Hanzo vs Food
To be well known, is to travel. Hanzo realised that he had to start exploring the East, if he were ever to be famous. And long before he knew it, this became a search for the best cuisine.
Hanzo began his voyage and set his foot first in the land of the Great Wall. He was greeted with the slightly exaggerated saying, “the Chinese eat everything with four legs, except for tables, and everything that flies, except for airplanes”. The wise ninja that he is, he didn’t quite believe it and decided to try the food himself. Throughout his training period, he had only survived only on vegetables, fruits and little rice. As he entered a restaurant in Beijing, he was awe-struck by the variety of food that was being circulated around. Not knowing what to start with, he ended up ordering all the signature dishes.
First came the sweet and sour pork, which was a delicious mix of vegetables and pork sautéed in a gravy that embraced just the right amount of sweet and sour. He then proceeded to have Gong Bao Chicken which had soft pieces of chicken mixed with crispy peanuts. Munching his way through, he ended up having Peking Roasted Duck, considered one of the national dishes of China. And with teary eyes, he had the highly renowned Ma Po Tofu which was a completely pepper based gravy. Having had a very satisfactory meal, he decided to pass the wontons, dumplings and spring rolls for another time, though the noodle based chowmein looked tempting. One down, three more to go. Not the countries, just the cuisines.
Next, he travelled to the island nation of Japan. The land of Cherry Blossoms was beautifully adorned in the month of April. Of all the places he could visit in Tokyo, he found himself seated in a restaurant. And this time, he got himself a list of the signature dishes. Sushi was definitely the first on the list and although it was only raw fish served on rice, it had a typical tangy flavour. The flavour changed from one platter to another. It was tangy, then it was creamy and juicy and plump but all said and done, sushi was truly worth the hype. Ramen was the next one on the list and the table. Though it is a simple soupy egg noodles, the variety of soup styles- tonkotsu (pork bone), miso, soy sauce and salt in the right mix was delicious. He then ordered the crispy, deep fried Tempura. Light and fluffy, the batter-coated seafood and vegetables are traditionally fried in sesame oil and served with either a tiny pool of salt or a dish of soy sauce-flavored broth spiked with grated radish for dipping. Next, we went for the simple looking snack, Onigiri. Essentially, it is a ball of white rice made into triangular shape, covered with nori seaweed. But only when Hanzo began to eat it, he realized that there was more to it. The rice balls were stuffed with a delicious meat and vegetable filling which made the dish all the more enjoyable. Saving the best for the last, Hanzo finally ordered Sukiyaki. It is a dish that is prepared and served in a Japanese hot pot (nabemono). It consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. The ingredients are then dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs. Having devoured all this, Hanzo was quite impressed by what Japan had to offer.
A land where traditional culture exists alongside glittering futuristic cities, a land that has given us some of our favourite gadgets in modern times and even created tensions of a nuclear war. Ironically called “The land of the morning calm”, the next stop on Hanzo’s culinary journey is the Korean peninsula.
While walking through the streets of Seoul, South Korea, Hanzo learns that traditional Korean food is referred to as “Hansik”, largely centered around rice, vegetables and meat. One of its most striking features is the variety of fermented foods. Kimchi, a side dish made using fermented cabbage and chilli powder is a staple and is served with almost all the dishes. The first dish hanzo tries is Bibimbap, a complete meal in and of itself, made by mixing rice with various condiments of one’s choice and topped with gochujang, a kind of sweet and savoury red chilli paste. Guksu is a term collectively used to refer to noodles, another integral part of Korean cuisine. Finally, Hanzo decides to try the royal Korean cuisine, which is the ultimate definition of Korean culinary arts. It binds together, specialties from the various regions of the peninsula into one meal. Originally served to the Kings and Queens, it is a full course meal having at least twelve different side dishes and desserts in addition to soups, steamed rice, and hot pots. Hanzo, after completely savouring the taste of Korea, calls it a day.
One cannot talk about Southeast asia and not mention the ubiquitous Thai cuisine. Intricacy, attention to detail, while simultaneously caring about flavour and context are what sets apart Thai food from the rest.
Hanzo finds a busy restaurant in the middle of Bangkok and is eager to get a taste of Thai cuisine. As he heads towards the entrance, the aroma of lemongrass, chillies and spices mingling together takes him by surprise. Of course, as any curious traveller would do, Hanzo orders the most popular dish on the menu, Pad Thai. A mixture of stir fried noodles and rice, topped with roasted peanuts, lime wedges, fish sauce, tofu and many more intricately planned ingredients is enough to make anyone wanting more. Thai food was originally eaten by hand, owing to the influence of Indian kingdoms in past times. However, forks and chopsticks have taken over. That’s not all, Hanzo, realizes he has room for more. He proceeds to order another specialty of Thai cuisine, The Thai curry or Kaeng. With its use of fresh ingredients and Coconut milk along with a mixture of vegetables, fruits and herbs, the Thai curries have taken the limelight in the western world. The level of spice in these curries is a separate topic by itself. While a curry with a spice level of 3 or 4 would be considered moderate for most foodies, spice levels 5 and above are not for the faint hearted, or rather, the sweet toothed.
After the spicy meals in Thailand, Hanzo, with tingling tastebuds heads south, to yet another nation that is situated right on the equator, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Indonesia is a diverse and vibrant country home to more than 300 ethnic groups. This is reflected in their exuberant cuisine.
Hanzo decides to switch it up this time and tries the various street foods of Indonesia. Siomay, a light snack made of steamed fish dumplings with vegetables in a peanut sauce is a splendid way to get acquainted with the unique tastes offered by the area. Bakso, a dish made of meatballs and usually served with yellow noodles is one of the most popular street foods in Indonesia, with more than 13 different varieties. Hanzo, after finishing the delicious snacks in a matter of minutes, notices the volcanic island of Bali on his travel map. A part of Indonesia and home to the Hindu minority, Bali is a unique cultural preserve. It is known for its distinct cuisine, which has been interwoven with Indian and Chinese styles. Steamed rice, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables are the main components of the delectable Balinese cuisine. Hanzo has his mouth watering, he gobbles down Bebek betutu, a duck stuffed with spices wrapped in banana leaves and coconut husks. Brem, a kind of wine made from mashed fermented rice is the last thing Hanzo orders for the day.
Through this journey driven by taste and curiosity, Hanzo had an opportunity to delve into the flavours of the Orient. While, some countries offered simplicity, others served dishes that were meticulously crafted. Sweet or sour, salty or umami, oriental cookery provides an experience unmatched with other cuisines of the world.
This article was written for Festember: The Renaissance by Chinmayi Lanka, R Rajiv and Sridhar Ragupathi.
