たべもの: Part 2 – ごちそうさま /Thank you for the experience

This magical, marvelous food on our plate, this sustenance we absorb, has a story to tell. It has a journey..

Joel Salatin, one of the pioneers of the grass farming movement

Prima facie, one may think how come food has a journey, barring the physical journey as a part of the bigger supply chain to bring the food from the farm to the fork?

To which I’ll say, yes, you are right. But there is a figurative and multi-dimensional journey involved as well.

The journey across time.

The journey aided by a wide range of diverse skillsets.

The journey towards perfection.

So now, let’s explore a part of Japan through Food, and let’s be cognizant of the various journeys the Food has made, all of which are a part of the never ending sojourn of the Endless Discovery this blessed country has to offer. (#EndlessDiscovery is a popular and apt tagline of the Japanese Tourism Ministry)

いただきます / Itadakimasu / Bon Apetit

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Select Culinary Gems of Japan

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In the previous story, I had described about the my tryst with the fifth dimension of taste – うまみ / umami. (Click on the link to read more).

In this edition, I shall lay more emphasis on the other non-ramen based gems of Japan, with focus mostly on Hokkaido as that’s where my entire trip was focussed on. Each dish is unique and each one is simply mind blowing.

And I am grateful to have tasted them all. Honoured to explore them and try to know a bit about their stories. Elated to taste the perfection.

I. Japanese Meal in Malaysian Airlines

[En-route to Japan, high up in the sky]

I must thank Malaysian Airlines for the unexpected yet extremely delectable Japanese meal. To me, this looked a sort of べんと / Bento (or box) meal. I can’t say the this is おにぎり / Onigiri or Rice Ball meal (the kelp のり / nori is missing), but the ricewith black sesame is delectable nevertheless.. Adding sauce to tomato (slightly short of the literal sense) are the わさび / wasabi sauce and しょゆ / soy sauce. The steamed fish, veggies and rice meal with the sauces are too good to resist. Finished the meal with some apple juice and cup cake, which is again, low on sugar yet contains enough to be naturally sweet. The science behind this is quite mysterious to me, yet, in Japan, perfection is the norm.

II. Wasabi Rice Crackers and Peanuts

[Haneda International Airport, Tokyo]

This is one of those snacks which has remained elusive to me since 2016 when I was working with Mitsubishi Electric. I was first introduced to this at that point in time and I became an instant fan of the same. Now, I know that wasabi itself may seem a bit pungent and too strong for some people, but as far as I am concerned, I can even pay a premium for this. Had it after a long time, tastes exactly the same, and the word for that is “awesome”. I literally rushed to the 7-Eleven store the moment this elusive snack came to my notice, and I bought about 5-6 odd packets to munch on while flying (en-route to New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido Prefecture). I’ll recommend this to the folks who like wasabi flavour. If you haven’t tried it, then a one time trial is recommended at your own risk – maybe you develop an unsatiable craving for this after your trial. However please note that such snacks, under different brand names, are available in all major retail shops in Japan, like 7-Eleven, Lawson, Family Mart etc.

III. Grilled Okhotsk Mackerel fish

[Otaru Beer & Brewery, Otaru, Hokkaido Prefecture]

Otaru Beer and Brewery is a quaint and idyllic restaurant cum brewery located in one of the erstwhile warehouses along the canal in Otaru (more about it in a separate blog post). The restaurant is themed after a traditional German beergarten (brewery or literally, beer-garden). The menu is mostly German, as are the brewed beers. Now Otaru Beer is highly celebrated not only in Hokkaido but also Japan in general.

Coming to the food now, there is an interesting anecdote I want to share. I follow a strict guideline involving “Eat Local, Buy Local” wherever I visit and Otaru is no exception. I asked the staff about some offerings on “local Otaru fish” (Otaru is a coastal town and houses a major port). I could feel the staff inexplicably getting energised and elated sensing that and they did present to me an exquisite menu of local seafoods, out of which the grilled fish appealed to me the most.

