Hello From Japan

[JRC_Kome]

Looking for recipes that are easy to prepare in a small kitchen. I've lived in Japan now for 8 years and have been eating out for almost the whole time. The food is great and very reasonably priced. 1,000 yen pays for a decent teishoku (set meal). Excuses that I have always used are that I want to eat authentic Japanese food and my kitchen is tiny. But I'm not going to live here forever...

Looking forward to learning from you all

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Good Morning from Wales.

 

[Zhizara]

Good Morning from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Welcome to DC.

 

[mollyanne]

Welcome. I lived in Japan for 3 years when I was age 10-13 in a seaside village called Hayama. The people and their lifestyle are special. To this day I still shop at a local Japanese market for certain items I can't live without.

According to research by Buettner, the healthiest and longest lived people are found in Okinawa, Japan. They live on average 7 years longer than Americans. Correct me if I'm wrong (since I'm sure you know better) but Buettner says their biggest secret to longevity is that they start with finding a purpose, called Ikigai, which means that which makes ones life worth living. They garden, and they also have a social support system. They eat tofu, vegetables and fish in their diet. They also practice not eating too much. They say something before they eat to remind themselves to stop eating when they are 80 percent full.
.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Welcome to DC!

 

[forty_caliber]

Howdy! Welcome to DC.

.40

 

[roadfix]

Welcome. I used to pay about 200 yen for teishokus....but that was back during the early 70's. What part of Japan are you located?

Mollyanne.....we used to take late night drives down the coast into Hayama and further down quite often back in the day..... I spent the first 18 years of my life in Yokohama.
Did you attend middle school in Yokosuka?

 

[4meandthem]

Welcome to DC

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Welcome to DC, have fun!

 

[spork]

Welcome JRC!

I'm from Okinawa, so I understand your issues. A thousand yen is about $12 today; grocery stores that you walk by in the mornings to the subway station sell generous bento boxes for half that -- dirt cheap in Japan. In contrast, fresh grocery produce and protein are surprisingly very expensive -- large supermarket chains are scarce. In comparison to an American kitchen, a home kitchen in Japan is not much more than "camping gear" -- one burner attached to a tank of gas and a toaster oven.

Someday, I'll get around to posting recipes...

In the meantime, I have a question: can I assume you have a rice cooker? If you don't, your request for recipes is irrelevant. If you do, use it, and you will be forced to whip up stuff in your tiny kitchen without depending on our recipes.

 

[bandonjan]

Welcome to DC!

 

[babetoo]

howdy, glad to meet you

 

[JRC_Kome]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Everyone seems very friendly　

@ mollyanne - I did not know ikigai so thanks for teaching me a new word! The vast majority of Japanese seem to hold work as their reason d'etre.

@ spork - I am a rice cooker geek. Got a new one a few months ago. It is the bomb! Zojirushi of course, Micom with Induction Heating and it only cost me 13,000 yen. I found an interesting recipe on a site this morning for cashew and rasin rice. Might try that tomorrow but tonight it is my version of jambalaya.

 

[powerplantop]

On you tube look up runnyrunny999 he does some great recipes in a small kitchen. He is also fun to watch. If you have something you want to learn he will take your order.