Living in Japan | Japanese Foods & Dining
Goya, an Okinawa food that keeps you cool in the summertime!
Summer in Tokyo is extremely hot. The temperature rarely reaches 40 C degree, but the high humidity makes you feel really uncormfortable and exhausted. It can get as muggy as a Sauna!
To keep yourself healthy and regain energy in such summer heat, it is a good idea to drink a lot of bottled water and to eat seasonal vegetables. One of those vegetables becoming very popular in Japan, is Goya, or Nigauri, a type of bitter melon.
Goya contains alot of Vitamin C and other nutrients that also helps to keep your skin beautiful. In fact, there are many Goya products, like Goya Juice or Goya tea. You can even buy Goya supplements at drug stores too.
I, myself, like Goya and even tried to grow Goya in my garden this year. Amazingly, the plant is so vigorous and to my surprise I grew many Goya. I never thought I will be able to grow Goya in Tokyo so easily.
So, I started eat Goya everyday in this hot summer. What I ate yesterday was Goya and what I eat today is Goya and what I will eat tomorrow is Goya... (to be continued.) hmm, my skin is somewhat getting smoother?? Maybe??
Goya used to be a local vegetable eaten in Okinawa, the islands in the south of Japan. Recently, Okinawa food is getting so popular so you can buy Goya at any supermarket throughout Japan.
There's a Okinawa food called "Goya Champuru", fried Goya with pork and Tofu. That tastes really greaty! At first, you might find it is a bit too bitter, but, keep eating them, that bitter taste becomese addictive.. It's an addictive bitter taste similiar to beer. Oh yeah, Goya Champuru and beer is the perfect combination as a tasty meal.
There is not only Goya dishes but there are many delicious foods from Okinawa. If you come to Tokyo and if you enjoy traditional Japanese food like Sushi, there is also other enjoyable and unique foods like Okinawa food. You can find a good Okinawa restaurants in Tokyo, although they are not many. If you find a good one, please let me know. I want to go once. :-)
