Bento Boxes

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Leanne

Ok, all my stuff has arrived. Time to play!
I have cooked and frozen lots of rice already. Do you ladies cook and freeze portions of your other dishes too? I would love to cook everything from fresh but there isn't always time.
Also I need to keep my meals very low carb. I have made my rice portions about 3/4 of the size of a "normal" portion. I'm guessing that is the main source of carb usually found in the box?
I am just loving all this.

Thus far, I've only frozen the rice. I'm just starting on this, too. Rice or noodles for the carb. You can try buckwheat soba noodles for a very low carb dish.

I'm having fun, too!

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by spork

An empty bento box makes a satisfying BONK! when used to rap an insolent boy upside the head.

That's what I was thinking.

[spork]

Originally Posted by Leanne

Ok, all my stuff has arrived. Time to play!
I have cooked and frozen lots of rice already. Do you ladies cook and freeze portions of your other dishes too? I would love to cook everything from fresh but there isn't always time.
Also I need to keep my meals very low carb. I have made my rice portions about 3/4 of the size of a "normal" portion. I'm guessing that is the main source of carb usually found in the box?
I am just loving all this.

I don't know if you can find and buy these online. Purchased in Japan, I have some plastic containers just for you, Leanne. The round ones, including the 3/4 portion, is shaped like a bundt cake mold for even microwave re-heating. The lid has a pinhole steam vent that can be snapped open or shut.

You don't have to limit yourself to rice. I'm hoping LPB can come up with some ideas for baked bento carbs, like maybe cornbread...

[Leanne]

Originally Posted by spork

I don't know if you can find and buy these online. Purchased in Japan, I have some plastic containers just for you, Leanne. The round ones, including the 3/4 portion, is shaped like a bundt cake mold for even microwave re-heating. The lid has a pinhole steam vent that can be snapped open or shut.

You don't have to limit yourself to rice. I'm hoping LPB can come up with some ideas for baked bento carbs, like maybe cornbread...

Those containers sound perfect. I'll have to look out for something like that. I'll see about getting those soba noodles too.
I have never had cornbread even when I've visited the U.S. It would be good to try it.

[Zhizara]

Originally Posted by Leanne

Those containers sound perfect. I'll have to look out for something like that. I'll see about getting those soba noodles too.
I have never had cornbread even when I've visited the U.S. It would be good to try it.

Cornbread is easy to make and you'll love it. It's simple enough to make from scratch, and even simpler from a mix if you have it available over there. Do try it, it would be a wonderful surprise for you and your family.

[Kathleen]

@ spork - It was really yummy too. People have started to pop by my office just to see what I have in the little laptop lunch box!

@ Leanne - YAY! We need more Bento buddies. I'm thinking of making rice with an omelet tomorrow.

@ LP - We've been wondering where you have been.

@ PF - I know he keeps peeking. I really should make him a lunch!

@ Zhirara - Cornbread, not ambrosia, was the food of the Gods. Maybe I will rethink my meal for tomorrow!

[Kathleen]

I really want to learn more about Asian flavors, but I've been trying to use up leftovers, etc. This weekend, my goal is to make rice and freeze it.

Tomorrow, I'll have an egg, lightly scrambled and filled with ham and cheese, some sauteed zucchini with hot pepper and soy sauce, grapes, clementines, and graham crackers for a snack. Pictures motivate me, so here is mine in hopes of motivating others as they have me.

Honestly, I'm not so sure how the zucchini and omelet will be by noon tomorrow. And there is simply NO way I'll manage to cook prior to going to work.

[PrincessFiona60]

[QUOTE=Kathleen;970404] I really want to learn more about Asian flavors, but I've been trying to use up leftovers, etc. This weekend, my goal is to make rice and freeze it.

Tomorrow, I'll have an egg, lightly scrambled and filled with ham and cheese, some sauteed zucchini with hot pepper and soy sauce, grapes, clementines, and graham crackers for a snack. Pictures motivate me, so here is mine in hopes of motivating others as they have me.

Honestly, I'm not so sure how the zucchini and omelet will be by noon tomorrow. And there is simply NO way I'll manage to cook prior to going to work. [/QUOTE]

Great color, Kathleen!

I'm being lazy for tomorrow, have to go to bed early and get up earlier, so I'm taking a lasagna for lunch. Besides, it's my Friday! I'll be cooking up a storm this weekend.

I want to make some pickled daikon relish.

My Miso soup was good, but I erred on the side of not enough Miso, it was very bland, not just a little bland. Next time 2 tsp of Miso!

[Leanne]

Originally Posted by Zhizara

Cornbread is easy to make and you'll love it. It's simple enough to make from scratch, and even simpler from a mix if you have it available over there. Do try it, it would be a wonderful surprise for you and your family.

No family, just me and my dogs . I must find a recipe for this! It sounds lovely. Is it fairly low carb?

[spork]

My first photo post... hope this works...

I bought this the other day at a Japanese market that makes bento boxes for mostly a university lunch crowd. Very traditional.

Nigiri are molded, nothing inside, nori-wrapped. The topping bits are furikake, salmon, and lemony shiso. Chicken thigh nuggets are kara-age. A forkfull of spaghetti barely coated in tomato sauce in a paper cupcake cup. Couple pieces of pickled cucmber from a jar. Root veggies cooked in oden broth are a carrot, yam, triangle of bamboo shoot, and a square of konyaku (a hardened gelatin made from a root called "devil's tongue"). And lastly, two pods of edamame.

