How To Make Bento Boxed Meal Recipes
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Healthy meals that is pleasing to the eyes!
Have you already heard about Bento? Do you love preparing meals in lunch boxes?
Bento is very much like a packed lunch or meal in a food container such as lunch boxes which is intricately arranged in your own tastes and you can add whatever dishes and food you want.
Though my Mom usually does the all the stuff when it comes to food I certainly appreciates it. There is a lot of number of reasons why Moms love the idea of preparing meals in a box because it is convenient for the kids and for anyone who wished to eat their meals with a touch of home.
You can find in this lens a lot of useful links, recipes, information and wonderful ideas on how to learn some exciting way on preparing your boxed meals that will never be the same again.
Bento is very much like a packed lunch or meal in a food container such as lunch boxes which is intricately arranged in your own tastes and you can add whatever dishes and food you want.
Though my Mom usually does the all the stuff when it comes to food I certainly appreciates it. There is a lot of number of reasons why Moms love the idea of preparing meals in a box because it is convenient for the kids and for anyone who wished to eat their meals with a touch of home.
You can find in this lens a lot of useful links, recipes, information and wonderful ideas on how to learn some exciting way on preparing your boxed meals that will never be the same again.
What is Bento?
Bento As Defined By Wikipedia
Basically, it is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento are easily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend considerable time and energy producing an appealing boxed lunch.Bento can be elaborately arranged. Contests are often held where homemakers can compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements. The food is often decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and item such as flowers and plants. This style of elaborate bento is called kyaraben.
read the rest of the wikipedia article...
Easy Bento Box Recipes
You can make your own right now!
Sauteed Green Beans & Spanish SardinesIngredients
Green Beans
Pork Chunks
Bagoong (Fermented Shrimp Paste)
1 can Spanish-style Sardines
Cooked Plain Jasmine Rice
Iceberg Lettuce
Cucumber
Ready-made Soy Sauce dressing
Instruction
Simply preheat all the left-over sauteed green beans and add little pork chunks, bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) to add some taste.
To go with your dish, just open some canned or bottled Spanish-style Sardines from the fridge and you can add iceberg lettuce, cucumber then drizzle some ready-made soy sauce dressing. Finally, grabbed some steamed Jasmine rice to go with the whole thing.
Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Kitchen Cow
Bento no. 32: Fiber-Rich Vegan Leftovers Bento
The great thing about this recipe is that it is all vegan fiber-rich bento mostly composed of planned leftover meals.Bento Contents
♥ 3/4 cup (220ml) carrot rice, 140 cal
♥1 cup Vegan nikujaga (potatoes stewed with fried tofu), 200 cal
♥ Sautéed spicy lotus root, 140 cal
♥ Radishes, 5 cal
Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Just Bento
What is Onigiri, anyway?
How could we forgot Onigiri in Bento making? Of course, not!
Onigiri, also known as Omusubi, is a snack of Japanese rice formed into triangle or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori (edible seaweed). Traditionally, the onigiri is filled with pickled ume fruit (umeboshi), salted salmon, katsuobushi, or any other salty or sour ingredient. In practice, pickled filling is used for preservation of the rice. Since the onigiri is one of the most famed and popular snacks in Japan, most convenience stores in Japan stock onigiri in many popular fillings and tastes. There are even specialized shops offering only handmade rice balls for take out.
read the rest of the wikipedia article...
Onigiri, also known as Omusubi, is a snack of Japanese rice formed into triangle or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori (edible seaweed). Traditionally, the onigiri is filled with pickled ume fruit (umeboshi), salted salmon, katsuobushi, or any other salty or sour ingredient. In practice, pickled filling is used for preservation of the rice. Since the onigiri is one of the most famed and popular snacks in Japan, most convenience stores in Japan stock onigiri in many popular fillings and tastes. There are even specialized shops offering only handmade rice balls for take out.read the rest of the wikipedia article...
