shoulders and said, “Didn’t come.”

“Captain, it’s troublesome. That’s it. Ah, captain is like a nickname.”

“Is that like Monika, or rather, is it a unique relationship…?

“That’s right, Hapieva!” 

Kudou clapped his hands together.

“I’ll analyze it here. Because it’s better to tell Otogiri-kun and Shiratama-san what’s going on. In conclusion, well, it’s not an SNS.”

“It just looks like an SNS.”

Monika followed in Kudou’s footsteps and explained.

There were many aspects that were difficult for Tobi to understand, but SNS was a tool for connecting and communicating with people who share the same hobbies and interests, as well as friends, using the internet. However, Hapieva was only connected to the user who uses it, that is, Asamiya, if it’s Asamiya. On the contrary, it was not connected to the network in the first place.

Hapieva was just a one-person app that looked like a social network. When Asamiya launches Hapieva and posts some kind of message, other users comment on it and ask questions. It just seemed that way. All other users were powered by artificial intelligence built into the app.

“...Wh-Why is that?”

Ryuuko’s eyes were about to start spinning. She looked confused. Tobi thought it was strange too.

“Like a game?”

“Maybe so, maybe not.”

Monika folded her arms and swayed her thick hair.

“But Asamiya had a recurrence after he started using this app. There’s no doubt about it. He didn’t remember installing it himself, and a virus called a backdoor was installed, and the smartphone containing Hapieva was invaded from the outside. It can be done. Since traces of the intrusion are erased, it is difficult to trace. It is crafted so that the exact date and time of installation cannot be determined.

“Ngaaaaaa….!”

Baku cried. Ryuuko held her head.

“...Hey something is about to explode…”

The same went for Tobi. His head hurt.

“It’s a very suspicious and dangerouuus app, isn’t it?”

Kudou said while smiling. Looking at the man's face, he can’t tell if the situation is serious or not.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything that looks like it on the internet, and there are suspicions that someone put it directly into the smartphone. If it’s done at school, it’s either a teacher or a student, right? I don’t have any connections with the teachers, so I’m thinking about doing something about that, but the problem is the students.”

Kudou suddenly covered his face with both hands and bent forward.

“...It’s troublesome. I’m in trouble. Isn’t junior high school a kindergarten for junior high students? It’s obvious. I’m a humble civil servant, but I’m not a police officer. The police are also quite difficult to get their hands on at school. They’re not even the police. I’m already in trouble…”

“Could you help me?”

Monika looked down on Kudou with a sideways glance that looked like contempt.

“It’s the same as before, same as before. I’m not doing this for fun. For the time being, you work. I’ll even pay you.”

“Fufufuu…”

Kudou leaned forward and only raised his head.

“Of course, we will also pay you a reward. To do that, you have to sign a contract with us. You’d be a public servant, so you can’t do it arbitrarily.”

“...Eh?”

Tobi turned his gaze to the car window. Were the windows of this car called smoke windows? From the inside, it was dark outside, and from the outside, it was impossible to see the inside. Where was this car going now? He got into this place, but was it good? The Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. Civil servant. To begin with, was what Kudou said true?

“By any chance, are we—”

Ryuuko hugged the pochette, which must have held Chinuraasha, and leaned forward. 

“Are we being scouted by a secret organization…?”

+++ + ++++

Aside from cooperating with the investigation, they decided to put the contract on hold. He didn’t know how much the pay was, but the money was honestly attractive to Tobi. It seemed that Monika also didn’t have parents and had a guardian, so it wasn’t impossible to make a contract. However, it would be troublesome to explain to the staff of the facility. Was it really okay to trust an enigmatic adult like Kudou? He couldn’t help but feel like he had a lot to think about.

Ryuuko also seemed to have a high hurdle when it came to talking to her grandparents, but she still seemed enthusiastic about the investigation.

The weather was bad the next morning. By the time Tobi left the facility, it started to rain lightly, and Yagarashima-sensei in front of the school gate was wearing a kappa. The kappa had a flashy plaid pattern, and he was teased by the students, saying things like “Yagii, you’re so cool”, “You hurt my eyes, Yagii”, and “Isn’t that against the school rules, sensei?”

“This is my wife’s! It’s good! My wife and I are the same size!”

Yagarashima replied like that.

Ryuuko was waiting at the shoe box. When he and Ryuuko headed to the classroom together, they ran into Asamiya in front of the stairs. Asamiya had probably waited for Tobi as well.

“Somehow, I’m not feeling well without my smartphone…”

“You don’t know the time or date?”

“Surprisingly. Time, I’m in trouble because I can’t see it at a glance.”

“I see. I wear a watch.”

When Tobi showed him the wrist watch he was wearing on his left wrist, Asamiya had a face of, “huh?”

“How much did it cost?”

“It’s relatively cheap. If you go to a recycle shop, it won’t cost you 1,000 yen.”

“Really? Maybe I should buy one too. It looks pretty cool, I like it.”

He didn’t feel bad when he said that. Tobi bought it after examining it in his own way.

Ryuuko stared intently at Tobi’s watch. It was a little embarrassing to be watched so much, and he was a little worried that Ryuuko would fall over.

“People who wear watches are kind of grown up, aren’t they?”

“...Yeah?”

“Oh, I see.”

When Asamiya agreed, Ryuuko puffed out her chest with pride, “Isn’t that right!” 

“I admire it. I want to wear a watch when I grow up.”

“If it’s cheap, and I think I can buy it, can Shiratama also wear it?”

“No, no. It’s still too early for me. If I don’t grow up before that, I’m sure it won’t suit me.”

“...Does it not suit me?”

“It’s a perfect match for you, Tobi.”

“Otogiri, you’re a bit grown up.”

“A little bit!”

“I don’t think so…”

“Heh! Tobi’s still a scared little kid!”

Baku interjected, and Ryuuko softly laughed.

Asamiya can’t hear Baku’s voice. The semi-transparent zingai was tightly wrapped around Asamiya’s neck. Maybe that was how he protected his master’s vital points.

Although he couldn’t see them, Asamiya had a zingai recurrence. If he confided in Asamiya about the zingai, things could go smoothly. But would he believe him? No matter how much Tobu and Ryuuko spoke politely, Asamiya himself can see zingai. He couldn’t even hear the voices of zingai. He felt like it would be difficult.

Monika was in her seat lying face down on her desk.

“Good morning, Monika!”

When Ryuuko called out to her, she looked up, but she seemed sleepier than usual.

“...Ah— Good morning. You’re lively, huh? Even though it's raining…”

“Maybe the air pressure is too low?”

