Noodle!

This morning as I was brushing my teeth, I was reminiscing that before Ariel spoke English, she would mimic noises to perfection, including the electric toothbrush. She has perfect pitch. A very reputable source told me that 95% of Asians have perfect pitch, compared with about 9% of Westerners. Can you say tonal language?

Not much of a segue here, but have I told you that Ariel's first English word was "noodle!"?

I am obsessed with noodles, so when I found out that was her favorite food, I swooned. Oh, yes, we will stay home all day eating noodles! My life will be perfect. And we, did in fact, stay home a lot, eating all day. It wasn't as romantic as I pictured it. My fantasy neglected to include cleaning the kitchen.

Her love for noodles has since been replaced by a variety of foodstuffs. But my obsession remains. The newest book I bought is Takashi's Noodles, a complex compilation of recipes, many of which seem to resemble fusion cooking, though poring through it again and again, I have yet to figure out Takashi's genius. It's like there's a ghost in the book that is trying to talk to me, but I'm not getting the signals. For example, "Corned Beef with Rice Noodles." ???

One problem is the ingredients. In the Japanese recipes, exotic fresh mushrooms and particular seaweeds are required. Also, things like Japanese mountain yam, and quail eggs. Even though I can get them, I don't know how to really use them, and they taste funny to my Western palate (and just forget about trying to sell this stuff to my family). I want to say it's earthy, but really it tastes quite like dirt and seaweed. I like a seaweed broth, but seaweed... well, let's just say, it's really good for you!

I bought the book on the recommendation of one of my favorite bloggers, and I really want to master yaki udon. Takashi's recipe has 18 ingredients, including finely sliced lotus root. A lot of ingredients I can get in a can, but compared to fresh, canned vegetables have a profound effect on the flavor of finely crafted Japanese food.

That, my friends, is why we go to restaurants. Let's all take a moment to be thankful for all the chefs who feed us better food than we can cook at home.

[insert moment]

Nevertheless, I have found several new ways to use ramen noodles, and I will tell you a secret. I have tasted many imported brands of ramen noodles, and Top Ramen kicks it for only 33 cents, or 10/$1 on sale. They are the best. But you don't have to use the MSG sugar packet for flavor. For a more fresh tasting instant (practically) meal, try minced garlic, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, miso, sugar, and a few fresh green veggies like peas, cabbage, or bok choy.

My current favorite curry is on page 99 of Takashi's Noodles. I use half the amount of chicken stock, and twice the coconut milk, because I only use the cream off the top of the can, and discard the water (don't shake the can before opening). Bamboo shoots come in a can, and are a great addition to any curry. Curry, I think, is pretty darn good wherever you get it, homemade or otherwise. It's even good from a package. I like cooking, so I make my own, and these days, DH likes making it too.

Soba noodles are featured prominently in the book, and I love them. They are delicious just with soy sauce and pickled ginger. Peanut sauce works well too, but instead of pouring sauce on these buckwheat noodles, which tend to get gloppy (you know how I hate gloppy Asian food!), use chopsticks to dip noodles into a small bowl of thin peanut sauce.

Lastly, I will leave you with something to ponder:

"Soba Gnocchi with Scallops and Celery Root Foam." (page 49)