The Basics in Making Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
According to Bento Box once you mastered making plain Onigiri by hand without difficulty you can eventually try adding fillings to jazz up your Onigiri. Just make sure you carefully washed your hands before trying this recipe!
1. Cook a suitable amount of rice for the number of people you want to feed. Do not rinse the rice before cooking to maintain its stickiness and clumpy.
Remember: White shortgrain rice is the best kind for both onigiri and sushi - in supermarkets it's often sold in a pack marked 'sushi rice,' or if you can't find that, look for 'pudding rice.'
2. It's important to work with the rice while it's still warm and sticky, but let it cool a little first so you won't be scalded. Five minutes should do it. Turning the rice from the cooking container into another bowl and fluffing it with a fork or rice scoop will help it to cool slightly.
3. Fill a bowl with cold water and stir in a couple of teaspoonfuls of salt - keep this in your work area and dip your hands before beginning each onigiri. This will ensure that the rice sticks to itself, without sticking to you! Some people wet their hands and then rub them with salt. I think this transfers rather too much salt to the rice, but you may prefer the flavour.
4. Having dipped your hands, scoop out a small quantity of warm rice. Depending on the size of your hands, this may be a palmful or half that - remember that, like making a snowball, you'll be compressing the rice together, so the finished onigiri will be a little smaller than the scoop you start out with, and size it accordingly.
5. For disc-shaped onigiri, you need to squeeze and shape the rice with both hands at once, which is why some people find it a little tricky. Make the shape of a C with your left hand, and keep turning the wad of rice against this to give it a round edge. With the thumb and fingers of the right hand, press the rice into a flat shape - so your left hand makes it round, and your right hand makes it flat, turning it all the while, and both contribute to squeezing it together.
6. Set the completed onigiri aside on a plate and dip your hands ready for the next one. Chilling the onigiri in the fridge helps to set them. When they are cool, arrange them in the bento box. Quantity will depend on individual appetite, but I find three small onigiri or two medium-sized ones a good amount for lunch.
Remember: It sounds complicated, but once you have some practice you can stop thinking of it step-by-step like this and it becomes simpler and more intuitive. Squeezing too hard will smush the onigiri up; too light a touch will mean it doesn't stick together properly. You will be able to feel and see when you are applying enough pressure. For triangular onigiri, straighten the fingers of your left hand and angle the thumb so that you can give the rice slightly rounded corners as you turn it (you could also make a square - some people do by accident!).
Japanese Mini Bento Lunch Box on Amazon
Japanese Mini Bento box Lunchbox #T06418
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
Product Description:
Japanese style two tiered lunchbox with cloth elastic band to keep your lunchbox securely closed. This laquered plastic Japanese lunchbox measures 5 1/2 inches long by 4 inches wide and when stacked measures 3 1/8 inches high. The bottom tray measures 1 1/2 inches deep, the plastic covered top tray measures 1 1/4 inches deep and has a 2 compartment mini tray to hold pickles. The laquered lid has a nice simple cherry blossom design. Hand wash in warm soapy water, the elastic band can be hand washed as well.
... Books on the Spotlight!
Bento Boxes: Japanese Meals on the Go
Amazon Price: $36.75 (as of 02/17/2012)
They say that Bento is to the Japanese and the brown bag lunch is to the Americans. This book offers simple, easy to make recipes and easy to follow which includes more than 40 main dish recipes and step-by-step illustrations.
Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes
Amazon Price: $7.20 (as of 02/17/2012)
Customer's Reviews:
The bulk of this book is devoted to photographs of the Bento Boxes, with the menu contained in each collection explained as well as the culinary `artist' being credited. Not only is this a fascinating little book to read and enjoy, it is also yet another art form that few of us in the West know. Perhaps we should take a hint at viewing sculpted food products as replacement for our fast food laziness - and at the same time find the pleasure in creating nutritional works for the children to proudly carry to school!
