Back to basics

Welcome to my kitchen! As you can see, it's somewhat bijoux. But, apparently, it's huge by Japanese standards, and really it was this kitchen that made me want to live in this house (we'd looked around some dreadful holes). Have a good look - you can see the 3-ring burner with a tiny grill underneath, the enormous sink (big enough to bath a baby, if only it had a plug), the trap-door storage in the floor... I have an all-singing, all-dancing oven, which is notoriously unreliable when it comes to baking, a rice cooker, and a diddy little dishwasher (yay!). What I haven't yet got is a good set of pans, a food processor or my trusty Kenwood mixer! Not that I'd have anywhere to put them...

I brought my favourite cook books with me to Japan, however I am finding that the ingredients that have become a staple of everyday cooking in the UK are either not available over here, or are ridiculously expensive. Not to mention the weird and wonderful produce on sale in the local shops, a lot of which I am unable to identify. Therefor my cooking endeavors are likely to be largely improvised and so not always hugely successful. I'll post recipes and photos of dishes that get the thumbs-up here, as well as any amusing failures. My choices of substitutions might offend, but I've got to at least give things a try. Can't promise fancy food every night, but I hope to drop in the odd cake or two here and there...

To kick off, for dinner tonight I made Teriyaki Drumsticks. Easy peasy, no-fuss food.

1/2 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon caster sugar
8 chicken drumsticks

Mix the mirin, soy sauce and sugar to make a marinade and stick the drumsticks in it for an hour or so. Remove from the marinade and put on a baking tray. Pour the remaining marinade into a small pan and boil until reduced and slightly sticky. Bake the drumsticks at 190c for 25-30 minutes, brushing occasionally with the sauce.