1. Off the Shelf ~ Japanese Bible by Fiona Hammond

D’you know, the funny thing about kicking off my ‘Off the Shelf cook book challenge’ with this book, is the fact that it’s one of my latest purchases! It’s hardly had time to settle in, before it’s being whipped off the shelf!
It’s a cute little book, which has achievable, yet tasty, Japanese recipes. I’ve always wanted to know a little bit more about Japanese food, so this easy book is the ideal, painless way in.

The recipe I chose was the Chicken Teriyaki, a family favourite of ours.
Easier, even, than the recipe I usually follow from Nigella Lawson’s book ‘Kitchen’.
Authentic? I don’t really know…

Chicken pieces are fried off in a little vegetable oil to colour them, removed from the pan and set aside.

A Teriyaki sauce is made up from: half a cup of sake, half a cup of mirin, half a cup of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of caster sugar.

This bubbles away for a few minutes, reducing slightly, the chicken is added back and it’s cooked for a few more minutes so that the chicken cooks through.

That’s it!

Marks out of ten?      6.

Would I make it again?     No.


Would I do anything differently?  I’m sticking to Nigella’s recipe from now on, a little more complex in the taste department!