Cooking Japanese, I'm really cooking Japanese, I really think so !

This month's Kitchen Trotter box has just arrived and it's going to take me far away and way out of my comfort zone too. Over the next few weeks - *gulp* - we'll be sampling the cuisine of Japan.

The first thing I pulled out of the box was very reassuring, especially as we'd tried a little bag of these cute panda-printed Japanese sweets in my American groceries hamper at Christmas. 

The next items were less recognisable and, at first sight, less appetising ! On the left, sesame seeds flavoured with ume plum, which is apparently a popular condiment in Japan. The Umeboshi plum is a pickled fruit served as a paste, juice, liqueur, or vinegar. Sounds - umm - interesting ! On the right, Wakame dehydrated seaweed.

Next up, some Soba Noodles, Mirin Seasoning and Tofu.

Finally a sachet of Matcha Tea and, the little bonus gift, some vegetable cutters.

OK, time to look at the recipes and see what to do with all these weird and (hopefully) wonderful ingredients !

Horenso No Shira-ae - a vegetarian dish involving tofu and spinach

Kyuri no sunomono - cucumber and seaweed salad

Kamo no teriyaki & yakisoba - teriyaki duck with fried noodles

And finally something I feel semi-confident with, matcha tea muffins.

Well, it will certainly be a culinary voyage of discovery this month, that's for sure !

*** Don't miss my country-by-country globecooking recipe index ! ***