Afghan Pomegranates in Japan

Recently we have received a shipment of Afghan pomegranates. These are the first to be imported to Japan since before the Soviet invasion. The boxes we received came from Silk Road Harvest Pomegranates and contained a selection of different Afghan breeds including Bedana (golden, slightly red rind and very sweet) and Kabul (dark red and yellow rind, sweet).

The pomegranate is a very important crop to Afghanistan as they are in high demand across the world and are more profitable per kilogram than poppies. Compared to local pomegranates, the Afghan ones are much much sweeter and stronger in flavor. I feel that if given the opportunity it could be a successful product in Japan. Success of this product in Japan would lead to direct gain by the farmers which sell their fruit to Silk Road Caravan which will only add to the stability of the country.

Currently we are seeking distributors who are looking for a new healthy product with a lot of potential to be big. The image most Japanese have of pomegranates (ザクロ) is that they are sour and not easy to eat. One taste of the Afghan bred ones and they will see what they are really supposed to taste like. In addition to being easy to eat (no need to spit seeds, they are small enough to chew or eat whole), these pomegranates would be excellent for making a healthy juice drink. If any of my readers are interested in importing these pomegranates for juice or to sell whole please contact me directly through afghanblogjapan@gmail.com We are very interested in any offers.

Ikebana International Fair 2010

On December 7, 2010 the Annual Ikebana International Fair was held in the Tokyo Prince Hotel. Ikebana is Japanese flower arrangement. The Embassy of Colombia provided the flowers for the event. Ikebana International is an NPO with the goal of reaching out to many different cultures through flower arrangement. Many of the Ambassador's wives are members of the group, so for these kinds of events many different embassies are present . The Embassy of Afghanistan had a booth offering jewelry as well as clothing, offered on this blog, by Zarif Design. The event attracted thousands of people and had many large beautiful flower arrangements. Emceeing the event was Japanese Princess Takamado.

The Princess came to the Embassy of Afghanistan's booth. She ended up buying a very nice lapis bracelet.

The Zarif Design clothing ended up being quite popular. This silk asymmetric dress was especially popular. In the end the daughter of the Serbian Ambassador bought it.

Zarif Design Clothing For Sale

Zolaykha Sherzad, lead designer of Zarif Design in Kabul Afghanistan (with boutiques in New York and Dubai) has been kind enough to consign some pieces of her latest collection to offer my readers. Her inspiration comes from traditional Afghan clothing styles and materials but with a modern spin. Each item was designed and hand made in Kabul, Afghanistan. Many of these items have been featured in recent runway fashion shows during London and Paris Fashion Week 2010. If you would like to order a piece or would like more details, such as measurements, please email me at afghanblogjapan@gmail.com .
Zarif Design

Silk asymmetrical dress with scarf and calligraphy design (Item # 5002)  32,000 JPY (Out of Stock)

Long red silk Chapan (overcoat) with antique embroidery. Very heavy and warm material. (Item # 2001) Size M 40,000 JPY

Long green silk Chapan with antique embroidery on the belt line, neck and cuffs.  (Item # 2000) Size M 40,000 JPY

Short red silk Chapan material vest with antique embroidery on the back (Item # 3002)
Three available. Sizes: S, M 11,000 JPY

Silk pleated sleeveless shirt. Available in gold and red. (Item #4009) Size M 7,500 JPY

Blue one button mandarin collar jacket with embroidery (Item No. 1014) Size S 20,000 JPY 

Blue and silver silk one button mandarin collar Chapan material jacket (Item #1008) Size S 20,000 JPY

Silk Nassima Scarf, available in many colors 3500 JPY

Silk Zarif Scarf, very fine and light weight. Available in blue/gold, dark purple/gold 4500 JPY

If you would like to order a piece or would like more details, such as photos or measurements, please email me at afghanblogjapan@gmail.com

Kabul 'safer for children' than UK cities: NATO envoy and Peace progress

Found this in the Telegraph newspaper recently:


Safety of kids in Kabul


Children may be safer in Kabul than in London or Glasgow, according to Mark Sedwill, former British ambassador to Afghanistan and now NATO's top civilian representative there.

Sedwill’s comments that "The children are probably safer here than they would be in London, New York or Glasgow or many other cities," were made on the BBC children's television news program Newsround.

Sedwill added that there are "very few of those bombs," meaning landmines and other explosives that may harm children, in Kabul and other major Afghan cities.

"Most children can go about their lives in safety. It's a very family-orientated society. So, it is a little bit like a city of villages," he added


Pentagon Report Cites Gains in Afghanistan 
New York Times, November 23, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/world/asia/24military.html


In findings that mirror recent statements from Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, a Pentagon report to Congress this month titled “Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan,” the sixth in a series that the Pentagon is required to submit twice a year, said that there were signs of progress in security, governance and development in “operational priority areas.” It covers the period from April 1 to Sept. 30 this year.

The report also said that the growth and development of the Afghan security forces “are among Afghanistan’s most promising areas of progress,” and that the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police met their target numbers for expansion three months before a deadline of Oct. 31 this year.

