The daughters each received a Bento (Japanese Lunch) Box for Christmas this year. Daughter D decided to do her research and found several Bento recipes online. One was entitled "My lunch can beat up your lunch". (Ha!) D gave me a list of odd ingredients. Unfortunately our lone Asian grocery store was closed so I proceeded to the Giant to see what I could find. I could not find Red Bean Paste. I did find Nori (toasted seaweed sheets), Rice vinegar, "sushi" quality rice, crab, avocado and fresh ginger. We made a pot of "sticky rice", paddled it and added rice vinegar and a bit of sugar. It was delicious. The kids made some rice cakes wrapped in Nori. We also made Nori rolls with crab and avocado. Please note these are Americanized versions of Sushi (forgive me Dive) but healthy, delicious and great for kids.
This is not a great photo of the Nori rolls, but you can see a bit of the bento box. The other goodies visible are shrimp on a bed of bean threads or cellophane noodles with some edamame for color. I had these ingredients already and thought they would look pretty in the Bento. Presentation is everything!
10 comments:
Mmmmm! I'm so jealous - of the homemade sushi AND the bento boxes. I'm going to have to either buy some soon, or make some. The problem is, twofold: first my husband doesn't like sushi - well fishy stuff really - and second, the cats will swarm me and he'll find me suffocated on the kitchen floor! (seaweed, shrimp...I'm doomed!)
Kat
Poetikat,
I understand. Fortunately I only have one cat. He was very interested in everything! Eddie is a strange cat, however. He prefers ham over fish.
I took my lunch to work one day last week. In my paper sack was: one bologna and velveeta (yes, velveeta) sandwich, a package of potato chips, an apple and a twix bar.
So...you can see what sort of person you are dealing with here...
Maria,
Oh well, we all have our weaknesses! I must confess that my lunches are not as creative as my daughters. (I did have to help them with the rice).
Hmmmmm, sounds interesting. Good for you, trying new things. We seem to be stuck in a rut around here, same food over and over. Still too fat though, lol.
Barbara,
I understand. I have the same problem. At least my kids are in good shape!
Cool bento, Neetzy!
You so have to source all the ingredients (easily abailable on line if your local store can't get them).
Be very careful, though; you could get drawn into the world of crazy bento art.
Check out
mybentolunch.com
and
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress
/bento-art-that-kids-and-
otaku-can-enjoy/
Thanks Dive,
I will send my kids on the search! We live a bit in the boonies.
Hiya Anita - I've got something for you at Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes. Come on down!
Kat
Gorgeous lunch boxes! Mmmm. :)
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