Success!

I've mastered Japanese cooking!

I know what you're thinking, she's been there such a short time, how has she done it? I do hate to disappoint those with visions of sushi, soba, teppanyaki, takoyaki and ramen noodles but don't get too excited yet. To be more accurate, I've mastered cooking in a Japanese kitchen, not Japanese cuisine.

Cooking in my Japanese kitchen for is almost as difficult as cooking Easter dinner in my London kitchen for 8 (so this comparison won't help most people, but it is a comparison). Though I have a large kitchen (it's bigger than my bedroom) there is very little in it. The functional part of the kitchen is a very small part of the large room.

As you can see there isn't much too it. Last night I made a lasagne. Anyone who has made lasagne before knows that you need an oven for it. Can you see one in my kitchen? I have gas stove with a fish grill (Do you think my fish grill will ever see a fish?) and a medium sized microwave that also doubles as a gas oven. The fish grill has the footprint of a small toaster oven but is less than half as high.

There really isn't much space for prep and then when it's ready you can't really use a baking dish bigger than one you'd use for an easy bake oven. Part of what makes cooking so tricky is finding a baking dish that will fit in the small cooking space.

However, I found the right vegetables (don't ask what I paid for one zucchini) and the right baking dish and even the right cheese. Result - one very yummy lasagne. Sadly though there was a lot of effort for only two meal's worth of lasagne. I'll have to invest in another small casserole so that I can put out the same effort to make 4 portions; even if that means I cook the casseroles in two shifts.