Simple Menus for the Bento Box
Simple Menus for the Bento Box
Amazon Price: $27.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless-Steel lined Lunch Jar, Silver
Zojirushi SL-JAE14 Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar
Amazon Price: $45.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
Zojirushi's Mr. Bento Stainless Lunch Jar in Silver is unique and functional. Stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation. Four microwaveable inner bowls and washable container. Includes a convenient carry strap for easy transport and a easy to carry bag.
Bento Stuff on eBay
Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Green
Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Green
Amazon Price: $43.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
The Zojirushi Mini stainless thermal lunch box is has a vacuum insulated main bowl and two microwaveable side bowls. It collapses into half its size when empty. Includes chopsticks, chopsticks holder and easy to care insulated bag. Attractive blue and silver carrying case
Fit & Fresh Lunch on the Go (Colors May Vary)
Amazon Price: $6.40 (as of 02/17/2012)
Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Metallic Blue
Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Metallic Blue
Amazon Price: $45.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
The Zojirushi Mini stainless thermal lunch box is has a vacuum insulated main bowl and two microwaveable side bowls. It collapses into half its size when empty. Includes chopsticks, chopsticks holder and easy to care insulated bag. Attractive blue and silver carrying case
Chic, Easy to Carry Lunch Tote Bags
Find what suits your styles in this list...
Fabulous Japanese Bento Boxes on Amazon
This is all for you!
The Latest News Blog Posts from Google
- Tampopo keeps bento boxes and noodle bowls college-affordable
- Broad on February 17, 2012 in Arts & Entertainment, Restaurant Reviews The Japanese restaurant Tampopo is located at 21st St. between Chestnut and Sansom. IT offers affordable meals of up to $10, attracting many college students.
- Sushi House: Great Food, but Service Gets Lost in the Rush
- The menu at Sushi House includes soup, salad, Japanese appetizers, and many varieties of sushi. The Hibachi side of the menu offers steak, chicken, and seafood. For the hungry diner, they offer the ?Bento Dinner,? which includes miso soup, salad, ...
- Eat Your Broccoli: Adults Are Pickier Eaters Than Children, Research Shows
- Shizimu noted that this idea is reflected in Japanese packed lunches called bento boxes. ?Japanese bento boxes have more pockets for more items; because children prefer more items on their plates. Bento boxes may improve lunches for children in America ...
- Visiting chefs offer international culinary experience
- The chef will demonstrate a feast of traditional Japanese foods such as assorted sushi including aburi yellowtail and sea urchin and bento comprised of sushi, tempura and yakimono. Beef donburi and rib-eye yakitori using beef from a farm in Jedong on ...
Bento Links
All the Best in the Web
- How to Make Bento - wikiHow
- wikiHow article about How to Make Bento. ... While the Japanese term "bento" roughly translates to "box lunch" in English, this is not your average packed ...
- Cooking Cute: About Bento
- Bento, or o-bento, refers to a packaged, single-portion, portable meal that is usually eaten at lunch, but also comes in larger sizes meant for use at ...
- Cooking Cute: a bento site
- Just a heck of a whole lot has been going on since I posted my last bento back at the end of February. There is way too much to post here, but basically, ...
- Lunch Bucket Bento
- Daring Baker #3 - Julia's French Bread · My Phat Lunch · Bento Lunches for a Boy and a Boo · Some People Hope for Rain · Double Dog Dare You to Say ...
- Bento Features | FileMaker
- Bento also comes with more than 20 ready-to-use templates. ... If you're already using FileMaker Pro, be sure to check out Bento for your personal ...
- Flickr: bento
- Guide to bento packing and gap fillers · Biggie*, 1, 11 months ago ... This group is for the pictures of bento, lunch box, or dinner box, mostly used for ...
- Welcome to the Tokyo Food Page
- The Tokyo Food Page, a complete guide to Japanese food and restaurants in Tokyo, featuring recipes, articles on Japanese cooking, restaurant listings, ...
