(speaking in Japanese)
- All right, you're gonna need to slow down on that one.
I feel like we're in like, some Japanese infomercial.
Hi, I'm Alix.
- And I'm Rie.
- And I've participated in a lot of challenges for Tasty
so today I thought I'd ask my friend Rie
to teach me one of her favorite Japanese recipes
but with a twist.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Are you ready?
- I took Japanese once
- Did you? - For a week
in middle school.
- Okay. - So I think I know
what I'm doing. - Okay, cool!
Do you wanna show off your Japanese?
♪ Domo arigatou, Mr. Roboto ♪
- [Both] (speaking in Japanese)
- Sounds like "gumball."
- So you recently had a huge lifestyle change
and you eat more healthy, right?
- I do, yeah.
Well, I try. - So
I think this is the best.
You will love it.
- Oh? - Yeah!
- So I know it's healthy, then.
- I don't say it's healthy (laughing)
but it fits your lifestyle.
- Okay.
(humming a tune)
Should I just put them all together and see what happens?
- No, I will give you instructions,
don't worry. - Okay, okay.
- All right, let's get started.
- All right, gumball!
(speaking in Japanese)
(laughing)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Did you tell me to do something?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Wait, one more time?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Thank you so much.
So sweet of you to say.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Okay?
- Yes! - Okay.
Rice?
(speaking in Japanese)
- In a cup!
That sounded like English!
(speaking in Japanese)
- In a cup.
(speaking in Japanese)
Do you know how to count Japanese?
- Oh!
(speaking in Japanese)
Two!
Two cups! - Yes!
(laughing)
- I do know it! - Good start, good start!
(counting in Japanese)
Hero? - No! (laughing)
- Gyro?
Cheeto?
Miro?
Some sort of "iro."
(speaking in Japanese)
- You!
(counting in Japanese)
That was literally from my middle school Japanese
week-long class. - Oh my God!
(speaking in Japanese)
- Ni, two cups of rice.
(speaking in Japanese)
- There? - Mhmm.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Just spilling all over.
Got a little excited that I knew how to count to two!
(speaking in Japanese)
- Water, move it around, whish it around, wash it,
wash it! - Yes.
- Okay.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Am I bringing this?
What do I do?
Oh, yeah.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Okay. (speaking in Japanese)
The twist!
(speaking in Japanese)
- I'm assuming it's water.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Two cups, yes!
(speaking in Japanese)
(squealing)
- I'm just a good guesser, honestly. (laughing)
(speaking in Japanese)
- I'm assuming you open this plastic.
So interesting.
I've never felt these things before.
(speaking in Japanese)
- It's like a little pillow.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Have you had this before?
- No, I don't know. (laughing)
- I shouldn't have given it to you. (laughing)
This is tofu, but it's fried.
- [Alix] Fried tofu, okay.
I mean I've had fried tofu before, I guess.
(speaking in Japanese)
(imitating Japanese)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Roll it, roll it out.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] (imitating Japanese) Roll it out.
Give it a little massage, little tofu massage.
- Good.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Stop? - Mmm.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] Another one? - [Rie] Mmm.
- [Alix] Roll over.
Flattening it out, I don't know, maybe I need to make
a little sandwich?
- Have you been to Japan?
- Yeah, I have!
I was like, 12 or something so I didn't really
fully appreciate.
Like I need to go back for sure.
But I loved it.
It was so cool, so fun, so beautiful.
- Do you remember what you ate?
- I remember having like, the freshest cut of lobster
in front of us.
But yeah, I wanna go back and feed the little deer,
the cute little deer. - Oh yeah!
- And we're gonna do that together.
I'm already planning the trip.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Hamburger?
(speaking in Japanese)
- (giggling) Cut it in half?
(speaking in Japanese)
- In a triangle, triangle!
All of them? - Mmm.
- Okay, I can do that.
- [Rie] All right!
Good job!
- I love all the hyping up in here.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Pot?
Mizu, pot?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Water in the pot.
(singing a tune) water in the pot, (imitating Japanese)
water in the pot.
Done? (speaking in Japanese)
- I'm assuming we're boiling the water.
- Yes.
(speaking in Japanese)
- We boil the tofu?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Okay, seems a little weird!
All of them? Okay.
And put it in there a little.
How long, Rie?
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] One minute?
- [Rie] Yes. - [Alix] Okay.
I thought it was going to be like, some other number.
18, I don't know.
- This is fried
so I want to remove some of the fattiness.
- Oh, wow.
Oh you know, like make it healthier?
- [Rie] It's a little too greasy if you don't do it.
- Yeah I notice, 'cause the grease kinda came off
on the chopstick when I was rolling it out.
Has it been a minute?
Done?
And in to the strainer.
Just dump it?
