Yuki's Kitchen - Japanese Cooking at Home

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Yuki at the Sozai Cooking School in London last month. Yuki taught the segment on making sushi and it was the first time I had actually made my own sushi.

 

We got talking and Yuki invited me to her home to take part in her cooking lessons from home. Last week I made the journey to her home in South London and was immediately welcomed with a cup of black barley tea out of a very pretty teapot.

 

A couple of other students cancelled at the last minute leaving only Jo and myself to attend the course. What a wonderful privilege to have 1-2-1 tuition with such a lovely lady. Yuki's goal is to teach people how easy it is to cook proper Japanese meals at home and this will be the main subject of her forthcoming cookbook due out in June 2013!

We watched and talked about Japanese cooking whilst Yuki prepared all the marinades and dressings for the meal she was preparing for us. She cut the fresh cod loin in thick chunks for the main course of Marinated Black Fish with Miso. In Japan you would use a black cod for this recipe but here the cost would be enormous and a simple cod will work just as well.

The sea vegetables were re-hydrated ready to make the Cucumber Salad "Sunomono". These came out of the packet looking like dried fish food flakes but as they spent time in water they began to pulp out and show off their beautiful colours and shapes.

After all the prep, soaking and marinating Yuki started to assemble the lunch. The assembly  all happened very quickly and the first course was a Wakame and Egg Drop Soup.

Cucumber salad 'Sunomono' served with cooked baby squid on top.

Roast Aubergine and Red Peppers with sweet miso sauce. This is perhaps my favourite one that we made and it would be so easy to make at home.

Marinated Black Fish with Miso. Marinate the fish in a fantastic and easy marinade sauce and cook in the oven for about 10 minutes. So much flavour and tender fish.

Vegetable Stir Fried 'Soba' Noodles

 

If you want to learn how to prepare and cook authentic Japanese food at home I can thoroughly recommend taking one of Yuki's courses at her home in South London, very easy to get to with good rail and tube links.

Yuki's book which will teach people how to make simple and delicious Japanese food at home will be published in June 2013. I can't wait to get a copy.

You can follow Yuki on Twitter @yukiskitchen.

A place for everything and everything in its place! Spice collection.