Food—it is something that you cannot live without. There is a proverb that says "you are what you eat." You select food for various reasons: because you like it, or you enjoy it, or sometimes because of the customs you have kept for a long time.
I have visited many high schools abroad, and one of the memorable questions I was asked is about the availability of halal food.
First of all, what is halal food?
Halal foods mean meals that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. They strictly exclude alcohol, pork, carnivorous mammals, birds of prey and such. There is meat such as chicken that is allowed for halal meals, but the animals have to be properly slaughtered according to the code of Islamic law. Basically, Muslims cannot eat certain types of food since they are taught that all animals should be treated with respect and well cared for: animals that are not treated that way cannot be eaten by Muslims. On the contrary, there is not that type of tradition in Japan, and most kinds of meat, such as beef, pork and lamb can be seen anywhere here. So there may be an impression among Muslims that it is hard to find a place to eat in Japan.
Each time when I am asked about halal food, however, I feel happy to say that “at Tohoku University, halal food is available!”
Today, I went to one of the cafeterias on campus, called Couleur. Having entered the place, I immediately found the halal food logo.
Today’s halal specialty was seafood curry and rice. So I ordered it and filled my stomach with it. The taste was very good! While the main ingredients were not meat that I am so used to, it was just like the curry that I have eaten from my childhood, moderately spicy and steaming hot.
I
was already full, but tried to find other items that are eatable among Muslims.
At Couleur, you can find various side dishes that include a
nutritional balance of foods from meat and fish to fruit and vegetables, and
they are sold by weight. Fresh salad is
definitely eatable, and the boiled, dressed, or vinegar-based dishes are also
highly recommended. I also found the halal logo at the corner
of the deep-fried fish sausages and vegetables.
As you can see, Tohoku University is making various efforts for internationalization, and improvement of the food menu is one of them. Recently students as well as professors of various backgrounds have been choosing to eat at Couleur, so it is worth stopping by when you have a chance to!
text and photos by
Ishida-san (Tohoku University Staff)