When Asamiya asked, Monika fell down on her desk again.

“...Well–yeah. I’m sleep deprived. Can’t we just say that?” 

She immediately raised her face again.

“Should we proceed from the place where the possibility is high?”

“D-don’t overdo it.”

In response to Ryuuko’s worried expression, Monika twitched her eyebrows and mouth. Did she mean to laugh at it?

“You should buy the hardships you had when you were young.”

“You’re saying old-fashioned things, aren’t you.”

Monika put her chin on her desk and snorted as Baku teased.

“The fruits of hard work must be sold at a high price.”

+++ + ++++

The cold rain fell on and off, with occasional glimpses of clear skies. Tobi quickly fished all of the non-staple school lunch, and he left the classroom with the butter roll and Baku in his hands. It was okay for him to eat it all in the classroom, but maybe it was a habit, and he couldn’t calm down. Since it was raining, Tobu crouched in front of the shoe boxes and ate the butter roll. After lunch time, Ryuuko and Monika arrived. Their investigation started.

“There are quite a few students who are almost guaranteed to recur, but Itoha Hiiragi is still a group.”

According to Monika’s opinion, Hiiragi’s butterfly zingai are highly dangerous, so they should be investigated as a priority.

“But Ryuuko is the only one who can talk normally with Hiiragi.”

“Leave it to me. I feel like I’m riding a big ship. For now, I’m going to start by asking if she knows of an app called Hapieva.”

“Is that fine? Ryuuko, we’re counting on you.”

“You’re counting on me… Is that true?”

“Yeah. I want you to become an external collaborator. You can earn more than a high school student at a part-time job.”

“Wh-what?”

“There’s a duty of confidentiality, but on the contrary, I don’t have to hide anything anymore. Putting aside the fact that I don’t care if it’s a complete stranger, it’s kind of annoying if you have that kind of thing between friends.”

“Between friends—”

Ryuuko kept nodding her head.

“I see. Seriously, I’ll think positively.”

“Tobi too.”

Monika glanced at him. Tobi didn’t say anything. He was thinking about it, but he was confused.

Kudou Keiki.

Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office.

Zingai.

Things most people can’t see. Sometimes they cause serious incidents. There’s an organization investigating them, and apparently the country is involved.

It was strange, or rather frustrating. Kudou gave him a business card. It was still a lie.

However, even if a zingai hurts someone and kills them, for most people it would be a suicide, or, at best, a suspicious death. Is that fine? It was not good, so adults like Kudou may be moving. Even though Monika was still a junior high student, she helped out with their work.

She also lent her powers to Tobi. Ryuuko too.

It was already pragmatically so. Once a contract was signed, the form would be in place and the reward would be paid. Tobi is currently living in a facility, but eventually he would have to leave. Money was probably better than nothing. He was sure it’d be useful in searching for his brother.

Maybe Tobi should accept Kudou’s offer after all. As he climbed the stairs and was about to enter the second-floor hallway lined with second year classrooms, he heard a familiar voice.

“Bye-bye~~ I-to-ha! Ruka-chin will come to play again~...!”

A girl wearing glasses was standing in the doorway of the second-year classroom. It was Shizukudani Rukana. Waving at someone in the classroom.

‘Itoha,’ Shizukudani had said.

Did she mean Hiiragi Itoha?

Shizukudani turned around and turned to face Tobi. Shizukudani was not alone.

She was accompanied by a smooth, four-legged zingai.

“Oh–!”

Shizukudani laughed. Or rather, it was originally a smile. With a big smile on her face, Shizukudani started skipping. The zingai followed Shizukudani by jumping on its four legs.

“Shiratama-dango~! Tobi-Tobi~! Moni-Moni is also here, right? Hahah—!”

“...Shi-Shizukudani-san.”

Ryuuko’s eyes widened in surprise. Or rather, she was trembling with fear. To be honest, Tobi was also a little scared. Occasionally, some students pulled eye-catching pranks at school. However, Shizukudani felt different now.

“Yay!”

As they passed each other, Shizukudani demanded a high-five from Ryuuko. When Ryuuko responded, “Ha, hah!” Shizukudani continued without slowing down her skips.

“...What was that?”

Even Baku seemed to think she was.

“That girl, she’s not a recurrence, is she?”

Monika was making a grim face. Ryuuko shook her head.

“Ah, yes, Shizukudani, since she was in first grade.

“Should I mark it after all? It’s pretty big.”

Big. What was Monika referring to when she said that? Tobi instantly realized. Shizukudani’s zingai. Of course, he’s never measured it accurately, but at first glance, it was about the size of a human’s upper body. When he first saw it, he was startled.

“That size for people who can’t see them. Is there such a thing?”

“There is.”

Monika answered without hesitation and started walking.

“Infinite variety. Same as humans.”

“That’s troublesome.”

Baku said it like it was someone else’s problem. He wanted it to be Tobi’s, who carried that troublesome backpack.

He was surprised by Shizukudani, and was curious, but for now, it was Hiiragi Itoha. Tobi looked around the second year classroom through the door Shizukudani had looked through earlier. Itoha sat in the front seat, and two female students were standing nearby. Including those girls, there were about ten students in the classroom. The air was heavy. For example, someone was arguing, and everyone other than the involved parties were watching the situation awkwardly. That was the atmosphere. Was it Shizukudani? Shizukudani did something. Was that how this happened? Tobi gasped.

Suddenly, Hiiragi’s long hair was pulled up. Was it her hair? No. That was not her hair. The black wings had blue stripes. A little butterfly. Not a real butterfly. Zingai butterfly. The zingai butterflies that had perched on Hiiragi’s hair flew off all at once. Hiiragi originally had two zingai butterflies. But there were definitely more than two. Four butterflies? More than that.

“That’s why—!”

Hiiragi shouted.

“Don’t be nice to me! Don’t mind me! I’m telling you to leave me alone…!”

Her voice turned inside out and broke down. The two girls who were by Hiiragi’s side retreated. Those two must have been surprised and overwhelmed by Hiiragi’s threatening attitude. They couldn’t see the butterfly zingai attacking them. If they had seen them, they should have run away. How many sets of wings did he count now? It’s increased. One set split into two, two split into four, and the zingai butterflies flocked to them

The two groaned, “Uh—” and collapsed. The small zingai butterflies stuck to their faces. Even on their necks and hands where skin was exposed. Tobi, Ryuuko, and Monika could see them. They were invisible to the students in the classroom. Two of their classmates had suddenly fainted, even though they couldn’t see the zingai butterflies. Some students shouted something, and some students left their seats. A male student tried to run up to the two who were lying down.

