Turning Japanese

Apologies for the long blogging hiatus. I've been experimenting with my new toy, a Nixon D40x, and have finally worked out how to compress the photos for the internet. The jump into the SLR world is so much fun !

Anyhooow. I just love eating japanese food and I have been meaning to have a go at the delightful Wafu Gyoza on Jocelyn's blog. A few days off over the last week meant I had some time on my hands for experimenting, both in the kitchen and with the camera and I set myself about making and capturing the results in style.

David and I have been fans of Wagamama for quite a while now, and I always order the yakitori while I'm there. OK, it's not quite as good as you get in Japan, but it'll do for here. Armed with some corn fed chicken thighs and a bottle of Kikkoman I set about replicating them at home, and I have to say I was pleasantly pleased with the result.

. The potstickers were a revelation. I did have to make some adaptations to my kitchen (no wakame available in Waitrose unfortunately !) but the result was really, really yummy. Such an elegant dish. If you don't feel up to the rather intricate folding and pleating then the parcels can easily be formed into little moneybags or folded up cornish pasty style. The dough is very well behaved and satisfyingly silky to the kneading hand. I was planning to start the dough off in the kitchenaid, but it actually doesn't need it. Don't lose heart at the beginning, when the dough looks like a disaster, it does improve considerably with kneading !

I accompanied our Japanese Feast with a simple amai sauce and some yakitori dip. Perfection with a glass of hot sake - if I'd closed my eyes I could have been back in an inn in Matsumoto. Thankyou so much Jocelyn for such a lovely recipe x

.

.

This post is dedicated to Cams and all the lovely Misfits