Bento Boxes

[spork]

That's pretty much my gyoza filling mix, too.
I usually ask my butcher to ground pork shoulder.
Ratio to cabbage is pretty close to 50-50 by weight.
Finely chopped green onion, finely grated ginger, to taste
nira, or Taiwan lettuce. Or chives. Again to taste.
Modest flavorings: salt, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil.
Knead and over-mix everything into a pasty glop.

A couple of important tips...

I blanch my cabbage, then chop finely. And then, I squeeze or press as much water out of the cabbage as I can. If the filling is too wet, the steam can expand during cooking and burst the dumpling apart.

No binding agent, so knead and mix well to a homogeneous paste.

Microwave a teaspoon of the mixture to taste test.

Don't overfill. Maybe a heaping teaspoon.

The round wrappers at my local market are a bit thicker than I like. Wrappers at Asian markets are usually sold frozen. Dip a finger into a bowl of water to trace the outer edge of the wrapper to fold and seal the dumpling. Standard rule of etiquette: you are not allowed to laugh at anyone's clumsily pleated homemade gyoza pieces. It takes a little practice.

Everyone has their own favorite dipping sauce. Mine is soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame oil and a shake of togarashi red pepper. A lot of people also like soy sauce + ponzu citrus.

Freezes well. Defrosts quickly. I like to boil for wonton soup. If I'm making them into potstickers, I toss them with a bit of fresh flour so that their bottom browns and crisps up with oil at high heat, before adding a liquid to steam and finish cooking them.

 

[Damien]

I love my food processor.. I shred everything in it, dump it all into a bowl and mix with pork and wet ingredients.

You can also buy cheap dumpling presses.. I just got one and it cut my time by nearly 50%..

-Damien

 

[spork]

1. supremes of grapefruit from my neighbor's yard, a cough drop
2. opakapaka, poached in kombu & shiitake broth, bottle of soy+vinegar
3. short, white rice in 2 layers topped with different flavors of furikake
4. red miso soup, with spinach and onion

Hawaiian pink snapper, a very lean white fish, half poached/steamed in a pan lined with kombu in broth of dashi, sake, dried shiitake mushrooms, tofu, scallions and splash of light soy sauce.

It's been one month and one day since I last ate lunch.

 

[Kathleen]

That looks totally great, Spork!

Why did you add the cough drop? What kind of cough drop?

I'm sick at home today. Last week, I made a lunch out of macaroni and stewed tomatoes, cornbread, and quail eggs pickled in beet juice. It was really good....and colorful.

 

[spork]

High Five for your pickled quail eggs, Kathleen, that is too much fun! I've tried dyeing mine in black tea. My menthol cough drop is part whimsy, part medicinal, but hard candies do dissolve well in the juice of lunchbox fruit and make for kid-friendly-healthy dessert.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

1. supremes of grapefruit from my neighbor's yard, a cough drop
2. opakapaka, poached in kombu & shiitake broth, bottle of soy+vinegar
3. short, white rice in 2 layers topped with different flavors of furikake
4. red miso soup, with spinach and onion

Hawaiian pink snapper, a very lean white fish, half poached/steamed in a pan lined with kombu in broth of dashi, sake, dried shiitake mushrooms, tofu, scallions and splash of light soy sauce.

It's been one month and one day since I last ate lunch.

Looks wonderful, I'm wanting more fish...

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I'm sick at home today.

So, did you want him to send you the cough drop?

 

[Kathleen]

What is everyone making these days??? I took advantage of some things coming in at the farmer's markets and in my garden to make a Vegetable/Cheese Frittata for dinner. Leftover frittata will go to lunch tomorrow along with a bit of my chilled watercress soup and some blueberries.

Here is the picture. Please let me know what you are making!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Rice every day. I've been mostly doing Salmon or Chicken, Steamed or blanched vegetables with ginger and citrus. Fresh fruits. I've been hanging out around the farmers market...

I did the rice with morel mushrooms, leeks and red peppers in the rice cooker. It didn't cook well, I had to keep adding liquid. Tasted good, but took me half the night to cook it in the cooker. I'll stick with plain rice in my Zo.

