Singapore Airline Jain Meal

インドには古くからジェイン教（Jainism)という宗教が存在する。非暴力主義がコアにあるジェイン教の食事はベジタリアンなのだが、かなり制限のあるベジタリアンとなっている。ジェイン教を詳しく知りたい方は検索して下さい。このブログでは書ききれないっす。今回シンガポール航空で事前注文したのはジェイン教の特別食だ。ジェイン教のベジタリアンとは？まずはにんにく、玉ねぎ、ジャガイモ等、根野菜はNGとなっている。土の中には地上よりもはるかに多くのの微生物が存在する為である（全ての命は平等という考え方）。若葉を食す事もNG（ベビーホウレン草等）。とうぜん、日を置くと微生物（バクテリア等）が増えるので、３日以上たったピクルスも原則NGだ(K.T. Achaya, A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food, Oxford University Press 2006)。ただヨーグルトは食べてもいいらしい。実際、私の機内食にはヨーグルトがついてきている。そして種を多く含むもの（茄子、イチジク）もNG（種＝生命）。蜂蜜は蜂の巣を破壊してしまうのでNG。さて、今回のジェインミールにはココナッツとクミンシードがきいたオクラのトーレン（ソテー）とキドニー豆とトマトのカレーがバスマティライスを挟む。味もしっかりとしていて美味だが付いてくる粗挽き黒胡椒をふって食べると更に存在感が増す。
How often do you have the chance to taste a Jain meal? So far as I know, there are not a single Jain restaurant in Tokyo. Now I was aware of the strict vegetarian diet based on the core philosophy of Jainism (non-violence and equality of souls) that root vegetables (such as potatoes, garlic, onion, tapioca, etc) are refrained from eating but I never knew it in details. Singapore Airline, Jain meal consisted of red kidney beans stew and okra thoren with coconut and cumin seeds -both were surprisingly flavorful. According to K. T. Achaya's "Historical Dictionary of Indian Food" Oxford University Press 2006, "pulses that split into two parts were not allowed; nor brinjals, any fruit with abundant small seeds (such as figs), green tumeric and ginger, carrots, the tender green leaves of any vegetable, and tender tamarind fruit before the seeds had formed. Honey was expressly banned on the ground that its removal from the comb implied death of bees..." Yes, and no alcohol either. For more information on Jain diet click here.

Singapore Airline: Hindu Vegetarian Meal

私はSQ（シンガポール航空）に乗ると普通の機内食は食べない事にしている。大量生産には限界があるだろう。４００席もあるエコノミークラスシー ト＝４００食。機内は満席だ。あまりこれを公表していいのか分からないが、私は少量生産のスペシャル宗教ミールをいつも事前に注文している。今回はヒン ドゥ・ベジタリアンミール。前回はムスリム・ハラールミール（こちら）。 スペシャルミールのチョイスは膨大だ：ユダヤ教のコシャーミール、ヒンドゥ教より菜食に厳しいジャイン教のベジタリアン、乳製品もNGなビーガンミール、 洋風ベジタリアンミール、等。まだまだSQに乗る楽しみは残っているという事になる。やはり、宗教と人種のメルティングポットであるシンガポールならで は、かもしれない。一便でそれほど注文されないこのスペシャルミールはそういう事で結構ばかに出来ない程、実は旨い（しかも本格的）。今回のヒンドゥベジ タリアンは：ナン（いつもナンは定番に付いてくる）、バスマティーライス、カシューナッツ系のピューレで出来たグリーンピースのカレー、緑豆がたっぷり 入ったドライカレー、豆サラダ、プレーンヨーグルト。なにより、だれよりも一足先にスペシャルミールは出されるので一番最初に食べられる優越感を味わう事 だ出来るのだ。となりのシートにいるパッセンジャーは実に興味深くそして羨ましそうにこちらを見ている。飛行機が離陸してすぐにアテンダントがやってき て、「小柴様、本日はヒンドゥベジタリアンミールですね？」と丁寧に確認してくれる。気のせいか、「この人はヒンドゥ教の信者ではないだろう？」というア テンダントの不思議そうな顔もおもしろい。

I take SQ when I go to Singapore because they really rock. But when I'm on SQ flights, I usually do not eat the regular served airline meal. Why? Because they are mass produced. 400 seats in the new A380 Airbus means 400 economy class meals. Mass produced meal = never really that good. So what do I do? Sometimes, I stay away from airline meals and eat a lousy (but better still) Narita airport sushi. But most of the time, I eat the special religious meal that you could simply book in advance. This time round, I had a Hindu vegetarian meal with -green pea korma, mung bean curry, black bean salad, basmati rice, plain yogurt and a fluffy nan. The choices of this special meal are enormous -Halal, Kosher, Hindu non-veg, Jain veg, Vegan and the list goes on. I have yet to try the rest....