The Окхотск / Okhotsk Mackerel fish is native to the sea of Okhotsk region and is common in culinary preparations of Hokkaido (Japan), Russia and Korea. (Fun fact: The Sea of Okhotsk is extremely rich in fish and other varieties of seafoods). The grilled mackerel is simply astounding, the aroma of the fish, the smoky flavour alongwith soy-sauce makes you crave for more. A must try for fish-lovers and the ones who follow the principle of “Eat Local, Buy Local”.

IV. Triple Flavour Ice-Cream

[Otaru Beer & Brewery, Otaru, Hokkaido Prefecture]

How about some dessert after a satisfying meal of locally produced and grilled fish? And the knowledge of Hokkaido prefecture being the Dairy Capital of Japan makes you crave for an ice cream for sure.

So here we go – presenting not one, but an assortment of three separate flavours of ice cream – Mango, Matcha (Green Tea) and Cherry – a Perfect blend of the 3 powerful flavours of Japan perfectly in-sync with the season. Have it separately or mixed, the flavours are bound to make you crave for more. I specially liked the mildly sweet and sour taste of cherry ice-cream, this was quite new to me and was apt given the season.

V. White Chocolate Pudding

[Shiroi Koibito Park, Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture]

The Shiroi Koibito Park is a theme park cum major confectionary and chocolate factory in Sapporo, which produces exquisite chocolates which are celebrated all across Japan.

The White Chocolate Pudding caught my attention for it being quite unique in description – something which I don’t remember hearing, let alone trying out.

This dessert also follows a long list of Japanese desserts – low in added sugar, unbelievably high in taste and creamy texture. The dessert makes full use of the natural sugars in the milk and even the strawberry sauce follws this rule. I like my desserts sweet (else, what’s the use of a bland dessert) though not overwhelming and I find it very hard to obtain sweets who tread along this delicate balance. But again, in Japan, perfection is the norm, hence this should be expected. The creaminess and smoothness is commendable. And to reiterate, Hokkaido os the dairy capital of Japan, so there is a strong reason behind this omnipresent finnesse.

VI. Tsukisamu Anpan Cake

[Upopoy Ainu National Museum, Shiraoi, Hokkaido Prefecture]

Did I also mention that Hokkaido is the Baking Capital of Japan?

The Tsukisamu anpan cake is a traditional confectionery of Hokkaido and uses the legendary, locally grown adzuki beans which gives the filling a vibrant red colour. The freshness of the bread and the mild sweetness of the bean paste is finger-licking. A special noteworthy point is that the cake is slightly wet, though again, this in no way hampers with the taste or the longevity of the cake. Perfection exists when a coarse material like bread amalgamates with the rich and smooth texture of the adzuki bean paste. Bliss, indeed.

VII. Soup Curry

[King Soup Curry, Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture]

Soup Curry is a unique delicacy invented in Sapporo – the Capital of Hokkaido Prefecture. As the Food Capital of Japan, Hokkaido has many more gems to offer and I barely scratched the surface. The soup curry is a comfort dish combining the lightness of the soup, wholesomeness and tanginess of the curry alongwith carbohydrates provided by rice. Quite apt a dish for the winters, the fact which can be realised and appreciated better during the severe pummeling I recieved by the unexpected snowfall and winters during the さくら / Cherry Blossom season.

The soup curry I ordered was on a scale 8 out of 16 on spiciness index (defined by the restaurant, not an SI system or something), and it was quite good in the freezing cold. The soup curry may also be had without rice if so desired. The dish contains a well cooked broth containing vegetables like carrot, lotus stem, broccoli, mushrooms and chicken. There easily exists the vegetarian version of the dish as well, which again makes this a delectable Japanese must-try dish by vegetarian or vegan folks. An important reason for good health of the Japanese people is the presence of such foods cooked in little amount of oil and having the goodness of vegetables and protein and lack of starch. I lost about 3 kg in 7 days in Japan, but I never went on a diet or intermittent fasting. Quite paradoxically, I had significantly more servings of food in Japan than in India. Such healthy yet immensely delectable foods go a long way to ensure good health of whosoever consumes them on a regular basis.

VIII. Ekiben bento meal

[In a train, en-route to New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido Prefecture]

In my opinion, no trip to Japan is complete, rather, no train journey is complete without having the Bento Meal. The bento meal is usually a heavy meal packed in a box with necessary cutlery to help the travelers have a quick and filling breakfast or lunch enroute to their workplace in a train. Over time, the bento meal, designed to be functional for the workforce, quickly became the very soul of train journeys in Japan and a must have experience in Japan.