Hiiragi looked at the male student. Her eyes were bottomless pits. Immediately, several zingai butterflies left the female students and flew towards the male student. The butterflies fluttered and didn’t seem to be very fast. But it was almost instant. The zingai butterflies were obsessed with the male student while he was watching. The tiny zingai butterflies landed on his cheeks, the tip of his nose, and his chin one after another.

“Nghh…”

The male student collapsed and fell on his bottom. With that pace, he hit his head on the desk, “--Ow” and rolled the whites of his eyes and fell to the floor.

Monika muttered something. He couldn’t hear it clearly, but maybe it was ‘runway.’ ‘Run away.’ Run away?

“No way, Tobi-....!”

Baku howled. But, this, what should he do?

“Hiiragi-san!”

Ryuuko tried to rush into the classroom. Hiiragi glared at Ryuuko before Tobi could stop her. Hiiragi’s face was distorted so badly that the outline changed. The two deep, gaping holes looked more like they were trying to suck Ryuuko in than they were glaring at her.

The zingai butterflies flew. At first it was one. It split into two sets of wings with a  pop. Two became four. It was trying to break up further. Eight sets. Double that. Monika grabbed Ryuuko’s arm and pulled her.

“Evacuate at once…!”

“Can you make it in time!”

Baku went on a rampage. That’s right. As Baku said, they won't make it in time. So Tobi didn’t pull Baku’s strap. He wouldn’t stop Baku. On the contrary.

“Go…!”

“OoshaAaa!”

Baku slipped off of Tobi’s back and jumped into the classroom in front of Ryuuko and Monika. Baku was now standing on two legs with his back to Tobi and the others. He also had two arms and large, four-fingered hands. For some reason, he had eyeballs on the back of his hands. His long head looked like a cylinder. He wore a long, cloak-like garment of a fabric similar to the backpack.

“Ha…” Ryuuko uttered a sound that was neither her breath nor her voice, and Monika whispered “transformation.”

“AAaaaa———N….!”

Baku puffed up his tube-like head, opened his mouth wide, and gulped down sixteen or so of the zingai butterflies that went by.

“Mmm—.....!”

Then, he slapped his abdomen with his big hand. 

“That kind of thing doesn’t even help my stomach!”

“...He, he ate them.”

Monika was clinging to Ryuuko, who she should have been trying to pull. Ryuuko moved her mouth quickly, perhaps wanting to say something, but her voice didn’t come out.

“—h-h-h…..!”

Hiiragi’s breathing became extremely rough. She covered her ears with both hands and bent over. Hiiragi couldn’t see her zingai. But did she feel something?

Those butterflies were also zingai, so they must be trying to protect their master, Hiiragi. Tobi didn’t know the circumstances, but they must have tried to eliminate Hiiragi’s friends and classmates who were a threat to her. The zingai butterflies were eaten. A further threat had emerged.

“H-H-H-H-H….!”

The zingai butterflies that had been attacking the two fallen girls and the boy who had hit his head exploded into the air, spread out, and flew around. The unharmed students were confused. They cause a commotion. They were attacked by the zingai butterflies one after another. They fell one after another.

He wondered if the butterfly zingai were sucking up not nectar, but something like the student’s spirits. They increased. They were still increasing. Repeatedly splitting, the zingai butterflies multiplied. From the black hair of Hiiragi, something like caterpillars crawled out one after another, changed their shape in the blink of an eye, shed their skin, and became a butterfly. How many zingai butterfly were there in total now? He couldn’t count them.

“In that case, I’ll eat them up. That’s fine, right Tobi…!?”

Baku turned his cylindrical head, which had only a mouth for eating, and groaned. Tobi grabbed Baku by the collar, forced him out of the classroom, and quickly closed the door.

“No, no not at all, you can’t eat them all…!”

“Aah!? Why!”

“---T-the back door!”

Ryuuko raised her voice and said. Sure enough, the front door was closed, but the back door was open.

“Otogiri-kun!? Shiratama-san…!?”

He heard a man’s voice. Looking up, a janitor in work clothes came running up the stairs. It was Haizaki. He had a weasel on his left shoulder. It looked like a weasel, but it wasn’t a weasel. That was Haizaki’s zingai. Was it Oruba? Monika started running.

“Oji-san, withdraw…!”

Was she going to close the door behind them? Ryuuko, who was behind them, shouted, “Monika!” From the open door behind them, zingai butterflies started flying out.

“Oruba…!”

Haizaki rushed forward. There was no weasel like Oruba. Where did he go? The right leg. Haizaki’s right leg was covered with something different from his work clothes, be it leather or fur. That was Oruba. Oruba was there.

Haizaki passed Tobi and the others at the speed of a small jet plane and held Monika.

“----Nn…!”

“Tobi Otogiri…!”

As soon as he shouted that, he kicked the floor with Oruba’s right leg while still holding Monika. He jumped backwards. Even athletes who set the world record for the high back jump can’t jump like that. That was incredible jumping power.

“Woaah…!”

Baku charged in to replace Haizaki, and he was attacked by the swarm of butterfly zingai that were trying to attack Monika. The zingai butterflies that couldn’t be eaten were caught with his large hands. Meanwhile, Tobi closed the back door.  From the other side of the door, he felt something like a vibration, though it was not a vibration. Butterfly zingai? Were they hitting against the door? Looking up, Ryuuko was holding the front door while trembling.

“B-but, there is a person inside…! Hiiragi-san too, we can’t just leave her like that…!”

“How will we…!”

Haizaki was on one knee, still holding Monika. It seemed like he was asking Monika.

“One person had reoccurred and gone out of control! There are victims too! Put me down…!”

Monika struggled. Haizaki let Monika stand up. Her thin eyes were wide open.

“Okay, you should report it upstairs and order an evacuation! Give a reason like a gas leak or something! I’ll be here!”

“Why, Oji-san?!”

“As of today, I’m undertaking my survey of the teachers, Ask the manager for details!”

“...The Otter is back!”

“I’m an outside collaborator. I’ll do my best not to hold you back. Now, go!”

What were those talking about? Tobi didn’t know anything about it. But Monika seemed to be leaving. Haizaki stayed. So what should Tobi and Ryuuko do?

“I’ll be fine! Okay?”

Haizaki ran up to Tobi, who was holding the door behind him.

