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Japanese dishes are actually simple. It's the presentation that is hard and takes skills. But if you can forgo with the actual presentation, then are a lot of cookbooks you can find. Try to look for the one that has the recipe/dish you like or would like to try. You are right, you might not be sure if it's the one you like. I usually end up buy a lot of different books of the same cuisine just for the recipe. There are no one book that will cater to all I need or want - that is also true for professional chef. But learning the basic is the most important of knowing the cuisine. I've looked at different books for you and I found one that might be helpful to you. http://www.amazon.com/Harumis-Japanese-Cooking-Aut...

It might still be a bit overwhelming, but learning where to get the ingredients will make it less overwhelming. Like DASHI is the basic stocks in Japanese cooking - it'll teach you how to make them. Me, I just go to an Asian store or Japanese store and buy Dashi (Japanese kind - fish stock, it's not fishy at all.) ready to use. You need Japanese SOY SAUCE (Kikkoman brand is very common), not just any soy sauce. Mirin is cooking sweet wine (not to be confused with SAKE, when asked for). Use Japanese vinegar or sushi vinegar - they are less sour than apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Now contrary to what people think MSG is not that bad. It's like salt, too much of it is bad; so, too much of MSG is bad, too, as with too much of sugar. MSG migraine is psychological unless too much of it, like with salt - although, there is always an exception. But never known anyone who got sick badly from it or died from it - else, there will be a lot of Eastern Asians dead and dying. I used to get migraine when I was young, but I found out that it's because my mom put tons of it. Now, I don't - using the right amount.

If you love Japanese Food, and have eaten Japanese food, you have eaten food with MSG. Japanese food always have MSG. US Chinese restaurants most of them don't use it, but still some people even without MSG, gets that migraine - seen it a lot of times.

Your basic cooking ingredients, available at Asian or Japanese stores.

Dashi

Kikkoman

Mirin

MSG

Sushi vinegar

I'll give you my Sukiyaki recipe - it can't get any simpler.

1/4 - 1/2 lb slice beef

1/4 - 1/2 lb slice or quartered mushroom

Hand full of Potato noodles or Yam noodles or Saifun (hard to find but, Saifun is easier)

1/2 lb Napa cabbage (or called Chinese Cabbage) cut to an inch square

all ingredients can be more or less as desire.

Melt about 2 tbsp butter in a pot. Layer slice beef, then noodles, then mushroom, then cabbage.

Mix thoroughtly 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup Mirin, 1 1/2 cup water, 3 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp Dashi, 1/2 tsp MSG (optional), 2 tbsp garlic powder, (option 1/2 cup Sake, dash of Black pepper). Pour mixture with the rest in the pot. Heat to boil, once it's boiling cover and turn heat to medium or low. Let it simmer for 20 minutes, making sure it has enough liquid else, add more water. When done, you can optionaly add a scramble egg in the Sukiyaki dish - but stirring it with the broth.

Tempura is easy. You can just get a Tempura mix and some shrimps and vegetables. It's just cooking dip fried battered food. You can get a Kikkoman Tempura sauce, available in most store that sells Kikkoman.

Once you get use to it, you'll most likely move to the next level of presentation or, not. Me, I don't even bother with the presentation, it's just the food that I like.

Here's a site with the Saifun noodles and a Japanese recipe with it.

http://1tess.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/five-color-m...

With the internet, I usually get my recipes online, and stopped buying books. One of the latest Japanese recipe that I got online is Kamemeshi rice dish.

Hope this help.

One of my favourites is Japanese Cooking at Home by Hideo Dekura. This book has step by step instructions and clear recipes for creating authentic Japanese food at home. Choose from modern or traditional Japanese recipes with each meal stunning to look at, nutritious and very tasty. It features traditional Japanese dishes including tempura, teriyaki beef, sushi, sashimi, miso soup and daikon salad.

Japanese Cooking at Home by Hideo Dekura

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/01/japane...

Some of my favourite easy Japanese recipes to cook at home are:

Hoso-maki (Slender Roll)

This is a basic method for rolling up sushi. Hoso-maki or Slender roll is one of the easier rolls to start with.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/10/prepar...

Omuraisu (Rice in Omelette)

Omuraisu is a popular Japanese dish that can be called a fusion dish (yoshoku) as it combines a classic omelette with chicken rice. It is usually topped with ketchup and is a popular dish at home or in a restaurant.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/09/easy-t...

Yakimeshi (Japanese Style Fried Rice)

Yakimeshi or Japanese Style Fried Rice is a popular dish to cook at home in Japan. It is best to use left over rice or rice that you have made previously that has been frozen for this recipe to give it the best texture.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/07/easy-t...

Oyako-don (Chicken and Egg with Rice)

Oyako-don is a popular Japanese dish that can be found at home or in a restaurant. Oyako means parent and child in Japanese so both the chicken and egg are used in this famous Japanese dish.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/06/easy-t...

Okonomiyaki (Savoury Japanese Pancake)

Okonomiyaki is a popular dish from Osaka and is basically a savoury pancake with ingredients of your choice along with egg, flour and cabbage as the basic ingredients.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/05/easy-t...

Yakisoba (Japanese stir fry noodles)

Yakisoba is a popular takeaway dish in Japan and is usually served with a fried egg on top and with some Japanese mayonnaise. It is a popular festival food and can be found all over Japan.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/04/easy-t...

Tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet)

The idea for this recipe originated in the West, but has become a famous Japanese dish like Tempura. Tonkatsu is one of the most popular meat dishes in Japan.

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/01/easy-j...

More Great Japanese Recipes here

http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/search/label/J...