Zen @ Conrad Jupiters Casino, Australia

Posted on May 10, 2012 by admin

If you read one of our recent posts about Buddhism and casinos, you’ll now be aware of what place gambling has in the Buddha’s great scheme of things.  The Buddha disapproved but only up to a point – he regarded it as a slippery slope to financial and moral ruin but accepted that many people would regard low levels of betting as normal.

So don’t go crazy at the casino but enjoy yourself;  that’s certainly what you can do if you visit the subject of this weeks article – it’s Jupiters Hotel and Casino on Australia’s Gold Coast, a playground of gaming built in a playground of sunshine and sand.  Specifically we’re talking about the Zen Restaurant, one of the excellent eateries situated inside the casino.

Zen at Jupiters Casino

Jupiters Casino, Gold Coast

Cantonese, Szechuan and Peking dishes are served here and the following dishes are just a few examples of what you can expect from head chef Ten Yi Chang and his staff.  Ten hails from Hong Kong and his regular visits back provide him with the inspiration which keeps the menu fresh.

The seafood features prominently and the sauteed lobster with black bean sauce is a particular favourite, as is the boned duck wrapped in pancakes.  You shouldn’t visit here without a taste of the Chinese tea and for dessert we would always recommend the fresh mango pudding.

Once you’ve treated yourself to some Zen food, it’s now time to head out into the Gold Coast’s only casino to try your luck.  Almost 1500 slot machines should get you started and Australian pokies obviously feature highly here; progressive slots fans won’t be disappointed either.

Once you’re warmed up, head for the table games and see how you fare at Blackjack, Roulette and Craps.  Sic Bo is also popular here, provided for the Asian gamers of which there are many.  When it’s really time to get serious. get yourself over to the Poker tables.  Jupiters is something of a shrine to the holy game and there are always cash games to join.  On top of that there are a number of different tournaments available at various times for all stakes and abilities.  If you’re really brave, drag yourself away from the sofa - this is where the Gold Coast Poker Championships take place.

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Buddhism and Gambling

Posted on May 9, 2012 by admin

I recently found myself browsing without much direction on an unusually slow day and the subject which I ended upon, after many in-between, was the relationship between religion and gambling.  Gambling has been with us and our ancestors since there was something worth wagering so one would imagine that each major religion has something pretty specific to say on the subject of gaming.

That’s true up to a certain point but let’s quickly check out what’s what:

Christianity – the Bible contains nothing specific on the subject, it is left up to the devotee to decide whether gambling contravenes the moral codes which the Bible certainly does push.

Islam – absolutely opposed to gambling in any form: “In [gambling and wine] is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.”

Judaism – similar to Christianity, there’s no mention in the Torah but it’s worth saying that a gambler is unlikely to be trusted as a witness in court.

Hinduism – this religion does frown on gambling although some of the oldest and most influential Hindi scripts are happy to talk about dice games and the like.

So what about Buddhism them?  Buddhism is often regarded as something of a pragmatic religion.  It recognises that gambling is going to happen but cautions against the dangers of addictive levels of wagering.  The Buddha was definitely against gambling, he regarded it as a road to ruin for those who indulged but rather than prohibit it, he cautioned against it’s dangers.  Monks are expressly forbidden from gambling.

The Sigalovada Sutta, an early Buddhist text which describes an encounter between the Lord Buddha and a young man called Sigala, expounds on gambling in the following way:

“There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in gambling:

  • the winner begets hate
  • the loser grieves for lost wealth
  • loss of wealth
  • his word is not relied upon in a court of law
  • he is despised by his friends and associates
  • he is not sought after for matrimony; for people would say he is a gambler and is not fit to look after a wife.”

So if you can live with the weight of those words on your shoulders, feel free to have a flutter.  If you detect ‘evil consequences‘ ahead, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and listen once more to the Buddha.

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How To Create A Zen Garden

Posted on April 5, 2012 by admin

Something of a break from the usual talk of zen food and restaurants in this post and a Zen Gardentrip towards the more physical side of things.  A Zen Garden is a traditionally Japanese invention and would have been created by monks in Japan at least as long ago as seven hundred years and possibly longer.

The purpose of a Zen Garden is to create the essence of nature in a confined space.  It is not intended to be a mirror of nature itself.  Zen Gardens would have (and still are) sited in monasteries in positions where they can be appreciated from a distance.  You don’t walk on a Zen Garden.

It’s easy to make your own, although it may take a lifetime to perfect it.  You will need some lengths of wood, sand, stones, polished pebbles and of course a Zen Garden rake.