Okay.
Woo!
(speaking in Japanese)
- "Mizu"?
I always forget this one, you say it a million times.
"Mizu," water?
- Yes. - Yes.
It's like, "Miss you."
Miss you, water!
Gonna try to like, remember these things.
- [Rie] You just wanna cool it down.
- Cool, okay. Got it.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Put it in there?
No?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Squeeze it. Oh, squeeze it.
(speaking in Japanese)
- One? (speaking in Japanese)
- Gentle, gentle. - Yes.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Oh, one at a time, sorry. (giggling)
- Just do a little gentle squeeze.
- [Rie] How does it feel?
- [Alix] Kinda cool.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Gentle?
I'm not the most gentle as we know.
Oh! (laughing)
- Not to me!
- Did it squirt on your face?
- Told you! (speaking in Japanese)
(speaking in Spanish)
- "Lo siento" means I'm sorry, right?
- Yeah, how do I say that?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Can I have a towel?
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] Tofu? - [Rie] Mmm.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Unfold it? - Mmm.
- [Alix] Like?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Just like that.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] Just open them.
All of them?
(speaking in Japanese)
- I wonder if you have had this dish before.
- I don't think I have. (laughing)
I have no idea.
Some sort of tofu rice, maybe.
Sounds good, I'm getting hungry.
(speaking in Japanese)
- One cup of water.
(speaking in Japanese) - In there?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Oops. (speaking in Japanese)
- Tried to squeeze it out again!
- No, no it's okay.
(speaking in Japanese)
- (counting in Japanese) Three?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Salt, salt?
Sesame seed?
Sugar? (speaking in Japanese)
- Three teaspoons.
Three tablespoons. (speaking in Japanese)
- Ooh, what is this sugar?
Yeah, it's fluffy. - It's Japanese sugar.
Oh my! (laughing)
- [Alix] Oh no, you had to tell me!
Okay, three in there, we got it.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Two, three.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Shoyu! I know shoyu. - Oh, yes.
- Soy sauce?
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] In here?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Mirin. - Mirin!
I know my alcohols.
(speaking in Japanese) - One.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Stir it up?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Should it like, dissolve the sugar?
(speaking in Japanese)
- I am so, so, so smart.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] In there. - [Rie] Mmm.
- On?
Ooh!
(speaking in Japanese)
- Heat it up.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Heat it. (giggling)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Bubbling! Bubble, boil, boil.
Bring it to boil, simmer.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Then we're gonna do, cover it?
(speaking in Japanese)
- With a paper?
Cover it with paper.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Oh, then we put it on here.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] Put the paper on top.
Cut it, the paper?
(speaking in Japanese) - Cut the paper,
put it on top then put a cover on it?
No, no cover. Just put the paper on.
So cut the paper in the circle. Circle?
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] This is Rie's origami stuff.
I always forget it but it's a trick to cut the paper
in a perfect circle.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Okay.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Half or full?
- [Rie] Half. - [Alix] Half, yeah.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Oh, so it lets out a little steamy steam?
Got it!
Cool! - Yes!
- I wonder how many times you'd need to do this
to actually learn Japanese.
I feel like I'm getting somewhere.
Good? (hesitatingly mumbles)
Just make noises.
That's how you get to do this.
- [Rie] So the reason we do this,
we don't have a load of simmering liquid,
so it's kinda like lid but with steam.
- [Alix] I saw someone do this for like,
making steamed buns.
- [Rie] Oh, okay. Yeah.
In Japan, we have smaller lid for this called "Otoshi Buta"
but this is French technique called a "Cartouche."
- Ooh, cartouche.
All right, so how long do we get this done for?
(speaking in Japanese)
- I think that's above what I know.
- No. - No?
10 minutes, 10 minutes? (delightful sound)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Take the paper out? (speaking in Japanese)
- You know, be smaller. It will be evaporated
then take the paper out? (wailing)
- Then we take it off then we drain it,
then we move it, then we... (speaking in Japanese)
- Running out of words here!
- Listen!
So like this right now, right?
- Yeah, it will evaporate more, okay.
I think I said that! - Really?
- Yeah, in the word vomit I just did.
I'll let you just say "hai"
when we're ready to go. (speaking in Japanese)
- I feel like I kind of know what's going on now.
I don't know what it is 'cause I've never had this.
- Yeah. - But we have some rice,
we got like a syrupy tofu kind of thing.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Take off the thing?
(speaking in Japanese)
- (speaking in Japanese) Salt, no, sugar.
It's tricky because "sato" sounds like "salt"
but it's sugar.
(speaking in Japanese)
- A teaspoon?
Oh!
One teaspoon.
(speaking in Japanese) - [Alix] Two teaspoons?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Salt.
Oh, "shiyo."