“I’ll take the recurring person out of there. There are still students in the gym, so yeah, take them to the multi-purpose room. If zingai attack, feed them to your zingai. If you don’t eat them all, she won’t be in the worst condition. Once the recurring person and zingai are out, the students inside can be safely rescued. Okay? Got it?”

Tobi nodded. “Leave it to me,” Baku breathed. He wanted to eat and couldn’t help but want to eat. Besides, he was going to help people, so nobody would complain.

“I-I’ll…!”

Ryuuko’s voice sounded like a yell. Since it was lunch break, there were other students in the corridor. It was quite noisy, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Once I give the signal, get out of here! You can run away!” 

Haizaki said, “Three!” and raised his right index, middle, and ring fingers.”

“Two, one—”

He folded his ring finger first, then his middle finger, then said, “Let’s do it!” He plunged into the classroom.

“Get down, Tobi!”

Baku yelled. Tobi did as he was told. Ryuuko was running towards the stairs. Zingai butterflies overflowed from the back door, and the front door opened of its own accord. Each butterfly was so small that they were about the size of the end of his thumb. But the numbers were amazing.

“—UOooo…!?”

Baku flinched for a moment. One moment. He immediately lifted his tubular head, opened his mouth, and began to eat the zingai butterflies. While jumping and eating the zingai butterflies directly, the butterfly zingai he caught by swinging both hands around were also steadily brought to his mouth. Not all of them. After all, there were a lot of them, and the zingai butterflies flew around, so he couldn’t help but miss them.

Haizaki jumped out of the front door. He held Hiiragi firmly of his size. Haizaki kicked Oruba’s right leg against the wall instead of the floor. With one kick, he could go several meters, and this time he kicked the floor. Haizaki headed towards the stairs. A flock of black zingai butterflies chased Haizaki. They were not pitch black. A bright blue stripe pattern shimmered. It was like a starry sky. A beautiful yet terrifying starry sky drifted down the corridor, trying to swallow Haizaki.

“Baku…!”

Tobi also followed Haizaki. Behind him, a voice that sounded like Asamiya’s voice shouted, “Otogiri…!?” He couldn’t turn around. The multipurpose room was located on the first floor down the stairs. Haizaki was aiming for that. What should Tobi do? What could he do? What did Tobi want to do?

Haizaki was going down the stairs. Tobi saw something strange. He didn’t see it clearly. Haizaki must have kicked the floor with Oruba’s right leg and tried to jump all the way down to the landing. It was not Oruba’s right leg. Something grappled with Haizaki’s left leg. It looked like that. What was it? It was not human. Of course it was not human. It was not as big as a human. It was probably half a human.

“—Ah…”

Thanks to that, Haizaki lost his balance and was unable to jump to the landing or run down the stairs. He tumbled down.

Haizaki was holding Hiiragi. Tobi rushed to the bottom of the stairs. Were they okay? Haizaki. Hiiragi.

“Ha-Haizaki-san…!”

Ryuuko was not on the stairs going down, but on the stairs leading to the third floor, two or three steps up. From there, she leaned forward, overlooking the landing of the descending stairs. There was someone else on the stairs, not just Ryuuko. A bespectacled schoolgirl was sitting on the landing of the ascending staircase. Shizukudani. Why Shizukudani? No, right now, Haizaki and Hiiragi.

Haizaki was lying on the landing of the stairs going down. Perhaps he had tried to protect Hiiragi when he fell down, and he was holding Hiiragi tightly.

Tobi bent down involuntarily. The zingai butterflies. The zingai butterflies were flying overhead. Countless butterfly zingai flocked to Haizaki.

“Ugh…kuh…”

Haizaki hadn’t lost consciousness. Was he hurt somewhere? Or maybe it was because of the zingai butterflies. Unable to get up, Oruba’s right leg was trying to ward off the zingai butterflies that were approaching, but it was hot stones in water. Besides, quite a few zingai butterflies were already clinging to Haizaki. Like the students of second year class one, Haizaki was also having his energy sucked by the zingai butterflies.

 “Tobi...!”

Baku bit a zingai butterfly that was trying to stop Tobi. Students were trying to gather here and there. The school broadcast chime sounded.

“Eh, emergency broadcast, students evacuate immediately, uh, outside, outside, hurry up!”

It was Monika. Wasn’t that Monika’s voice?

In front of the bathroom near the stairs, two or three zingai butterflies landed on the forehead of a female student who was looking up at the ceiling with a “—Huh?” The female student collapsed, and another female student who tried to help her wake up said, “Huh, wait!?” and also fell prey to the zingai butterflies.

“—There’s a risk of gas generation in the school! This is not a drill, so all students, please go outside, quickly!”

Immediately, several students tried to run down the stairs where Haizaki had collapsed. Tobi exchanged glances with Ryuuko and stood in front of the students.

“Th-This way’s not good!” “Because it’s dangerous. Use the other stairs…!”

“MUAAaaAAaaa!”

Baku ate every zingai butterfly that came near Tobi and Ryuuko. Tobi suddenly thought. To someone who can’t see zingai, what does this look like?

“There’s no end, they’re small…!”

“Keep it up!”

Who was that? At a time like this. What did they mean? Tobi was really pissed off. He didn’t know what was going on anymore, but he was doing his best.

“Do your best~ Don’t lose~ Fufufufufuu…”

He didn’t recognize the laughter. Tobi turned and looked up at the landing of the stairs leading up. He heard voices coming from there. He knew who it was. Ryuuko turned around.

“...Shizukudani—san?”

“Good job~ Shiratama-dango. Tobi-Tobi~.

He knew that Shizukudani was sitting there. Because he had glanced at her. Why was she in such a place? What exactly was that skip? Shizukudani must have something to do with Hiiiragi. What did she do? Shizukudani was not alone. Her zingai. Her smooth, four-legged zingai jumped over the stair railing onto Shizukudani’s shoulders. Where had that zingai been until now?

When Haizaki fell down the stairs, Tobi had seen something. It was a momentary event, but something about half the side of a human grappled onto Haizaki’s left leg.

Haizaki hadn’t messed up.

Something, exactly the size of Shizukudani’s zingai, interfered with Haizaki.

Shizukudani’s zingai hid behind its master. However it was not completely hidden. Four arm-like legs protruded from its master’s body. Furthermore, the zingai poked its head out from above its master’s right shoulder. It was both like a baby and an old man without wrinkles. Of course, it was neither a baby or an old man. In fact, they didn’t even look alike. That zingai had four eyes.

“Cipher.”

Shizukudance said so and made his whole face melt. She lifted her right hand and stroked the zingai’s head. As if to say, ‘I love this child so much.’