Zen rake

Zen Rake

  1. The size of the garden will tell you how much material you need.  A tiny desktop set up won’t need as much as a ten square metre outdoor creation.
  2. Make you shape by joining the lengths of wood together, then sand and varnish/paint them in the finish of your choice.
  3. You can have a solid base for an indoor garden of chipboard or similar; outdoors you will not need this.
  4. Lay some liner such as black bin bag inside the shape.  This is especially important outside as it will keep the weeds at bay.
  5.  Now fill up your creation with sand.  When it is almost level with the top use your newly purchased Zen rake to level out the sand.
  6. Now it’s time to add the other elements – rocks, pebbles and the like.  It’s important not to crowd the garden too much but other than that just experiment.  Gently press the features into the sand.
  7. For an outdoor Zen Garden you may want to add a feature such as solar powered lights.  The shadows given off will add to the character of your garden.
  8. Lastly, when everything is in place, use the rake to create curving lines in the sand.  These represent running water.

Well done, you have now created your own Zen Garden.  It’s quite acceptable (and even encouraged) to change it regularly and don’t forget to keep it clean.

Zen Garden

Zen Garden

 

 

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The History of Sushi

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Although we generally regard Sushi as a Japanese invention, any history of sushi will show that the earliest forms of this food emanate from south-east Asia before making its way to China and from there on to Japan.  Knowing that the earliest references to a sushi-like food are from the 7th century, we can surmise that the food itself is even older than that.

The first type of sushi was called nare-zushi and was used by the Japanese as a source of vital protein.  Raw fish would be salted and wrapped in fermented rice which would enable it to be stored almost indefinitely.  When the time came to eat it, the rice would be disposed of and the fish ‘enjoyed’.

Sushi

As the tastes of the Japanese changed and matured over the years, so the style of sushi consumed changed also.  Nare-zushi was displaced by namanare (which was partly cooked fish) and then by the time of the Edo period of Japanese history, haya-zushi became popular.  Tastes had evolved by this time so that rice had become part of the meal and not just a storage medium.  Other ingredients such as vegetables were also added to the mix.

By the early 19th century, the proliferation of small food vendors in Edo (now Tokyo) meant that the appetite for sushi was showing no signs of abating.  Nigiri-zushi became popular during this period and this dish consisted of a square (or oblong) of rice on which was placed a piece of fish.  This reflected the importance of appearance.  This variation dominated Tokyo cuisine for almost 100 years until it was destroyed by the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923.  As the population moved on to other areas, the sushi sellers went with them, spreading the word to other regions.

By this time the western world had become aware of sushi in a small way; travelers to Japan noted the appearance of the dish towards the end of the 19th century and it is said to have been served at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953.  The spread of sushi in the late 20th century will be saved for another post…..

 

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Cream Pan – Filled Roll

Posted on January 24, 2012 by admin

The Cream Pan is one of Japan’s most traditional dishes but one which is not Japanese in origin.  It was almost certainly introduced to Japan by early Portuguese missionaries some 400 years ago and if the missionaries couldn’t make their religion stick, this cream-filled roll certainly struck a chord.

Cream Pan filled roll

Cream Pan filled roll

It’s a slightly complex recipe – not so much in the cooking but in the shaping of the dough into the required shape, but stick with it and you’ll be well rewarded.

You will need the following:

For the dough…..

  • 200g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 4 tsp sugar

For the yeast…..

  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 120 ml warm water
  • pinch of sugar

For the cream…..

  • 240ml full cream milk
  • 60g sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To make the cream:

  1. Leaving the vanilla and small amount of egg wash to one side, gently heat and mix all the ingredients in a saucepan for several minutes until it starts to boil and thicken.
  2. Take the mixture off the heat and finely strain the result into a bowl and slowly mix in the vanilla extract.
  3. Cover the cream with cling film and let it cool.

To make the dough and yeast:

Part One

  1. In a small container mix together the warm water, yeast and sugar until the yeast has dissolved and mixture thickens.
  2. Whisk the egg and strain it to remove any lumps.
  3. Now use an electric mixer to blend the dough ingredients, the whisked egg and the yeast mixture until it reaches a doughy consistency.
  4. When you are able to knead it, spend at least 10 minutes doing so until it reaches an elastic consistency.
  5. Form the dough into a large ball and place it in a bowl lined with butter.  Cover with cling film.
  6. Leave for up to 1.5 hours or until the dough is around twice its original size.

Part Two

Bring the dough back on to a floured work surface and allow it to deflate.

Use a rolling pin to form a square of about 9 x 11 inches.

With the longer side of the square facing you, fold the top third (3 inches) down and then fold over again so you have a triple thickness length.

Cut this length into 8 equal chunks and for each one, do the following -

Create a ball and use a rolling pin to create a 5 inch circle.

Place 1/8 of the cream mixture into the centre of the dough and fold the disk in half, gently sealing the edges.  If you like, use an implement to indent the edge to give the finished product that ‘Cornish Pasty’ look.

When you have eight completed items, cover them with cling film again and allow them to rise until they have doubled in size as before.

Now use a small brush to coat the dough with the egg wash you saved from earlier and place them in a pre-heated oven at 400°F (200°C) for around 10 minutes or until they become brown.

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.  That’s it!

 

 

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