Spirited Away
Culinary Movie Night Guide
Difficulty Level: Medium-Hard
- Please note: I rated this Culinary Movie Night as medium-hard difficulty because a lot of the food I used was sourced from my local asian market. This helped me save time. If you want to use the recipes I provide below to make everything fresh, that will increase the difficulty level.
Table of Contents
Equipment
At the time of filming, we were staying at my in-law’s home so a lot of what I used was not mine. Here is a list (with links) of all the equipment and decorations I did own and use for my Spirited Away Culinary Movie Night. I would be incredibly grateful if you used my links. I will make a little commission, and that would help with the cost of the website and related expenses. You can find my full Amazon List here!
- Star Sprinkles to decorate tray- Click Here for Link
- Soot Sprites to decorate tray- Click Here for Link
- Hot Sake Serving Kit- Click Here for Link
- Agar Agar for Kohakutou Candies- Click Here for Link
Tips
- Personalizing the Menu– When planning your menu for your movie night, don’t feel pressured to serve exactly what I chose to serve. Feel free to remove/add/replace dishes so it makes sense for you and your guests. I’ve included an editable menu in this guide to make it your own!
- Managing Your Time– These movie nights can take a lot of time to prepare, especially if you plan on doing everything yourself. If you are planning a culinary movie night with a group, I suggest doing a potluck style. Have each person contribute a dish or two, and it’ll be very manageable. If you are planning on preparing everything yourself, here are some things I’ve learned while doing these often:
- Make A To-Do List– I can’t stress this enough! It’s very easy to forget simple things like opening a bottle of prosecco before you start the movie so you aren’t fumbling with the seal before serving. I have done this so many times! Your to-do list should include absolutely everything you need to do leading up to pressing play.
- Start Early– I learned this after a few very long days of trying to cook, prepare, and host all on the same day. Anything that can be done in advance should be done during the days leading up to the movie night. Some examples include pre-mixing cocktails, making desserts and other foods like soup that hold up well in the refrigerator, and pre-making any handmade decorations. Hosting is stressful enough without having to make a multi-course meal in one day, so get as much done as possible before.
- No Pausing– The question I get asked the most is “Do you pause the movie to bring out the next dish?”. It’s important to me that I don’t disrupt the flow of the movie, so I do not pause. It’s also important to me to enjoy the movie with my guests. Setting up everything I need before the movie helps me bring out each dish efficiently. The setup usually includes plating each dish and storing it in the refrigerator, so all I have to do is quickly microwave it before serving. I set out any garnish or decoration on my kitchen counter so it’s easily accessible. I even pour the cocktails into their cups and store them in the refrigerator, so all I have to do is add ice and any finishing touches before serving. Always think about how you can do the bare minimum during the film. I always include the setup in my to-do list as well, so I don’t forget about any aspect of the preparation.
- Optional– If your budget permits, I recommend ordering food that you may not be confident in cooking or food that may take a lot of time to cook. I do this occasionally, and it helps cut down the preparation time and supports local businesses. Win Win!
- Decorations- Have fun and decorate your space and serving tray! Add elements from the theme of the movie, but make a budget and stick to it! I usually use things I already own because these movie nights are DIY, and I don’t need to spend a fortune to make it fun. If I do buy decorations for the movie night, I try to find cheap or reusable things. If you are curious about some of the things I’ve used during the movie nights, here is a link to my Amazon List. All these items are things I bought with my own money and enjoyed using.
- Manage Stress- Culinary Movie Nights are fun and a great way to show your friends and family you love them. Sometimes, things you envision in your head will not come out perfectly. When this happens to me, it can be discouraging and stressful, but the people I do these for have NEVER expressed anything but appreciation. Go easy on yourself and remember that your guests are just happy to be there and to experience something you put so much thought and time into making.
Menu
I have created a free, editable, and printable menu for all the dishes I served for this Culinary Movie Night! Feel free to change it to what will work for you and your guests.
Cues
These are the cues I used during the movie night, so I knew when I had to get the next dish ready to serve.
Please note: Each cue describes a scene that happens a few minutes before I have to serve the dish. It does not describe the scene the dish is based on. Some people get confused with that, so I thought I should specify. Because the cues only give you a few minutes to prepare the dish, it’s very important to have everything cooked and set up before the film starts. Review the “Tips” section above for ways to make this seamless.