“Thank you for your hard work. My Cipher.”

“...She can see—”

Ryuuko muttered dumbfoundedly.

“I’m him.”

Tobi said. That zingai. Chipha. Was that the name? Shizukudani��s zingai, Cipher. He had grabbed Haizaki’s left leg and made him fall. And Shizukudani could see zingai. From the looks of it, it was nothing new. She could see them the whole time. 

Shizukudani had pretended she couldn’t see.

Why?

Why would she do that?

“What…”

Ryuuko shook her head. It was a swing that seemed to make a rattling sound.

“—Wh-what… are you… doing, Shizukudani-san, what are you doing there…?”

“With you guys as well, what are you doing? It’s just getting interesting. Don’t get in the way, stupid~”

Even though Shizudani cursed, she was still smiling. Why was she laughing? Getting interesting? Don’t get in the way? Cipher. Did that zingai do it on their own? That wasn’t it.

I don’t think so.

Shizukudani got up and went down one step, two steps, and looked down towards the stairs. Haizaki was collapsed. He was probably lying there. Haizaki’s appearance could not be confirmed. A tremendous number of zingai butterflies were covering Haizaki. What happened to Oruba, who was integrategrated with Haizaki’s right leg? What happened? He didn’t know.

Before he knew it, the zingai butterflies weren’t flying. Not a single one flew.

Were all the zingai butterflies flying at Haizaki? He didn’t know the boundaries between the zingai butterflies and the zingai butterflies that huddled their wings together. Were there borders? Haizaki was hugging Hiiragi. Haizaki and Hiiragi should be among those countless butterfly zingai.

Suddenly, a group of butterfly zingai swelled. It stood up, clad in a multitude of zingai butterflies.

It was her. It was Hiiragi Itoha. Hiiragi peeked through gaps between the zingai butterflies and turned around. There was a smile that was completely out of place.

“How are youuu~? I-to-ha. It’s Ruka-chin, isn’t it~?”

“...Rukana.”

“They’re beautiful, Itoha. It’s so beautiful that it gives me goosebumps. You used to love them, Ruritateha. Ah. Can’t you see them, Itoha? Disssappointing~”

“...What are you saying…”

“I told you, it’s okay.”

For a moment, all emotion escaped from Shizukudani’s face and voice. But her facial muscles quickly collapsed, and she was either laughing, angry, or was she sad, it seemed to be any of them, but it was none of them, a disgusting face was exposed.

“We were best friends weren’t we? I want you to be happy. Don’t lie all the time, let’s show the real you. Hey? Itoha~?”

Hiiragi covered her left and right ears with both hands covered in butterfly zingai.

“AAa—”

“Itoha~, [Find yourself] right! [Let’s find ourselves] right!?”

“AAAaa! AaAAAaaa!”

“[You can do it, you can do it]! [It’s not impossible] eh! [You just have to let go] oh!”

“Stop it, Rukana, stop it already…!”

The zingai butterflies clinging to Hiiragi’s body swayed and flew. The zingai butterflies that divided and proliferated recombined and a large zingai butterfly. The wings easily spread over a meter wide. It was almost the width of the stairs. Big. It was a giant butterfly. The upper side of the wings were black with a  beautiful blue pattern. But behind that, it looked like a dead leaf.

The giant zingai butterfly flew. Instinctively, Tobi pulled Ryuuko up and crouched down. As expected of Baku, it seemed that he was only frightened by the fact that it was really big. The giant zingai butterfly passed over Tobi and Ryuuko’s heads, heading towards Shizukudani near the landing of  the stairs.

“That’s right! Well, you’re trying to hurt me…!”

Tears welled in Shizukudani’s eyes like a dam had burst. She was crying. Despite crying so much, Shizukudani was still laughing.

“Itoha~ that’s your true nature! Seriously, the worst~...!

Shizukudani wasn’t the only one laughing. Cipher. That four-legged zingai had his mouth open. But, was it laughing? If the jaw joining was normal structure, it was definitely out of place. Just like a crocodile. Or rather, it looked like a snake trying to swallow something bigger than itself.

Cipher rose from the back of Shizukudani. It pounced on the giant butterfly zingai and bit into one of its wings. Cipher fell down the stairs along with the gigantic zingai butterfly. Eat. It was eating on the giant butterfly zingai.

“Uuugh…”

Hiiragi stumbled and Rukana cried.

“Well~, you see~, it was~! Me, foreeeeever! Itoha! I wanted to eat you! You will be mine! You will be eaten by me! I wish you would become a part of meee~…!”

[rabbitcruiser]

National Rice Pudding Day

All we can think of is a bowl of some good old rice pudding this National Rice Pudding Day taking place on August 9. For many of us, starting from our childhood to our adulthood, rice pudding has been a staple in our diets. Made with a base of rice cooked in milk and sweetened with sugar, syrup, or honey, rice pudding can be found in many cultures and cuisines all over the world. Of course, each region has its own unique take on the dish. Some add nuts and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom to it, while others throw in a dash of wine to give it that wow factor. For a more fragrant look and feel, many people in the Middle East also add pistachio slivers and rose petals before serving it. You can have it hot or cold, and as a breakfast dish or a dessert after dinner. So, how are you having your rice pudding on August 9?

History of National Rice Pudding Day

National Rice Pudding Day celebrates the ancient rice pudding dish in all its glory and greatness. While we may know the sweet version of the dish today, did you know that it actually started out as a savory treat? It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location and time of the creation of rice pudding, but many scholars believe it may have originated in either ancient China or in ancient India. Both these countries have a long history of including rice as well as sugar in their religious and cultural activities, so it only makes sense that the combination of the two may have been included in their cuisines as well. ‘Kheer,’ which is Hindi for rice pudding, was first recorded in ancient India in 6000 B.C., and it was included as a staple in a prescribed Ayurvedic diet regime. It is also interesting to note that the early versions of the Indian rice pudding did not actually include rice or sugar. In place of rice, Indians made use of the cereal grain known as sorghum.

Elsewhere in the world, rice pudding was being made with rice. The grain had reached Europe through exports delivered by water or the Silk Road in the 1300s. Because it was being exported from Asia and was not being grown in Europe, rice automatically became extremely expensive. Thus, rice pudding could only be enjoyed by the elite and royalty of European countries. Before the 1500s, rice pudding was savory in nature. It was made with rice being boiled in a broth with saffron and almond milk. Chefs started including sugar into the dish to make it sweet, and soon a sweetened rice pudding started gaining popularity. It was in the eighteenth century that rice pudding became more commonplace and less expensive, all thanks to globalization. The lowered rice prices meant the grain was in easier reach of the masses, and in today’s world, it is considered to be a cheap, but filling meal.