On the negative side, the report cited Pakistan’s reluctance to go after insurgents operating from havens on its border with Afghanistan. The report said that while it recognized the “tremendous effort” Pakistan was making against some insurgents inside its country, “insurgent safe havens along the border will remain the primary problem to achieving a secure and stable Afghanistan.”

Report from the Afghan Elections

Overcoming adversity, Afghanistan’s long awaited election results were released. Originally postponed from May until September to institute anti-fraud safeguards, votes went through a rigorous review to verify authenticity. Though there have been claims of fraud, they are being reviewed by the government for validity. The U.S. Embassy said in a statement, “…millions of men and women went to the polls and exercised their democratic right to vote.”
Though met with various difficulties of fraud and security, the focus here should be on the fact that just one decade ago, simply holding a public dialogue of democracy and voting would be met with punishment and/or death from the Taliban. The fact that within a decade Afghanistan has been able to institute a democratic government and give the people a voice is incredible. While still in its’ infancy and learning how to develop; it is important to note that the democracy within Afghanistan is growing and is being used by her people.

World Bank to give $35 million for water management in Afghanistan

This recently came up in a news article on Good Afghan News so I did a bit more research into it on the World Bank's website. The water management program is centered around helping farmers. More specifically the $35 million are aimed at improving the irrigation systems to be less wasteful with the goal of increasing farm yield and supplying more farmers with water. 

The Afghan Ministry of Agriculture is developing about fifteen new farms around the improved irrigation systems the World Bank project. The goal is to showcase and physically test the new systems to find the most cost effective and feasible system for use on a mass scale in the country. Aside from these pilot farms, the money will go into rejuvenating the existing infrastructure. In all the project will take about three years to be completed.

The WB has taken into account all possible detrimental environmental and social impacts of this proposal and determined methods to avoid any. Orders have been put in place to deal with pollution by integrating silt collectors and special washing areas to keep animal waste out of the water supply. Also measures have been taken to avoid deforestation and deterioration of the soil. Of course the World Bank realizes for this plan to be effective they will have to integrate the community into the new development. Plans have been made to train the farmers, and women of the community, in how to use the new equipment and preserve water and developing a secure payment system for sharecroppers.

With the implementation of this new program, more farmers will be able to access the water supply they need to produce a bigger harvest.

Culture Event Review: Akasaka Monozukuri

On November 5th and 6th I attended another culture event. This one was held at Akasaka Circus for the Akasaka Monozukuri neighborhood festival. The booth for the Afghanistan Embassy was much smaller than previous events, but they made it work. On Friday many Elementary school students attended the festival and could have their names written in Arabic script.

 

The crowd at this even was much more interested in the Afghan booth and many stopped to have a look at the goods for sale and to pose for a picture.

Culture Event Review: Tachikawa Sekai Fureai

On October 31st the World Friendship Festival was held in Tachikawa in Northwest Tokyo. Unfortunately the first day of the even, October 30th, was canceled due to a typhoon.

 The Embassy of Afghanistan was there. They were selling kilim (hand made Afghan rugs), hats, and lapis-lazuli jewelery. The booth received a lot of foot traffic and it seems a lot of people were stopping to find out more about Afghan culture and to take a look at the goods for sale. The Afghan hats (Pakul) were a very popular item. 

As before, they were letting any visitors to the booth try on Afghan clothes and have their picture taken. 

 All in all, it was a fun day. In addition to the Afghan booth there were many other ones representing countries from around the world. Many kinds of food were for sale at the booths. I had a chance to try some African donuts and Samosas. They were quite good. 

Afghan Food Recipe: Mantu

Sorry it has been such a long time since I have posted any new info. I have been really busy with school and work lately. To make up for it I am posting a recipe for Mantu. These Afghan dumplings can be likened to Japanese Gyozoa or pot stickers. Recently I used this same recipe and made my own mantu, so I can attest to them being very easy to make and quite delicious.  

Mantu (Ground Meat Dumplings)

  

 Ingredients:

500g Ground Beef or Lamb

1 Large Onion

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 tsp. (5g) Salt and Pepper

1 Tbsp (15g) Ground Coriander

2 tsp (10g) Cumin

30-40 Gyoza or Wonton Skins 

2 Tbsp (30mL) Cooking Oil

3/4 Cup (150cc) Water

Instructions:

Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan at medium heat till hot. Add the minced onion and garlic. Cook till just slightly translucent and add the ground meat. Be sure to break up the meat into small bits as it browns.

Once browned, add all of the spices and the water. Stir the meat to evenly distribute the spices and allow it to simmer until the water has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Allow the mixture to cool.

Once cool, fill the wonton or gyoza wraps with just enough meat (about 1 tbsp, but varies with size of wrap). Wet a finger and run it along the inside of the wrap, fold and seal by pinching the edges together making a square or rectangle shape.

