Culinary Creativity

I've always thought myself to be inventive (or at least flexible) when it comes to cooking thanks to years of Food Network conditioning and food "experiments," but after five months in a foreign country where I don't speak the language, I can now be confident in my culinary creativity.

After my arrival five months ago, I quickly found that unless I wanted to spend a fortune on groceries every week buying food that's easily recognizable and Western like cheese, butter, meat, cereal, peanut butter, etc. (things that are not-so-coincidentally unhealthy), I had to adapt and start cooking food that's popular in Japan.  That means venturing into the grocery store with an open mind and a good dose of patience.  That's an interesting box of... green stuff.  I wonder what it is...? 
  
My grocery runs have become more of a guessing game than anything, so I've now begun researching recipes and writing down the Japanese kanji for the item to try to find in the store.  It makes for long trips, scanning the isles for those two kanji written on the back of my hand, but I don't mind.  This method has allowed me to learn some kanji and to leave the store confidently knowing that I indeed bought rice wine vinegar, or at least something similar with vinegar, not cooking sake.
  

  
Japanese curry complete with a cute Pooh and Piglet

As long as there are pictures, I usually do OK.


The WORST is when a Japanese label is slapped over English instructions; I usually allow myself a few minutes to attempt to remove the label before relenting.


Some foods I've been able to latch on quite fast because it's cheap and fairly healthy (and easily identifiable in the store).  This would be true with curry.  I'd compare Japan's fascination with curry to the State's fascination with Mexican food.  Japan has taken curry and made it its own, found in the plethora of curry options in the isles of the supermarket, similar to the U.S.'s Taco Bells.  Japan's curry is sweeter and milder than Indian or Thai curry, and definitely not as spicy.  Despite this, I'm still able to find Thai and Indian spices for curry.  My new obsession is to make a red Thai curry with Japanese vegetables like lotus root and Japanese sweet potatoes, which are much more affordable and accessible than some of the familiar vegetables like bell peppers or vegetables that are popular in true Thai/Indian curries like peas and lemongrass.  When I say obsession, I mean obsession; curry has been my meal of choice for the past two days and there is still some waiting for me in the fridge for lunch and dinner.
 

The makings for a Japanese-Thai curry: Japanese sweet potato, carrot, potatoes, onion, green beans, ginger, lotus root, coconut milk, sesame oil, and red curry paste

All of these culinary excursions have exercised my creativity and made me a little more outgoing, both concerning food and socially.  I'm not afraid to ask for help in the supermarket, I have been trying new restaurants and foods, and I'm excited to share my new meals with friends.  The one downside is my need to counter my eating with some exercise.  That's what the walk to the store is for, right?

Homemade red curry, mango lassi (to cut the heat), and naan. Om nom nom.