I often get asked why I don’t use time stamps to keep track of when to serve the next dish and the simple answer is, I don’t find those helpful. If I used timestamps, I would have to have a separate timer going or keep disrupting the movie to check the timestamp. It makes much more sense to have cues to indicate when the next scene is about to happen. This allows me to enjoy watching the film with my guests.
Below is the link to the cues I used. This document is editable, so you can make updates if you decide to take out or change dishes.
Recipes
Field of Dōsojin
Blue Water Breeze Cocktail– For this cocktail, I wanted to represent the beautiful field we see when Chihiro and her family explore the abandoned building. I the field we see Dōsojin, which are deities believed to protect travelers, pilgrims, villages, and those in transitional phases from harm and bad spirits. I chose to visually depict the green field and blue shy with the cocktail. For this reason, I chose this recipe below. Unfortunately, when I made the drink, it came out all blue with no hints of green. This is just an example of how things don’t always work out as planned when executing these movie nights but oh well, we still had fun!
Oink Oink
This is such an iconic scene! I fear I would have turned into a pig and the movie would have been over! It was hard for me to find definitive answers for what all the food was in the buffet Chihiro’s parents devoured so don’t feel pressured to try and make everything! The point of this scene is abundance and gluttony so just make sure you have an assortment of different dishes. I suggest piling a large platter with all your favorite Japanese dishes that are so mouthwatering, you can’t help but turn into pigs too! If you are interested in what I made, see below:
Roasted Cornish Hen– To save time, I didn’t do anything too fancy with the Cornish Hen. To start, make sure to properly clean your Cornish hen. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F. Place your cleaned Cornish Hen on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and generously coat with poultry seasoning. I used Adobo seasoning and added some freshly cracked black pepper and lime juice. Once your hen is well seasoned, cover the top with aluminum foil and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then, raise the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Mitarashi Dango- This is a Japanese rice dumpling skewer with a sweet soy glaze. It’s absolutely delicious! Below is the recipe I used. To save time, you could also visit an Asian market and look for the rice dumpling balls on their own and then you just have to make or buy the sauce.
Pork Soup Dumplings– For this dish, I bought a frozen package from my local Asian market to save time. It was surprisingly fantastic, probably because it was from a Chinese company… sorry Trader Joes! But fresh is always better so if you are willing to put in the extra time, here is a recipe I have made on a separate occasion, and it was delicious!
Pork Sausages- This is another dish I sourced from my local Asian market. In the film, the sausage they eat has a reddish color, so I made sure to get something similar. They are precooked so I just heated them up in a pan and reheated them before serving.
Boiled Crab Cluster– I am not skilled in cooking seafood, so this is one I sourced from an incredible seafood joint by my house. I just love an excuse to order from them! If you do want to make your crab clusters fresh, here is a great recipe! It’s for a seafood boil so you’ll have to adjust for just the crab cluster. I’m sorry but I have to recommend you guys the best!
Chow Time!
For this dish I served pickled radish, shrimp tempura over white rice and some sweet soy glaze from the Mitarashi Dango in the Oink Oink platter.
I bought the pickled radish I got from my local Asian market. They sell a yellow version (Danmuji) and a white version (Chicken-mu). Kamaji is eating yellow pickled radish so that’s the one I recommend. If you want to make it yourself, here is a good recipe!
For the shrimp tempura I used a frozen, premade one from my Asian market. It will be better fresh, but I did this to save time and money because this movie has a lot of food. If you want to make these fresh, here is a good recipe!
Homesick
I love this scene so much. Haku hands Chihiro onigiri after she sees her parents as pigs. She’s feeling so overwhelmed by her situation. While researching for this movie night, I learned that onigiri symbolizes family love. Moms often prepare onigiri as a grab and go option for school and work. It’s viewed as a way to show love through providing a nutritious meal. Knowing this and seeing Chihiro cry when eating the onigiri and thinking of her parents is heart breaking! Her mom probably made them for her often.