The word えきべん / Ekiben comes from the combination of two words – えき / Eki meaning Railway Station, and べん / Ben, the shortened version of べんと / Bento or a single portion take out box meal.

Imagine my excitement and hunger that I forgot to click a picture of the contents of the bento meal and proceeded straight to dig in. The bento meals are painstakingly cooked in wee hours of the morning so that travelers to the first train of the day (usually chugging off even before 6 AM) can have their meals. The bento meal I ordered from the Sapporo Station had chicken and rice in it, of course with a garnish of sesame seeds, vegetables like carrots and broccoli and several sauces, most of which I can’t even identify other than wasabi and soy-sauces. Needless to say, the taste is delectable and the meal is filling and not overwhelming. I am always up for such delectable experiences to be had during travels.

And there is an anecdote to share, which I can’t believe even to this day. I don’t know what came to me, but I finished the entire rice meal and chicken using only a pair of chopsticks. That too despite having zero experience of handling those. Maybe the hunger played its part. Maybe something else played its part too – a sense of respect, gratitude and oneness with this blessed and perfect country called Japan.

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A word of Gratitude

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Let me take this opportunity to share the story of おにぎり / onigiri, which is actually a rice ball meal, very popular all across Japan and available in different variants, including pure vegetarian variants as well. I didn’t have the honour of having it in Japan. But there is one acendote associated with it worth sharing.

So what’s so special about a mere rice ball, you may think. Here this piece out and perhaps, your viewpoint may change slightly?

The preparation of onigiri starts even before the crack of the dawn. Carefully selected rice is washed and steamed and the vegetables and chicken cut to the desired pieces prior to marination and subsequent final cooking. The steamed rice is cooked upto the pre-calculated time ensuring its firmness and proper cooking. As per the menu, several workers seamlessly work as perfectly synced cogwheels of a machine larger than themselves to start offering their rice balls, wrapped perfectly in untorn nori-sheets and presented with a smile to the customers greeting them おはようございます / Ohayo Gozaimas / Good Morning. But there is more to meet the eye.

This simple onigiri has more often than not, been perfected by the master chef for over 30, 40 or even 60, 70 years. There has been an investment of decades behind the perfection of a simple rice ball. The shape of it, the perfectly measured quantity, the wrapping of the ever delicate nori sheets, the time duration behinf cooking of the simplest of the vegetables – all these have been perfected over decades by the brave chefs working round the clock, behind the scenes with perhaps no holidays. Their passion to perfection is what makes them wake up and devote themselves thoroughly to achieve more perfection than perfection itself. The perfection is passed on from one generation to the other – from father or mother to son or daughter.

It is said that “change is the only constant”. To which I say, yes, the change manifested in perfecting the perfect is the only constant in Japan.

The unknown individuals behind the scenes who work tirelessly to handpick the best ingredients, practice perfection on a daily basis and work tirelessly with cent-percent dedication aren’t just chefs. To me, they are the たくみ / Takumi – Gifted artisans whose art has no parallel.

And this is the reason enough to not just be amazed by the perfect flavour of the food, but also bow down before the excellence of the unknown takumi – in gratitude, for giving the honour to have a small part of the immensely rich culture of Japan where perfection has no limits.

いただきます / Itadakimasu – Thank you for the meal.

ごちそうさま / Gochisousama – That was delicious, honoured for the experience.

The veracity of the words of Algren-san hit hard.

From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seem such discipline.

Algren-san (played by Tom Cruise) in the movie “The Last Samurai”

So, the next time you have an onigiri, or any other food, I am sure you will wholeheartedly appreciate the decades or centuries long efforts and craft which goes into making it. And I am sure you will visit Japan and try their local foods.

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Thank you for being patiently there supporting my content. I hope I have shown you some vegetarian options in this blog post and some unique local foods which should be tried for sure.

More content to come up soon. Appreciate your comments.

ありがとうございます / Arigatou Gozaimasu

© Abirbhav Mukherjee. All the pictures / videos posted in this article are my own unless otherwise mentioned.