National Rice Pudding Day timeline

6000 B.C. Indian Rice Pudding for Healthy Living

Ancient India includes rice pudding in the Ayurvedic diet in order to ensure healthy living.

14th Century Forme of Cury in England

Rice pudding, known as Forme of Cury or rice pottage, is made with rice, almond milk, and saffron in English Royal kitchens.

17th Century Sweetened Rice Pudding Recipes

Some of the modern-age rice pudding recipes come from the Tudor time period, and are called ‘whitepot.’

18th – 19th Century Rice Becomes Cheaper

Rice grains become cheaper, allowing access to the public who can now enjoy rice pudding treats, unlike their predecessors.

How To Celebrate National Rice Pudding Day

Make rice pudding

Have a rice pudding contest

Try a new rice pudding recipe

Take a trip down memory lane and make your favorite rice pudding recipe. Because of its versatility, you can choose to have it hot or cold, and for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Rice pudding is one of the highest-rated comfort foods out there because of its gooey, yet grainy texture that leaves one filled with love and warmth.

Participating in a rice pudding competition is one of the best ways to celebrate the day. There are two ways you can go about doing this. You can either hold a rice pudding cooking competition or you can have an eating competition. Whether you choose one, two, or have both, it’s going to be a fun-filled day.

Going back to what is tried and tested can be comforting, but seeking out the new can reward you with invaluable experiences. Give new rice pudding recipes a try. It could be a sweet or a savory recipe, the choice is yours.

5 Facts About Rice That Will Blow Your Mind

Sticky rice for strong cement

White rice is brown rice

Rice is grown everywhere but Antarctica

The shelf-life is decades long

Good for health

The Great Wall of China is held together with sticky rice that has been mixed with calcium carbonate.

All white rice comes from brown rice, and this is because the white rice has the brown coating of bran removed.

Rice is grown everywhere except Antarctica because of the continent’s extremely cold temperatures.

Rice, when stored in a cool and dry environment, will be good to consume for the next 10 to 30 years.

Because rice contains several minerals and antioxidants, it is great for your health, particularly for your skin.

Why We Love National Rice Pudding Day

It’s a celebration of rice pudding

It’s a celebration of ancient times

It’s a celebration of a staple food item

Rice pudding has come a long way in terms of development. It has been enjoyed by millions for centuries. With easy-to-make recipes and simple yet enjoyable taste, rice pudding is loved by many all over the globe.

A look into ancient history will reveal a lot of information on how people led their lives in order to ensure healthy and peaceful living. One historical overview of rice pudding allows us just that benefit of looking into how human civilizations utilized a single rice pudding dish in their daily lives.

Rice is a staple food item for many countries in the world. In fact, 50% of the world’s population consumes rice on a daily basis. Apart from helping our skin stay smooth and supple, rice also aids in healthy hair, is good for our overall health, and keeps our tummies filled and happy.

Source

[brookston]

Holidays 8.31

Holidays

Baloch-Pakhtun Unity Day

Cow Chip Tossing Day

Crop Dusting Day

Day of Solidarity and Freedom (Poland)

Festal Day (Order of the Eastern Star)

Flag Day (India)

Hari Kebangsaan (Malaysia)

International Blog Day (a.k.a. International Day of Blogs and Bloggers)

International Day for People of African Descent (UN)

International Overdose Awareness Day

Limba Noastra (Day of Our Language; Moldova)

Love Litigating Lawyers Day

Merdeka Day (Malaysia)

National Box Car Day

National Dan Day

National Diatomaceous Earth Day

National HalfCut Day (Australia)

National Leslie Day

National Matchmaker Day

National South Carolina Day

North Borneo Self-Government Day

National Zoo Awareness Day (UK)

Opioid Misuse Prevention Day

Overdose Awareness Day

Princess Diana Memorial Day

Rabbit Rabbit Day [Last Day of Every Month]

Romanian Language Day (Romania)

Sărbătoarea (a.k.a. Limba noastră; Language Day; Moldova)

Take a Seat Day

Tank Day (Lešany, Czech Republic)

Walnut Day (French Republic)

We Love Memoirs Day

White Rose Day (Australia)

Withdrawal of the Last American Soldier Anniversary Day (Afghanistan)

World Distance Learning Day

World Sanskrit Day

World Solidarity Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bacon Day [also 12.30]

Eat Outside Day

Grape Blessing Day (Armenia)

Invent A New Sandwich Day

National Trail Mix Day

Vegetable Day (Japan)

5th & Last Thursday in August

National Banana Pudding Day [Last Thursday]

National Cabernet Sauvignon Day [Last Thursday]

Thoughtful Thursday [Thursday of Be Kind to Humankind Week]

Independence Days

Befshire (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Kyrgyzstan (from USSR, 1991)

Malaysia (from UK, 1957)

Trinidad and Tobago (from UK, 1962)

Feast Days

Aidan of Lindisfarne (Christian; Saint)

Alter Ego Day (Pastafarian)

Aristides of Athens (Christian; Saint)

Cuthburh (Christian; Saint)

Dominguito del Val (Christian; Saint)

Fourth Onam (Rice Harvest Festival, Day 4; Kerala, India)

Frey’s Blot (Pagan)

Gai Jatra (Cow Festival, in remembrance of people who died the previous year; Kathmandu Valley, Nepal)

Henry (Muppetism)

Isabel (Christian; Saint)

Joseph of Arimathea (Christian; Saint)

Jouffroy (Positivist; Saint)

Nicodemus (Christian; Saint)

Paulinus of Trier (Christian; Saint)

Paul Reubens Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Raymond Nonnatus (Christian; Saint)

Roger Dean (Artology)

Wala of Corbie (Christian; Saint)

Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Lucky Day (Philippines) [48 of 71]

Premieres

All Or Nothing At All, recorded by Frank Sinatra (Song; 1939)

American Idiot, by Green Day (Song; 2004)

Andor (TV Series; 2022)

Bad, by Michael Jackson (Album; 1987)

The Big Sleep (Film; 1946)

Bolero (Film; 1984)

Bugsy and Mugsy (WB LT Cartoon; 1957)

The Commuter, by Philip K. Dick (Short Story; 1953)

The Constant Gardener (Film; 2005)

Document, by R.E.M. (Album; 1987)

Fly, by Dixie Chicks (Album; 1999)

