Easy Pork Yakiudon

焼うどんに、茹で卵。

Stire_fried udon noodles and Boiled egg.

Beef Yaki Udon (With Maple Curry Sauce)

This beef yaki udon recipe features thick and chewy udon noodles, stir-fried with beef and veggies and then tossed in a sweet and savory curry sauce. It’s the perfect quick and easy noodle dish for busy weeknights and to use up leftovers!

Just occurred to me that I haven’t yet shared my Japanese culinary endeavors. #japanesefood #japanesefoodlover #cooking #cookingathome #cookingjapanesefood #asianfood #yakiudon #omurice #gyoza #japanesecuisine #homechef #homechefsofinstagram #food #ifyoucantgotojapanbringjapantoyou https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd6q031vBGP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"Suzume" – The Movie for Everyone Who Didn't Get What "Your Name" Was All About

I love, I really, really love Makoto Shinkai's 2016 anime movie "Your Name", because aside from telling an absolute blast of a perfectly entertaining body-swap romance story that en passant tackles hot topics like gender roles and urban versus rural life (which alone would make it a close-to-perfection mainstream movie), it also manages to find the perfect metaphor for an indescribable loss, for a kind of grief so profoundly that it cannot be put into words. And although never mentioned in the movie, for me it was always clear that the central catastrophe of "Your Name" directly alludes to the Great Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami that started on 11 March of 2011. Which for me made this movie into a great piece of art for generations to come.

Enter "Suzume", another anime movie by Makoto Shinkai. About dealing with the aftermath of catastrophic events. A movie that directly states that the central trauma of its main protagonist can be traced back to a specific day 12 years ago. A day in march. And yes it is stated which exact date in march it was. Guess the number. Yeah, that one.

I won't lie, the way this was revealed in the movie was a pretty darn strong moment. It was foreshadowed throughout the whole movie, it was stated more and more clearly, and it still struck me quite a bit when it was finally revealed. Because Makoto Shinkai is a fucking genius of a director who just knows how to tell a story. But still. I admit to being a bit disappointed by the lack of subtlety that "Suzume" revealed here.

Plus, the resulting plot leaves a bit of a weird aftertaste. As one Japanese reviewer whom I watched on Youtube mentioned, one of the narration's implications is that most earthquakes in Japan have a supernatural cause that can be avoided if certain gifted people resolve some kind of emotional imbalance in the area. Which is a fascinating idea that – like all of Shinkai's movies that I know – is wonderfully deeply rooted in Japanese Shinto religion. But it still results in a weird mix of mainstream fiction and real-life tragedy. Maybe as if one was told that the Winchester brothers of "Supernatural" would have been responsible to prevent the Columbine school shooting, or that Marvel's Avengers should have prevented the September 11 Attacks. It's just a bit weird to me.

On the other hand, I heard Makoto Shinkai talk about his inspirations in an interview, and he pointed out that his main motivation for "Suzume" was him finding out that many people that watched "Your Name" did not understand its relation to the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake, and that, even more dramatically, a lot of young people – abroad as well as in Japan! – seemed to never have heard of this tragedy. So yeah, I understand him. And I can accept that "Suzume" might be an important film, and a great addition to "Your Name". I guess it's just that I'd sometimes prefer to live in a world where things don’t need to be spelled out to be understood.

However. All my whining about a lack of subtlety and potentially weird aftertastes aside, "Suzume" is one heck of a ride. From its marvellous first scene that blends into the title screen with a verve that I have not seen for years, to the lovely "what happens to the protagonist next" animations that accompany the credits, "Suzume" is a marvellously animated movie bursting with beautiful images, clever foreshadowings and heartbreaking tributes to the remnants of past disasters. It is what Makoto Shinkai can do best: A perfect mix of mainstream fun and hot topic commentary. Most likely the best fantasy dramedy romance road movie of the next years to come!

One detail still bothers me though. It's something that already annoyed me in Shinkai's previous film, "Weathering with You": While most products depicted in "Suzume" are just clever allusions to real brands (e.g., we have POKKA sweets instead of POCKY, and – my personal favourite! – BEIKO clocks instead of SEIKO ones), there is one scene in the middle where Suzume goes hitchhiking and the family she travels with makes a lunch break at some burger place. And, gosh, that scene really that goes immense lengths to assure that even. the. dullest. goshdarn. audience. member. will notice this burger place to be FUCKING MCDONALD'S. Just… Why?

Anyway, if you have the chance to watch "Suzume", do give it a try. Especially if you know and love "Your Name". And if you can view it at a cinema, then go for it! The sound alone is worth the ticket, and gosh those pictures!

Just… do me a favor and don't visit McDonald's afterwards, yes?

Every time I go to a mall, literally doesn't matter where it is, the shoe cleanin guys always see me and call me out then I end up stuck gettin one shoe cleaned for five minutes

フリースケート　　ヽ(^。^)ノ ﾋｬﾎｰｲ Cooler than a polar bear’s toenails

（yakiudonさんのImgur）

Yakiudon Nikkei from Ají Limón 🤤

It’s my absolute favorite, automatic 10/10. They have many other dishes that are amazing as well. Peruvian and Japanese food is always amazing

pls choose should i make yakiudon (stir fry udon) or a mushroom ‘pulled beef’ sandwich for dinner

北区北八条西３丁目の、カレーとカレーうどんの店 うずで、焼きカレーうどん、950円也。

Stire_fried curry udon noodles at Uzu, Nishi sanchome, Kita hachijyo, Kita ward, Sapporo city.

Kimchi pork yakiudon! Why isn’t this a conbini standard? Thank you, MiniStop!

ive had a 3day long craving for yakiudon that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon

tagged by @oconist !! :)

Rules: tag 10 (ish) people you want to know better

Relationship status: single. i post f1 rpf i feel like this is a given.

Three fave foods: man idk. sour gummies? yakiudon? pad thai? i like noodles and candy hehe <3

Favourite colour: blue

Song stuck in your head: i guess ironic by alanis morissette? it's like raaaaain :( on your wedding day !

Last thing you googled: baked tofu recipe lolll

Last thing you listened to: make me feel - jackie venson (suuch a good artist would def recommend!!)

Time: 11:05

Anything I really want now: mmm i don't drink coffee normally but i could go for like. a nice coffee. rn

too shy to tag anyone :) mutuals if you see this i am mentally tagging you!!

Tonight’s Special

chicken katsu yakiudon

yakiudon pros:

- fkn delicious

- removes the udon noodles from my freezer

cons:

- requires trips to two stores for ingredients. dark at 4

spaghetti pros:

- fkn. delicious

- easier

- already have all the ingredients

cons:

- not as fun