Exam Fatigue and Malatang: The Spicy Sichuan Noodle Boom

January in Japan features the most important test for high school students hoping to get into university, a test used by all public and some private universities, known as the Common Test for University Admission (共通テスト). This year, 496,237 people applied for the exam, which was held simultaneously across the nation on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th, with 813 universities and other educational institutions planning to use the results in their admission processes. Saturday featured geography, history and civics; Japanese language; and foreign languages (including an English listening component) while the subjects tested on Sunday were information (a new subject introduced last year); the natural sciences; and maths. Any mishaps or problems are quickly picked up by the media, so those of us supervising the exams, like Britishprof, have to carefully wade through hundreds of pages of detailed instructions and videos, which cover every eventuality from earthquakes and cheating to projectile vomiting. Test questions and answers appear in major newspapers in full on Monday (pictured)!

After a weekend of mind-numbing invigilation, some comfort food was definitely in order so I went to try Japan's new food craze, malatang (麻辣湯＝マーラータン), a spicy but creamy Chinese street food dish that has taken Japan (and Korea) by storm. High school girls seem to be driving this craze - like many other trends in Japan - and when I went, I was the only guy in the place! A key reason for its popularity is the fun of customisation: you can choose how spicy you want it, what kind of broth to go for, toppings, and, most importantly, the kind of ingredients you want to include. I visited Tokyo Panda Maratan (東京パンダマーラーラン) in Tachikawa: let me walk you through the ordering steps below.

 

1. Take a bowl and tongs and line up (they will make sure you have a seat before starting). When you get to the front choose from a huge variety of ingredients such as meat, seafood, dumplings, vegetables, and tofu - the choice is overwhelming! I would personally recommend the quail eggs, boiled dumplings (gyōza), shrimp, lamb, crab balls, dried bean curd (yuba), and the various mushrooms (enoki, shiitake, and the white, gelatinous, frond-like mushroom known as snow fungus=白木耳). I also noticed they had spam (!) which seemed a bit out of place, despite the fact that it has become an integral part of Okinawan cuisine (here). Warning: take less than you think you want - they expand later in the broth!

2. After piling the ingredients into your bowl - don't take too much! - move over to the cashier who will weigh it. The price depends on the weight: Panda charged ¥400 for 100g (so my 307g cost ¥1228). A bonus is that if it weighs more than 250g they will add 80g of noodles of your choice in your bowl for free, as explained in the orange poster pictured. Once you've paid, the final step is to confirm broth type (usually the standard malatang) and spice level (from 0 for kids to 5 for those with a death-wish). Be careful, this is Sichuan spice and it hits hard so I would definitely recommend starting with level 1 - Britishprof likes spicy food but level one is plenty hot enough!

3. Finally, go back to your seat and wait while they prepare your malatang - they'll bring it to you once it's cooked in the broth, usually just 5 minutes. While you're waiting pick up chopsticks and a spoon, an apron to prevent splashing, and, most importantly, a glass of water. Once your bowl arrives, you can choose from a variety of toppings (pictured), such as garlic, sesame seeds, black vinegar, chopped spring onion, sugar, or chili oil (ラー油). Itadakimasu! If you have any thoughts on Japanese food or requests for covering a particular dish, let me know in the COMMENTS!