Foundation and Earth, by Isaac Asimov (Novel; 1986) [Foundation #5]

Get Rich Quick (Disney Cartoon; 1951)

Goat’s Head Soup, by The Rolling Stones (Album; 1973)

The Great Gildersleeve (Radio Series; 1941)

Jack Ryan (TV Series; 2018)

Only Murders in the Building (TV Series; 2021)

Orient Express, by Graham Greene (a.k.a. Stamboul Train; Novel; 1932)

Pluto’s Judgement Day (Disney Cartoon; 1935)

The Psychology of Intelligence, by Jean Piaget (Science Book; 1947)

Raising Demons, by Shirley Jackson (Memoir; 1957)

The Threepenny Opera, by Bertolt Brecht (Play with Music; 1928)

Wildest Dreams, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2015)

The World According to Garp, by John Irving (Novel; 1978)

Today’s Name Days

Paulinus, Raimubd (Austria)

Josip, Nikodem, Optat, Paulina (Croatia)

Pavlína (Czech Republic)

Bertha (Denmark)

Arved, Arvi, Arvid (Estonia)

Arvi (Finland)

Aristide (France)

Aidan, Anja, Paulinus, Raimund (Germany)

Bella, Erika (Hungary)

Aristide (Italy)

Aigars, Aira, Labite, Vilma (Latvia)

Raimunda, Raimundas, Vilmantas, Vilmantė (Lithuania)

Berta, Berte (Norway)

Bohdan, Paulina, Rajmund, Rajmunda, Świętosław (Poland)

Nora (Slovakia)

Ramón (Spain)

Arvid, Vidar (Sweden)

Aden, Aidan, Aiden, Ayden, Edan, Edana, Eden, Edina, Egan, Egon (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 243 of 2024; 122 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 35 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Coll (Hazel) [Day 24 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Geng-Shen), Day 16 (Xin-You)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 14 Elul 5783

Islamic: 14 Safar 1445

J Cal: 3 Aki; Threesday [3 of 30]

Julian: 18 August 2023

Moon: 99%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 19 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Jouffroy]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 71 of 94)

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 10 of 32)

[danishkhan786]

Indian curry restaurant menu

Indian curry restaurant in Perth

Indian food incorporates various cooking styles from India and its adjoining places. They utilize various flavors, spices, vegetables, and organic products to make remarkable dishes. Numerous famous Indian eateries these days are family-claimed or original foundations. At the point when you are new to this cooking, it means quite a bit to understand what sort of food to arrange. The following are a couple of updates on what to purchase in an Indian eatery:

Know What to Eat

Indian food has various flavors, sauces, and marinated meat and vegetables. Its impact came from various nations, like China, Persia, Portugal, and England. The Indian religion, which is Buddhism, additionally influences food decisions so the majority of them lean toward eating vegetables than meat.

- Tidbits - Most Indian hors d'oeuvres are broiled baked goods with cream soups and crude vegetable plates of mixed greens. They frequently serve it with sauces, like a chutney or yogurt, to adjust the zesty flavor. The most popular hors d'oeuvre is the samosa, a broiled baked good with blended vegetables, meat, and flavors inside a mixture. Another well known cake is a pakora, which is like samosa. The main distinction is that individuals fry it without stuffing the fixings inside the batter.

- Drinks - Indian beverages are sweet to supplement the fiery taste of their food. A great many people favor requesting a lassi, a sweet yogurt-based shake. A sweet beverage, as panakam, with water, sugar, ginger, and limejuice is likewise a #1 among food darlings. In the event that you are searching for cocktails, you can arrange an India Pale Ales or IPA.

- Primary Dishes - There are cafés that offer an all-veggie lover dinner for individuals who don'thttps://thecurryhut.com.au/ eat meat. There are situations when cooks convert their meat dishes with a vegetable choice to suit the client's taste. The best principal dish to arrange is a curry. This is made of meat or vegetables absorbed a yogurt or coconut-based marinade. At the point when you go to an indian eatery, the greater part of the dishes comprise of sheep, chicken, rice, or spinach.

- Sweets - Indians love sugar and milk-based treats with new natural products. Most cafés improve their puddings and frozen yogurts with organic products, like pomegranates, mangos, and bananas. One famous pudding is the kheer, which is a rice pudding with raisins, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Sauce and Spicy Food Choices

Individuals who love hot food sources go to Indian eateries since they have various degrees of heat, from gentle to extremely hot. Never pick the spicier dishes assuming you are simply beginning. Odds are good that you could abandon the food and waste your cash in the wake of having a nibble. Stick to gentle food varieties and request a spicier dish when you want to deal with it.

There is a common guideline in Indian cooking where you request a high-sauce dish with another drier food. The sauce gives a superior taste to rice dishes. You can likewise arrange a Chapati, Paratha, and Naan to adjust the drier dishes.

The rich flavors, flavors, and smooth sauces of Indian food are becoming famous to individuals all over the planet. The individuals who love vegetables, sugar and milk-based food things, and hot dishes visit eateries regularly. At the point when you are searching for a scrumptious dish, an indian café is the most ideal way to go.

More info] https://thecurryhut.com.au/

[brookpub]

Sunday Roast in Cambridge | Brook Sunday Indian Roast

The Sunday roast is a cherished custom that has no boundaries or cultural biases, as every location puts its spin on this timeless dish. Sunday Roast in Cambridge have made their way all around the globe from their humble beginnings in the UK, where they were first cooked centuries ago. This article will take readers on a culinary adventure throughout the world as it delves into the many Sunday roasts. How they've evolved to reflect the distinct cuisines and traditions of the world's many areas.

The Great Britain Custom:

Looking back to its origins in Britain can help us trace the history of the Sunday roast. The Sunday roast, which has its origins in the Middle Ages, was a feast reserved for the nobility. It consisted of roasted meats like chicken, lamb or cattle served with roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, veggies and gravy. As time went on, people of all income levels were able to partake in this practice, and it became an integral aspect of British cuisine.

Southern Comfort and Pot Roast in the US:

American regional tastes and culinary traditions have given the Sunday roast its own unique flavour. Southerners love their pot roast—tender, delicious beef chunks slow-cooked with veggies and seasonings. The Southern tradition of gathering around the table to enjoy home-cooked meals and share tales is reflected in this hearty recipe.

New Zealand and Australia: The Australian and New Zealand Roast:

The Sunday roast, with some tweaks for the local taste, has been adopted down under. Lamb is a common ingredient in traditional Australian roasts, a tribute to the prosperous sheep farming economy in the nation. The Australian roast is a popular and filling family dinner in Australia. It is served with roasted pumpkin, root vegetables, and gravy. The main attraction in a New Zealandian supper is roast lamb. It is complemented by fresh seasonal vegetables and a mint sauce that pays homage to the local flavours.