[PrincessFiona60]

Looks yummy! Nothing like that around here. If there was I would be eating it.

I'm going to have to order furikake online. I'm having problems getting the ingredients for traditional furikakes, like: tiny fishes. Do you know of a source, Spork?

[spork]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

I'm going to have to order furikake online. I'm having problems getting the ingredients for traditional furikakes, like: tiny fishes. Do you know of a source, Spork?

Gardena, California, near Disneyland has probably the greatest concentration of Japanese, including native ex-pats, in the U.S. There's a large department store there called Marukai. I've never bought, so I can't vouch for them online, but they have just about anything you could want. The site is:

Buy Asian Japanese Foods and Products Online MARUKAI e-STORE

Check under "Dry Food," you'll see a bunch of "Furikake/Ochazuke."
Under "Dried Seafood," you'll find the tiny sardines.

For basic pantry of furikake, I suggest:
gomashio - black sesame seed & salt
katsuo - flavored bonito flakes
shiso - or wasabi, something strong
soft - they're perishable, but all are delicious

I like the Nagatanien brand that comes in small individual packets.
And the Ajishima brand, which is packaged in re-usable glass shakers.

I would love to hear you recommend that I should also set up an account there. Happy shopping, PrincessFiona!

[Kathleen]

Spork, how are the tiny sardines? Can you describe the flavor/texture?

What about dried shrimp?

Today, I ended up running late and forgot my fabulous Bento lunch. It was a tragedy.

Where is everyone keeping their Bento supplies? Currently I'm placing mine in a drawer, but am quickly running out of space.

[spork]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Spork, how are the tiny sardines? Can you describe the flavor/texture?

What about dried shrimp?

Today, I ended up running late and forgot my fabulous Bento lunch. It was a tragedy.

Where is everyone keeping their Bento supplies? Currently I'm placing mine in a drawer, but am quickly running out of space.

Actually, I think they're anchovies. And, I don't think they are dried. I think they're salt cured. You can try googling chirimenjako. They are teeny tiny baby fish, maybe a centimeter long; if not for a pair of pencil-dot eyes, you might not even guess. There's no crunch to them whatsoever. In fact, they are very tender in texture, almost like very soft calamari if you eat a handful. Slightly fishy smell. Taste is quite mild, with a good touch of sweetnes.

I don't see why not, but it's not often used in cooking. Mostly, it's a condiment, like furikake to flavor rice. Dried shrimp is okay, too, pretty much what you would expect. It is more often used in cooking, though. Try re-constituting larger dime-size dried shrimp in water for about five minutes, then use it as your protein in fried rice. It's the best!

[Kathleen]

Thanks, Spork. It was the little pencil eyes that caused my hand to hesitate. I do love calamari though!

I found this website tonight. It is awesome for a beginner like me!

J-Simple Recipes : Simple Japanese recipes and Japanese food tips

A good place or me to start, I think!

[spork]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Thanks, Spork. It was the little pencil eyes that caused my hand to hesitate. I do love calamari though!

I found this website tonight. It is awesome for a beginner like me!

J-Simple Recipes : Simple Japanese recipes and Japanese food tips

A good place or me to start, I think!

Took a quick look at the site. It's the real deal, with a line-up of the most common every day home cooking dishes in Japan.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by spork

Gardena, California, near Disneyland has probably the greatest concentration of Japanese, including native ex-pats, in the U.S. There's a large department store there called Marukai. I've never bought, so I can't vouch for them online, but they have just about anything you could want. The site is:

Buy Asian Japanese Foods and Products Online MARUKAI e-STORE

Check under "Dry Food," you'll see a bunch of "Furikake/Ochazuke."
Under "Dried Seafood," you'll find the tiny sardines.

For basic pantry of furikake, I suggest:
gomashio - black sesame seed & salt
katsuo - flavored bonito flakes
shiso - or wasabi, something strong
soft - they're perishable, but all are delicious

I like the Nagatanien brand that comes in small individual packets.
And the Ajishima brand, which is packaged in re-usable glass shakers.

I would love to hear you recommend that I should also set up an account there. Happy shopping, PrincessFiona!

Thanks for the link. I did set up an account, only because I wanted to check out the shipping charges. The prices are reasonable, but the shipping...I put a pair of <$2 chopsticks in my basket and the shipping was Fed Ex Home Delivery for $15.80. So, no little orders. I'll check it again when I get my paycheck and do a real order.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Spork, how are the tiny sardines? Can you describe the flavor/texture?

What about dried shrimp?

Today, I ended up running late and forgot my fabulous Bento lunch. It was a tragedy.

Where is everyone keeping their Bento supplies? Currently I'm placing mine in a drawer, but am quickly running out of space.

I claimed a small drawer, it's almost full now. Shrek was upset over the cupcake holders, until he realized I paid for them and they are silicone. They showed up today, along with my veggie cutters and egg molds. Now he wants corn muffins.

I did brown rice in the cooker...it totally mushed it! Tastes good, but it so very mushy...not sure what to do with it.

[Kathleen]

My kitchen drawers are too full now. I need a better solution.

Can you use the rice in something like a rice pudding?

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

My kitchen drawers are too full now. I need a better solution.

Can you use the rice in something like a rice pudding?

From reading the Kitchen gadget thread and realizing how much I was just holding onto and didn't really use...I made lots o'room. All the gadgets will be going to the facility garage sale for "Relay For Life" (Cancer research).

I rolled out the rice very thin and cut into little triangles, sprinkled with salt and cayenne pepper and am toasting it off in the oven. Rice crackers for soup!