Singapore Airlines Halal Meal

Last time when I had the special airline meal at Singapore Airlines A380, I chose vegetarian

because I was curious -and it was surprisingly delicious!  The passenger sitting right next to me happened to order the halal meal.   We were both curious of each other's meal and so I thought, next time I will reserve a halal meal -which contains halal chicken.  The halal meal is basically like vegetarian meal, except it contains chicken.  Green beans were acutally not mushy and not discolored -it was a thoren, a south indian vegetable stir fry accompanied with delicious chicken curry.  This must have been made in Singapore because, it is extremely difficult to get fresh curry leaf during this season and also, basmati rice is in shortage now in Japan.  Actually, there is curry leaf plantation in Okinawa now with huge demand from nationwide Indian restaurants.  I would love to visit the farm one day....  Basmati rice is a rare find in Tokyo now, I don't know why but the purveyor says it is a global thing.  Yet, when I visited Mustafa quite recently, there were stacks of basmati rice -what da?  Anyhow, the airline meal once again was great and truly satisfactory and I must say, it is much better than the regular mass produced one..... damn I should have kept this all secret.....

Singapore Airline Meal A380 II

シンガポールは様々な人種と宗教が共存している素晴らしい国だ。シンガポール航空のエコノミークラスでも多宗教＆多国籍な機内食が事前予約で楽しめる。東京からシンガポール直行便の昼食にインドのベジタリアンミールを特別予約した。通常出される機内食でもいいのだが、なんだか特別な気分にしてくれる。この日出てきたのは、キドニービーンズのサラダとしっかりとサフランで炊いたバスマティライス。カレーは２種類あり、人参とグリーンピースのカレーとパラック（ほうれん草）のカレー。ナンとチャツネまで付いてきて本格的だ。しかも旨いので凄く得した気分にさせてくれる。さすがSQだ。食前酒には定番のシンガポールスリングを注文。帰りの便もムスリムのハラール機内食を堪能した。帰国便は夜中の為、あっさりしたもが出てくる。今回は、ホッケンヌードルにレモングラス風味の鶏ひき肉と野菜が入ったミーゴレンだ。味付けは悪くない。シンガポール航空は本当に機内食に力を入れている。

When it comes to airline meal, Singapore Airline is damn serious -even for economy class.  I've actually managed to book an Indian vegetarian meal in advance and the meal was quite superb -Nan and chutney, saffron basmati rice (wow), carrot and pea curry & spinach curry.  For an airline meal, it was excellent.  Oh yes, I started off with Singapore Sling as an aperitif.  Back to Tokyo, I had a muslim halal meal which was lemongrass scented chicken mee goreng -very original and appetizing.  Once again, bravo SQ!  

Singapore Airline Meal A380

Singapore airlines is without a doubt one of the best airlines the world has to offer -at least that is my personal opinion -the cabin, the service and of course F&B is just top notch, I am always amazed. I never cared much about airline meals until I took food business as my very own profession. Singapore airlines F&B department never ceases to disappoint me and their wide selection of meals is astonishing. SQ's incredible meal service, known as "Book the cook", enables passengers to choose a meal consulted by top global celebrity chefs as well as local delights such as chicken rice, nasi lemak, nasi briyani, etc. My focus of course is not to taste the top global celebrity chefs but to verify how well the local cuisine is executed. Although, this service is available to Business and First Class passengers, one could also choose a meal in Economy class -ex. vegetarian meal, Indian vegetarian meal, kosher meal etc. -and they are very tasty! The biggest passenger jet, Airbus A380 is flown between Singapore and Tokyo; 7 hr flight was just superb with an incredible array of inflight entertainment. Started off with Silver Kris Sling, made from gin, Cointreau, orange & pineapple juice topped with Champagne. Their signature amuse bouche is satay with peanut dip and veggies. I booked nasi lemak on my way back from Singapore which came with ikan bilis and peanut and acar/achar (nonya pickles). Although my stomach was bloated with all the dishes I have tasted at local hawker centers, the nasi lemak was quite nice for an airline meal, meaning if I were hungry, I would just love the meal. Bravo SQ!