What bloggers says about Bento?
- Tampopo keeps bento boxes and noodle bowls college-affordable
- This restaurant does not have the same qualifications as others serving sushi; it's strictly a noodle-bowl and bento-box eatery. Tampopo delivers speedy service from start to finish whether you are eating in or taking out. My go-to meal of choice at ...
- Eastlake Sushi: Bento & Noodles
- Recently, a co-worker of my husband's recommended Bento & Noodles, so last weekend, we checked it out. The place is a middle-of-the-road restaurant with fresh fish and relaxed lighting. During that first visit, I ordered the Asorted Sushi Dinner ...
- State Guarantees Respect for Human Rights - Official
- Dundo ? The secretary of State for Human Rights, António Bento Bembe, Wednesday in Dundo, northeastern Lunda Norte province, highlighted the responsibility states have in the protection of human rights. The official who was speaking at a lecture on ...
- Home design, with a dash of whimsy
- The pillows imprinted with mischievous themes -- a bento box of sushi, a series of Russian nesting dolls. The Manhattan by way of Brooklyn by way of Connecticut designer, newly transplanted to Petaluma, is not afraid that having fun with design will ...
Bento Box Recipes Links
All the Best in the Web
- mochi recipes@Everything2.com
- Bento Box · kanji · Pandeism · honeymoon salad · Volume Conversion Factors · ohagi · Sensei's recipes · Shoyu · Raccoon Stew · Gomasio · Box Elder · seppuku ...
- Recipes Sites
- Back of the Box Brand Name Recipes, http://www.backofthebox.com/ ...... Cottage Cheese Recipes, http://www.mayas.com/cooking/Cottage%20Cheese%20Recipes.html ...
- Online Recipes Sites
- Back of the Box Brand Name Recipes, http://www.backofthebox.com/ ..... Civil War Recipes, http://www.acsearch.com/index.php/Civil%20war%20recipes/ ...
- Soy Sauce Eggs -- Bento Eggs Recipe | Recipezaar
- Feb 17, 2007 ... Soy Sauce Eggs -- Bento Eggs Recipe | Recipezaar - These eggs are really different from your standard hard boiled eggs and my kids love to ...
- Bento.com recipes - Hiyashi-chuuka (cold Chinese-style noodles)
- bento.com recipes - Hiyashi-chuuka (cold Chinese-style noodles) ... Source: Noriko's Kitchen. recipe courtesy of Hiroyuki Sato (71461.2100@compuserve.com) ...
- Bento.com recipes - Curry-flavored potato croquettes
- bento.com recipes - Curry-flavored potato croquettes. ... This recipe uses beef or pork, but substituting canned salmon or tuna should work great. ...
- Bento.com recipes - Marinated chicken wings
- bento.com recipes - Marinated chicken wings. ... Source: Noriko's Kitchen. recipe courtesy of Hiroyuki Sato (71461.2100@compuserve.com) ...
- Bento.com recipes - Oyako-donburi (chicken and egg over rice)
- bento.com recipes - Oyako-donburi (chicken and egg over rice) ... This dish belongs to the ten-ya-mono category of Japanese recipes. ...
- Bento.com recipes - California Rolls
- bento.com recipes - California rolls. ... California rolls. Home >> Japanese cuisines >> Recipes >> California rolls ...
- Mellow Monk's Green Tea Blog: Bento recipes
- Bento recipes. CookingCute.com has recipes for unconventional but very delicious-looking bentos. The photo below shows tomato-basil shrimp with onions (top) ...
- Bento.com recipes - Japanese cooking basics
- bento.com recipes - Dashi, ponzu, Japanese cooking basics.