Here’s how I made the tuna yaki onigiri:
Ingredients:
For Rice-
2 cups of sushi rice
4 cups of water
2 tbsp of mirin
1 tbsp of sesame oil
For Tuna-
1 (5oz) can of tuna
5 tbsp of kewpie mayo
Salt to taste
Instructions-
- Wash your rice thoroughly. I usually wash my rice three times. Add your rice, water, mirin, and sesame oil to a medium pot and mix. Bring the pot to a boil and mix a again. Then lower the heat to a low setting and cover your pot with a lid. Let the rice cook, covered, for about 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
- In a small bowl, combine your tuna, mayo, and salt. Mix well.
- Wet your hands before shaping your onigiri so the rice doesn’t stick to you. Also, this should be done when your rice is slightly cooled but still warm. If your rice isn’t warm, it won’t hold its shape. See image below for steps on filling and shaping your onigiri. If you have an onigiri mold, use that but if you do not, you can shape them with your hands or using plastic wrap.
- Wet your hands before shaping your onigiri so the rice doesn’t stick to you. Also, this should be done when your rice is slightly cooled but still warm. If your rice isn’t warm, it won’t hold its shape. See image below for steps on filling and shaping your onigiri. If you have an onigiri mold, use that but if you do not, you can shape them with your hands or using plastic wrap.
Me After Dairy
How could I not serve a chocolate martini for the stink spirit!?
Ingredients- Serves 1
4 oz Irish Cream
4 oz Chocolate Liqueur
4 oz Vodka
Chocolate syrup for drizzling
Instructions-
- In a cup with a lid (like a mason jar), add Irish Cream, Chocolate Liqueur, and Vodka. Shake well and store it in your refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
- When it’s time to serve, drizzle chocolate syrup in your martini glass. Make sure to let the chocolate drip over the glass a bit to mimic the stink spirit in the bath.
- Pour your chocolate martini premix in your glasses and serve.
- Multiply your ingredients depending on how many people you are serving. This is a great dish to pre-make a day or two before to save time.
Sake & Rean Bean Bun
For the sake, I served it hot but you can serve your cold depending on the type of sake you buy. See product details to determine.
For the red bean bun- I bought a frozen one from the local Asian market and it was incredible! You can buy this from a local market or bakery to save time as they are usually affordable. If you do want to make it fresh, here is a good recipe! It is a process though so make sure you have enough time allotted for this.
Cotton Candy Sky
I just love how beautifully drawn this scene is with the open ocean, and the beautiful pink sunset. I immediately thought of cotton candy.
To save time, I poured a dash of blue curacao in my prosecco glasses (about a tsp). I also removed the seal from the prosecco bottle so I could quickly pop it open before serving.
To assemble to drink, pour the prosecco on top of the blue curacao. Make sure not to fill it up all the way because you need to leave room for the cotton candy. If it’s too full the cotton candy will start dissolving. Get a big, fluffy piece of pink cotton candy and place it on top.
Tea time at Zeniba’s
This was a pretty easy one to serve. I bought assorted cookies from my local grocery store. I made sure to buy some that looked more old fashioned and pretty. I also made mini angel cakes and cut a slice out to match the scene. Here is the recipe I used. It was so yummy and fluffy! To make them mini I used muffin tins.
For the tea, I ended up using a dandelion and raspberry tea I already had on hand. The important part is that its red to match the scene. I also got super lucky that the home we were staying at had a beautiful tea/coffee cup set that match really well with the scene. If you have dishes like that, definitely use them but if not a regular mug will work just fine.
To save time, I have the cake and cookies already plated and I had everything for the tea set up. I even had my electric kettle set up with water so I just had to press the button to start heating the water.
Kohaku Is Free
I think the falling scene is one of the most beautiful scenes ever created. I wanted to represent Kohaku shedding his scales when he finally remembers who he is. For this, I thought the best choice was a Japanese crystal gummy candy called Kohakutou. His name is literally in the name! Haku is a river spirit and Kohaku usually references “red and white” and “amber” or koi fish. Kohakutou translates to amber sugar and they often look like jewels.
Here is the recipe I used to make these candies. I chose not to add color or flavoring so the ones I served just taste like the cane sugar I used. This candy takes about 2-3 days to harden, so this is a great recipe to make a few days before the movie night. This will save you time the day of.
