Food Spotlight

Recently, I finally worked out how I can still cook and enjoy meals at home even with my challenging work schedule.

Two words: fast & easy.

I've been using the Ajinomoto recipe website (called Ajinomoto Park) since it's full of simple meals that don't take much time.

Recent dishes: prawn pilaf (picture only depicting the half-completed stage, apologies), vegetable soup and gyoza (Chinese dumpling) soup.

As you can tell, hot soup dishes have been a favourite recently. Mostly because autumn chills have finally set into Tokyo (it was down to 14°C the other day - freezing, I know).

Some other recent culinary experiences which happened outwith the domestic sphere:

Beef and mushroom curry at a cafe called "Okie-dokei" near my work. Was being promoted as part of Shimokitazawa's annual curry festival.

And:

Pumpkin caramel croissant taiyaki (fried pastry in the shape of a fish) from a shop on the ground floor of the building our church meets in.

I am ready to welcome autumn with hot soups, hearty curries and pumpkin-flavoured everything.

And maybe a thick woolly scarf or two.