Bento Boxes on the road to Japanese cookery

 

Japanese cookery seems to be everywhere at the moment. I remember when eating sushi was really unusual and hard to get. Now all of a sudden, it's on the shelves in the little supermarket at the petrol station (petrol station sushi, really?). 

Japanese food has so much to recommend it. So much care goes into presentation, and meals can be presented simply, beautifully or even with a sense of humour. Cooks think about the variety of flavours, colours and textures in a dish, based on simple, fresh ingredients. Portion sizes are more in tune with the body's needs, as are the proportions of protein, vegetables and rice.

A bento box is a Japanese lunch box. It refers to the boxes themselves, but also the style of lunch. I made the one above in an evening class. In the bowl, there is a ball of miso and other ingredients, to be dissolved in hot water to make soup. The top layer of the box contains two onigiri (rice balls, they can be in different shapes) and an umeboshi (salty plum). The bottom layer of the box holds deep-fried chicken, miso marinated salmon, quick pickled radish, marinated stir-fried vegetables, and pouched egg (that's egg in a pouch, not poached!).

Wendy posts lots of ideas for applying bento ideas to her son's lunch boxes at Wendolonia.
For more ideas, check out this Bento Gallery.

Kel x

Comments

[Mandy]

Husb & I had sushi for the first time 2 years ago & I agree with everything you said....yum!

[Debbie Roberts]

Never tried sushi but it is on my to do list. The food looks so beautiful though seems a shame to eat it.

Debbie x

[Eleanor]

I love the idea of this, so much more appealing than a soggy salad buttie and crisps with a panda pop and a bruised banana.
I'll try it on our next picnic, with a non-fish version for the boy.
E
xx