Learning To Be Asian

Shelves and shelves of curry... OMG It's beautiful.

Octopus flavored shaped chips.  Cute and peculiar all at once.

This week I was introduced to a strange Japanese film titled Tampopo.  It was directed by Juzo Itami and debuted in 1986.  It was about a western cowboy-like truck driver who stops at a dingy little ramen shop.  He decides to help the woman who is trying to run it since her husband passed.  She then studies other restaurants' techniques to become the best female noodle master. 

 I wasn't quite sure how I felt about this movie.  Many characters were pretty crazy and there were just as many scenes that teetered on the edge of understanding.  I was also put off by the turtle massacre towards the middle of the film, where the chef decapitates the head of this cute little turtle (all the while I'm covering my eyes and shouting "Why is he doing that!  Oh god!")  

My first inclination was to dislike it.  I couldn't wrap my head around it.  Tampopo was a really obscure film.  But as I've had time to let it all sink in, I feel like the film has grown on me somewhat and that the central message resonates deep within.  Food brings people from all over the world together and should be celebrated.  We should take pride in the meals we cook because it's an art and beyond that it's something we all need.  

So I took another trip to the Korean Market to do some grocery shopping yesterday and I can tell you that this time I had a lot more confidence.  I recognized a lot of foods that once had me puzzled.  Unfortunately that night, as I was preparing dinner, I realized that all the directions were in Korean.  I was deterred for a moment, before exclaiming "It's in my blood! I can do this!"  Jason was watching me with amusement and stated that he "admired my spirit" and I persevered to make an edible dish.  

I had bought fresh (deliciously doughy scented) asian noodles, a soybean based stock, mushrooms, thinly sliced pieces of beef, green onions, and tofu.  I was definitely just throwing everything together as best I could, but in the end it wasn't bad.  I topped the heaping bowls of noodles with a half of a hard boiled egg each and it  looked pretty good.  I felt as proud as the noodle lady at the end of the film (standing with a big grin on her face in her beautifully refurbished kitchen) after having tackling the impossible.  Yes, we both made noodles and now we're unstoppable!  

But in all seriousness, I know I can do better.  I plan on learning more and finding some traditional Korean and Japanese recipes as time goes on.  Perhaps one day I may become the noodle master too.