- Bento.com recipes - Shabu-shabu (quick-cooked beef)
- bento.com recipes - Shabu-shabu (quick-cooked beef)
- Bento.com recipes - Tonkatsu (pork cutlet)
- bento.com recipes - Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) ... This recipe also works very well with beef, chicken, oysters, and large shrimps or prawns. ...
- Bento.com recipes - Aromatic Baked Salmon
- bento.com recipes - Baked Salmon. ... Other Asian Recipes. Honeyed chicken breasts · Korean cellophane noodles · Pork spareribs. Aromatic Baked Salmon ...
- Bento.com recipes - Grilled Miso Chicken
- bento.com recipes - Grilled miso chicken. ... This recipe may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without the permission of the author. ...
- Bento Box at Chinese Recipes | Cooking Tips | Good Eats
- Nov 14, 2006 ... Chinese cooking recipes cookbooks "Real & Healthy Chinese Cooking" - 500+ low carb and low fat recipes with 170+ colorful pictures is based ...
- Bento Rice Recipe Details | Recipe database | washingtonpost.com
- This rice could count as both boiling and steaming: two of the goho, or five different cooking methods used in building a bento box combination. ...
- Index of all recipes | Just Bento
- A sortable index of all recipes and how-tos on Just Bento. ... Recipe index on Just Hungry, our sister site. Many can be used in bento boxes, especially in ...
- Quick spinach bento lunches & recipe | Lunch in a Box: Building a ...
- Contents: Lamburger (ground lamb and shredded carrot burger) on English muffin with lettuce and cheese, mangoes and blueberries with a splash of lime.
- Bento.com recipes - Scallops in Yuzu (Hotate Yuzu Kama-yaki)
- bento.com recipes - Scallops in Yuzu (Hotate Yuzu Kama-yaki) ... The essence of Japan is captured in this collection of recipes ranging from rustic one-pot ...
- Bento.com recipes - Korean Cellophane Noodles with Vegetables
- bento.com recipes - Korean Cellophane Noodles with Vegetables (Chapchae) ... This complete guide to cooking noodles features more than 60 recipes, ...
- Bento.com recipes - Chawan-mushi
- bento.com recipes - Chawan-mushi (egg custard) ... more recipes. California rolls · Inside-out California rolls · Chawan-mushi (egg custard) ...
- Bento.com recipes - Tori no mizutaki (chicken stew)
- bento.com recipes - Tori no mizutaki, chicken stew, Japanese chicken stew, Japanese chicken.
- Teriyaki Fish Bento | bento, restos & recipes at http://www ...
- Hours later, as I was preparing the marinade, I cut the pack open and found-a fillet of fish. How stupid is that, I ask you? No wonder I couldn't find the ...
- Bento Boxes Recipes and Supplies
- MTC's links to places online to buy bento boxes and supplies, and get tasty Japanese food recipes and preparation tips.
Thank you for dropping by!
Did you liked this lens? Is there's something you really needed to know? I would definitely love to hear from you.
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naheedahsan
Feb 5, 2012 @ 11:46 pm | delete
- i like to have some
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MarisaAngelis
Jan 27, 2012 @ 5:44 am | delete
- Craetive Lens ! I Love the way the Bento Box displays the Artistry of Cuisine and Colour - another Great Lens! Best wishes :)
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jange52
Jan 27, 2012 @ 4:45 am | delete
- nice collection of bento boxes here. I will sure revisit this when my little girl starts to go to school. :-)
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Helene-Malmsio
Jan 27, 2012 @ 1:37 am | delete
- I'm fascinated by the Bento box concept - must, must, try making some!
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Irenemaria
Jan 26, 2012 @ 2:38 am | delete
- Very nice lens with beautiful photos and personal text. BlesseD!
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EasyLunchboxes 3-compartment Bento Lunch Box Containers (Set of 4) BPA-Free. Easy-Open Lids (Not Leakproof)
Amazon Price: $13.95 (as of 02/17/2012)
Zojirushi SL-JAE14 Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar
Amazon Price: $45.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