France: Fine Dining and Rotisserie:

France is famous for its exquisite cuisine, and Sunday roasts there are served with more finesse and elegance. Sunday dinners often feature rôtisserie-cooked meats, including duck or chicken. It shows the French obsession with slow-roasted excellence. With its crisp baguettes, buttery potatoes, and assortment of gourmet sauces, the French Sunday roast is a feast for the senses and an ode to culinary talent.

India: Spiced Sensations and Tandoori Delights:

India is the spice capital of the world, so Sunday roasts there are full of life and flavour. Roasted to perfection in a traditional clay oven, tandoori chicken—marinated in a mixture of yoghurt and spices—is a Sunday dinner favourite. The aromatic spices and powerful flavours of the Indian Sunday roast are enhanced by the fragrant basmati rice, naan bread, and a variety of chutneys and pickles that go with it.

On Sundays, British families gather around the table to celebrate a long-loved tradition. It is sharing a meal and one other's companionship. Since the early days of Christianity, many families' weekly diets have included Sunday dinners. They honour the traditions of British cuisine and the importance of family dinners. This Sunday, whether you're hosting a vegetarian feast or a traditional roast beef with all the trimmings. Take some time to sit down to a home-cooked meal and reflect on happier days.

Indulge in the INDIAN ROAST CHICKEN or VEGETABLE NUT ROAST at The Brook Indian Gastro Pub. It is accompanied by Bombay potatoes, seasonal veggies, Yorkshire pudding, coconut-flavored rice and a special gravy. From 12 to 4 pm every Sunday, you may take advantage of this discount!

INDIAN ROAST CHICKEN:

Indian Roast Chicken with Bombay potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, coconut-flavored rice and a unique gravy is a wonderful blend of classic Best Sunday roast. It is the exotic tastes of Indian cooking. The harmonious combination of flavours and textures in this enticing dish will send your taste receptors into a frenzy.

The dish steals the show with its aromatic marinade of ginger-garlic paste, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Tender, juicy chicken with a hint of spice is the result of this marinade's multi-layered flavour infusion. When the chicken is done roasting, it comes out of the oven with crispy and golden skin. It is ready to be devoured by everyone.

VEGETABLE NUT ROAST:

Serving it with Bombay potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, coconut-flavoured rice and special gravy. The Vegetable Nut Roast is a delicious vegetarian take on the traditional Sunday roast. It is full of texture, flavour and healthy goodness.

The Vegetable Nut Roast is the star of the show here. It's a savoury mixture of nuts, herbs, lentils, mixed veggies, breadcrumbs, and spices. They are all packed with health benefits. You won't miss the meat in this delightful and nutritious nut roast since it's full of protein, fibre, and important nutrients.

We take great pleasure in entertaining our customers and providing them with the finest traditional Indian food. We will be showing live coverage of the upcoming football Euro Cup at the Brook Indian Gastro Pub in Cambridge. Gather your loved ones and cheer on your team while enjoying a wide selection of premium alcoholic beverages and delicious fresh drinks.

Besides watching the games live on our Big TV screens, you may also relax in our garden this summer. We are also happy to assist with the planning of any outdoor gatherings, events, or festivities. We also serve food, beverages, decorations, music, and more. Please inform us of the purpose of the event so that we can accommodate all of your needs.

[akan175]

Title: The Rich Tapestry of Sri Lankan Cuisine: A Culinary Journey Through Flavor and Tradition

Sri Lankan cuisine is a celebration of diverse flavors, vibrant spices, and rich culinary traditions that reflect the island nation's unique cultural heritage. From aromatic rice and curry to mouthwatering seafood delicacies, each dish tells a story of centuries-old culinary techniques passed down through generations. In this article, we embark on a flavorful journey through the tantalizing world of Sri Lankan cuisine, exploring its origins, key ingredients, and signature dishes that have captivated food lovers around the globe.

Origins and Influences

Sri Lankan cuisine is a melting pot of influences from various cultures, including Indian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Malay, shaped by centuries of trade and colonial rule. The island's strategic location along ancient maritime routes has made it a crossroads of culinary diversity, with each wave of settlers leaving behind a culinary footprint that has contributed to the rich tapestry of flavors we see today.

Key Ingredients

At the heart of Sri Lankan cuisine lies a diverse array of spices and fresh ingredients that lend depth and complexity to its dishes. Turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom are just a few of the spices that feature prominently in Sri Lankan cooking, infusing dishes with their distinctive aromas and flavors. Coconut milk, another staple ingredient, adds a creamy richness to curries and stews, while fresh herbs like curry leaves and pandan leaves impart a burst of freshness to dishes.

Signature Dishes

Rice and curry, often hailed as the quintessential Sri Lankan meal, is a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that showcases the diversity of the island's culinary heritage. The meal typically consists of a mound of steamed rice served with an array of curries, including meat, seafood, and vegetable options, accompanied by sambols (spicy relishes) and papadams (crispy lentil wafers).

Hoppers, bowl-shaped pancakes made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk, are another beloved Sri Lankan specialty. Served with a variety of toppings, such as eggs, sambols, or curries, hoppers are a popular breakfast dish that can be enjoyed any time of day.

String hoppers, thin strands of steamed rice noodles, are often served alongside curries and sambols, providing a light and airy complement to the rich flavors of the main dishes.

Seafood plays a prominent role in Sri Lankan cuisine, thanks to the island's abundant coastal waters. From succulent crab curry to spicy fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry), seafood lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to indulging in the ocean's bounty.

Sweet Endings

No meal in Sri Lanka is complete without a sweet treat to satisfy the palate. Traditional desserts like wattalapam, a rich and creamy pudding made from coconut milk, jaggery, and spices, or kiri bath, a decadent rice pudding flavored with coconut and cardamom, offer a delightful conclusion to any dining experience.

Conclusion

Sri Lankan cuisine is a culinary kaleidoscope of flavors, colors, and textures that reflects the island's rich cultural heritage and diverse culinary influences. From spicy curries to sweet treats, each dish tells a story of tradition, innovation, and the enduring love affair between food and culture. Whether you're exploring the bustling streets of Colombo or lounging on the pristine beaches of the south coast, a culinary adventure awaits around every corner in Sri Lanka, inviting you to savor the flavors of this enchanting island paradise.