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Most Sacred Sites in the World

Temples, Shrines, Mosques, Churches; sacred places have an eerie calmness unlike nothing else seen on this earth. In visiting some of the most sacred places in the world you may find out something new about a religion you previously had no interest in, you may be inspired to try something new, you may discover things about people you didn’t know before. Religion is a heavily influential thing present in most if not all modern and ancient societies, but religion has also built some of the most beautiful buildings we can see today. Here at Penguin we take a look at some of the world’s most beautiful sacred religious locations.

Meiji Shrine – Tokyo

meiji-shrine-gate

Built 100 years ago and dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken, the Meiji Shrine is located in one of the central areas of Tokyo, but is surrounded by dense, beautiful forest land. It is an ideal location to sit and meditate in peace away from the busy business life of modern day Tokyo, but it has all the modern amenities of being only 10 minutes away from a subway station. The huge archways built in the Meiji Shrine are over 40 feet tall and are carved from solid wood.

Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris

Considered as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and known for its beautifully sculpted arches and stained glass windows, Notre Dame was first completed in 1345 and currently contains the official chair of the archbishop of Paris. The cathedral has 10 bells, all named, the largest of which weighs over 13 tons.

Western Wall – Jerusalem

Located at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount, the Western Wall is one of the most sacred sites recognised by those of the Jewish faith, second only to Temple Mount itself. It is a place where the thousands gather in their masses to pray and worship. It is often speculated how the giant stones of the western wall were made, but nothing is certain. Men and Women must worship and pray at separate sections of the Western Wall.

Lotus Temple – New Delhi

lotus-temple

Serving as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent, the Lotus Temple is so named for its flower-like design. The beautiful temple has won countless architectural awards. The temple is open to all regardless of religion or faith, and the Baha’i laws decree that the House of Worship is designed to be a gathering place for people of all religions to worship God without restrictions. Although Choir music is permitted, no musical instruments can be played inside the lotus.

Is there a temple or shrine that you would love to visit? Penguin car hire can help you get there with a hired car!

National Tempura Day – A Taste of Japan

Well yesterday was National Tempura Day! A traditional battered dish made in Japan, Tempura was originally brought over to Japan from Portugal in the sixteenth century. It is a popular dish because it is still delicious while being reasonably healthy.

fried-tempuraTempura is made by deep frying vegetables, fish, shrimp or egg in a light batter. The batter is made from cold water and wheat flour although other ingredients can be used such as eggs, baking soda, oil or spices depending on your taste to change the flavour of the tempura. It can be eaten on its own or as a side dish to a main course of noodles in soup stock or curry.

Because Tempura is only lightly fried, and the batter is made from a special grade of wheat flour which is normally low in gluten, it is still a healthy dish, while being delicious and easy to eat. If you are thinking of making your own tempura, why not try these few tips for extra crispiness and deliciousness!

Use cold or ice water when making the batter

As this prevents the batter from absorbing too much oil, which can lead to the tempura becoming soggy and greasy. Crispy tempura is better!

Make it up on the spot!

Sometimes it is good to prepare foods ahead of time. A lot of Japanese food has to be prepared beforehand so that it has enough time to mature, or so that the food is safe to eat. However with tempura, it is better not to prepare the batter beforehand. Making it right before you plan to cook it is best!

The ideal temperature for frying tempura is between 170 and 180 degrees Celsius (340-360 Fahrenheit), and a way to test this is to drop a little bit of batter into the oil. If the batter bobs down into the oil and then comes up, instead of coming straight to the top, it is at the right temperature.

The order and between batches

If you are frying vegetables and seafood it is better to fry vegetables first, then seafood. There will be leftover batter that will simply fry in the pan when you cover the vegetables or seafood. This is known as Tenkasu and should be scooped out with an Ami Jakushi or small strainer, in order to keep them from burning and thus ruining the flavour of the oil. These Tenkasu can be used in other noodle and soup dishes.

Try your hand at cooking your own batch of tempura, or if you are planning a trip to Japan, it is certainly a simple dish that most will enjoy! There are several thousand great restaurants within walking or driving distance by a Shinjuku hired car in Tokyo and other main cities in Japan, and as Tempura is such an easy dish it is normally included in a main meal or as a supplement in noodle or Udon dishes. Itadakimasu!

tempura-dinner-miso-soy-rice