- Ding ding ding ding!
- Salt is "shiyo." - Yes.
- They should be switched!
- Why?
- Because "shi" like "sugar,"
"sato," "salt."
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] Something over here?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Rice vinegar. - Yes.
- Okay.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] Ooh!
(speaking in Japanese)
- Boom boom boom?
(speaking in Japanese)
- I put a little in here?
Boop.
(speaking in Japanese)
(spiraling sounds)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Put this in there?
(speaking in Japanese)
- No.
Oh, you were not happy about that one.
(imitating Japanese words) What have we not used, this?
(speaking in Japanese) - Okay.
(speaking in Japanese)
- Ooh, beautiful.
What's beautiful?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Oh, thank you.
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Rie] I'm gonna taste it.
- Oh, we get to taste? - Mmm.
- Good.
- Oh yeah!
(speaking in Japanese)
- Oh (bleeping sound).
(giggling) I know it's good!
- Oishii means delicious.
- Oishii! - You're getting a lot
of beeps like (laughing)
(bleeping sound)
(speaking in Japanese)
- Gumball! (laughing)
- Gumball!
(speaking in Japanese)
- Take the thing off?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Drain it out?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Dip my hand in there?
Okay.
Just dip.
Rub it?
What am I doing?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Are we making like a little ball thing?
(speaking in Japanese)
- (gasping) Is this like what they ate in Spirited Away?
- Do they?
I don't know.
- They ate the little triangle thing.
- [Rie] They might. - [Alix] Oh man,
I always wanted to eat one of those.
So good. (speaking in Japanese)
- Little ball?
Little round?
There?
(speaking in Japanese)
- Inside?
Open?
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Alix] In here? (speaking in Japanese)
- Put it in there?
(speaking in Japanese) (laughing)
- And then like (popping sound).
(speaking in Japanese)
- [Both] Ohh!
- I thought that you won't get it, I was like,
how do you explain? - Oh my God!
- [Rie] So the reason you dip with sauce is like,
rice doesn't stick with the hand.
- Oh! - And also seasoning.
- I get it! - Yeah.
- Got it, cool. (speaking in Japanese)
- Okay, this is not what they ate in Spirited Away
but I'm excited to eat it.
- Oh yeah, it's onigiri!
- Oh, that's onigiri. - Yeah.
- [Alix] But this looks great.
A little tofu hat on the rice?
What's it called?
- Inarizushi. - Inarizushi.
- Yeah, so it's type of sushi.
- It's a type of sushi. - It's vegan.
- Wow! - Yeah,
so I picked this for you. - Vegan sushi.
Thank you so much, Rie. - Yeah.
- So are we done with the Japanese?
Did I pass the test?
- Yeah, I was worried, to be honest.
- Excuse me?
- But I'm also confident 'cause you know how to cook.
- Thanks. - You know how to cook.
I think you did great. - (squealing) I think so, too!
- Okay, so let me bring mine and we can compare.
- Cool, yeah. - Yeah.
All right, here's mine. - [Alix] Oh, so cute!
I like how you have them all in a line.
- [Rie] Yeah, I--
- Mine's a little messier.
- I used exact same amount but you know,
- [Alix] What? - [Rie] mine's a little less
because I was eating as I (laughing).
This is so good. - I don't blame you,
I really wanted to take a bite while we were doing it.
- It's really good. - Yeah.
- So let's try original first.
- Cool, yours, I assume, is the original. Not mine.
- [Rie] All right. - [Both] Cheers.
- [Alix] Very well-seasoned.
Like I think that's what makes it, you know,
it's like saucy. - Yeah.
It's like very juicy, right?
- Yeah, the tofu like, soaks up the juice.
- Juicy. - Juicy!
All right, should we try mine?
- Mhmm.
- [Alix] Ooh, I could eat like, 10 of these.
- [Rie] Yeah, it's good right? - [Alix] Yeah.
- It's like snack. - Cheers!
- Cheers!
- Did you eat these after school?
- Sometimes, yeah.
- Juicy!
Really good.
I love it, if I do say so myself.
I didn't think I could do it.
- Me, too. (record stopping)
I knew you could do it but you followed exactly
what I, you know.
- Well you know, the hand movements helped, I have to say.
I think they're pretty much,
- Yeah. - The same!
- [Rie] Look the same, taste the same.
- Both juicy. - Juicy, both juicy.
I think you did great. - Thank you!
- I'd give you 500 million points.
- (laughing) Wow, really?
Oh my God. - Yeah.
- If you make this Inarizushi, tag me on Instagram,
tag Alix on Instagram. - I wanna see it, too. Yeah.
- Yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed and see you next time!
- Juicy! - Juicy!
- [Voiceover] Oh, yes!
(upbeat music)