Place the sealed mantu in a steamer and cook until the skin becomes clear (about 10-15 minutes). Serve immediately with a yogurt garlic sauce or cream tomato sauce.

Global Festa Tokyo 2010

The Embassy of Afghanistan had a large cultural display at Global Festa in Hibiya Park this year. On hand they had traditional and common Afghan clothes and household goods, an Afghan band, and a traditional story read to the crowd in Japanese. All in all it was a strong showing by the embassy and people seemed like they were really having a good time and were excited to be there.
（アフガニスタン大使館は今年、日比谷公園で行われたグローバルフェスタで大規模な文化展示コーナーを開きました。スタッフは手にアフガニスタンの伝統衣装、家庭用品を持ち、アフガニスタンのバンドによる演奏がなされ、民謡が日本語で朗読されました。概して、大使館による展示は盛況で、いらっしゃった人々はとても良い時間を過ごし、楽しんでいたようでした。）

The next event like this will be the International Friendship Festival in Showa Kinen Park in Tachikawa on October 30 and 31 and will be open all day, both days. So please do head down and check it out. Try on some Afghan clothes and have your picture taken with real Afghan people or just learn about the country and culture. All are welcome and it is a free event.
（次に開かれるイベントは、10月30日～31日の終日立川にある昭和記念公園でのインターナショナル・フレンドシップ・フェスティバルです。ぜひ、見にいらしてください。アフガニスタンの衣装を試着したり、アフガニスタン人と写真を撮ったり、もしくは単に、国と文化について知っていただければと思います。どなたでも参加できるイベントなので、ぜひ皆様が来てくださるよう、お待ちしております。）

Afghan Food Recipe: Firnee

Firnee is a milk pudding with rosewater and a popular dessert in Afghanistan. Its mildly sweet and fragrant and super easy to make. While you can eat it warm, I personally like to let it cool and set in the refrigerator while cooking the rest of my meal.
（フィルニはローズウォーターを使用して作るミルク・プディングで、アフガニスタンでよく食されているデザートです。フィルニはまろやかに甘く、香りが良くて作り方もとても簡単です。温かくても美味しいですが、個人的には、他の料理を作っている間に冷蔵庫に入れておき、冷やして食べるのが好きです。）

Prep/cook time ~15minutes
（準備／調理に必要な時間～15分）

Ingredients:
½ cup blanched ground almonds
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup cold water
4 cups milk
½ cup honey or 1 cup sugar
½ tsp. ground green cardamom seeds
¼ cup ground pistachios
2 tbsp. rosewater
（材料：
皮をむいてつぶしたアーモンド２分の１カップ
コーンスターチ３分の１カップ
冷水１カップ
牛乳４カップ
ハチミツ２分の１カップもしくは砂糖１カップ
つぶしたグリーンカルダモン　ティースプーン２分の１杯
つぶしたピスタチオ４分の１カップ
ローズウォーター　テーブルスプーン２杯）






Instructions:
（作り方：）

To blanch the almonds: Put the almonds in a small saucepan with a cup of water and bring to a boil.
Cook 3 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water and remove brown skins. Grate or use a
blender or a food processor with a portion of the milk. (presliced blanched almonds can also be used)
（アーモンドの皮のむき方：アーモンドと水１カップを小さな鍋の中に入れ、沸騰させる。
所要時間は３分。それを濾して冷たい水ですすぎ、茶色い皮を取り除く。手でおろすか、もしくは
ミキサーかフードプロセッサーを使い、牛乳と混ぜ合わせる。（あらかじめ皮がむかれている
アーモンドでも可））

Bring the milk to a boil and stir in the honey/sugar to dissolve and add the cardamom and almonds.
Cook on a low flame.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water until smooth. Gradually add to the milk
stirring constantly. Cook 5 minutes over a low flame stirring occasionally until the pudding
has thickened. Add rosewater to the pudding and put into four salad plates or shallow bowls. Apply pistachios as a topping.
（牛乳を沸騰させ、ハチミツもしくは砂糖を混ぜて溶かし、カルダモンとアーモンドを加える。
このとき、火は弱火にする。
小さなボールを使って、コーンスターチと水をなめらかになるまで混ぜ合わせる。混ぜながら、
少しずつそこに牛乳を加えていく。それを５分ほど弱火にかけ、プディングが固まるまで混ぜ
続ける。ローズウォーターをプディングにかけ、サラダ皿か浅めのボールに盛り付ける。
最後に、ピスタチオを飾り付ける。）

First Blog Post

Hey everyone, this is our first blog post and a proof of concept. In the future we are planning on posting news about positive things happening in Afghanistan, Afghan food recipes, interviews and guest blog posts from local Afghan business owners, and information about coming cultural events.

（みなさんこんにちは。初の投稿ですので、ブログの概要を説明します。今後、私たちはアフガニスタンで起こったポジティブな出来事に関するニュースや、アフガニスタン料理のレシピ、インタビュー、アフガニスタンのビジネスマンのブログ、開催予定の文化イベントの情報などを投稿していきます。）