 

[LPBeier]

Okay, now that I am going up to have lunch with Dad every day (though he may only be another month), I want a bento box. I can also use it just to sit on the bench in our little green space outside our door and have lunch and play on my netbook when he comes home and is resting. I know it isn't really "getting away", but it is for me. I can take my phone with the intercom in case he needs me.

I saw some when I went into Vancouver for the musical last Saturday, but didn't really have time to look seriously at them. So, I guess I will peruse this thread for links and suggestions!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Okay, now that I am going up to have lunch with Dad every day (though he may only be another month), I want a bento box. I can also use it just to sit on the bench in our little green space outside our door and have lunch and play on my netbook when he comes home and is resting. I know it isn't really "getting away", but it is for me. I can take my phone with the intercom in case he needs me.

I saw some when I went into Vancouver for the musical last Saturday, but didn't really have time to look seriously at them. So, I guess I will peruse this thread for links and suggestions!

Oh, that sounds like fun...

 

[Barbara L]

Okay, now that I am going up to have lunch with Dad every day (though he may only be another month), I want a bento box. I can also use it just to sit on the bench in our little green space outside our door and have lunch and play on my netbook when he comes home and is resting. I know it isn't really "getting away", but it is for me. I can take my phone with the intercom in case he needs me.

I saw some when I went into Vancouver for the musical last Saturday, but didn't really have time to look seriously at them. So, I guess I will peruse this thread for links and suggestions!

What a nice way to "get away!" When you finish looking seriously at them and get one, post a picture!

 

[kadesma]

Okay, now that I am going up to have lunch with Dad every day (though he may only be another month), I want a bento box. I can also use it just to sit on the bench in our little green space outside our door and have lunch and play on my netbook when he comes home and is resting. I know it isn't really "getting away", but it is for me. I can take my phone with the intercom in case he needs me.

I saw some when I went into Vancouver for the musical last Saturday, but didn't really have time to look seriously at them. So, I guess I will peruse this thread for links and suggestions!

Go get one sweetie. You more than deserve it. After all you've done and have to do this will be a special treat for you. So indulge and enjoy ma say's
ma

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Take your time and find one that is "you." It could be, the perfect one will come to you when you least expect it.

 

[LPBeier]

Sort of like the puppy (or computer programmer) that follows you home?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Sort of like the puppy (or computer programmer) that follows you home?

Yeah, you feed them and they never leave...I got a baker that way...

 

[Barbara L]

Yeah, you feed them and they never leave...I got a baker that way...

 

[LPBeier]

Okay, I did a lot of research on this. It sure isn't just picking out a pretty lunch box. One blog called it "a lifestyle"! But I think it really fits in to what I am trying to do and will be fun. I am also thinking a bento (along with the types of food) would be good for DH's lunches so I will work on that.

 

[spork]

LP, it sounds corny, but it’s true: your lunch box should speak to you. They’re sort of designed as a “system.” Best way to look at them is: considering the type of lunches/dinners you like to cook every day, can you picture that table spread within the lunch box, does it match your style/system? Some other considerations:

1. Insulated? Not necessarily, if your usual lunch venue has frig & microwave.
2. Liquids, like soups, require a container with rubber/silicone seal lid.
3. All containers should be designed with good sealing lids. Box-in-box design is almost always a good choice.
4. Arguably, Korea makes the best lunch box products.
5. Be prepared for envious stares from other lunch people gagging on their soggy tuna fish sandwich.
6. Create/plate treats to teach your puppy new tricks.

 

[Kathleen]

Okay, now that I am going up to have lunch with Dad every day (though he may only be another month), I want a bento box. I can also use it just to sit on the bench in our little green space outside our door and have lunch and play on my netbook when he comes home and is resting. I know it isn't really "getting away", but it is for me. I can take my phone with the intercom in case he needs me.

I saw some when I went into Vancouver for the musical last Saturday, but didn't really have time to look seriously at them. So, I guess I will peruse this thread for links and suggestions!

YAY! What I love best about using my Bento box is that it does not take much time to pack it, but I get like six-year-old excited about my lunch each day AND it is portion-controlled. When I pack my lunch, I eat healthier, and I actually EAT LUNCH! It's a treat for me just having my lunch in a colorful box. People with whom I work even take notice, which is just funny to me. Oddly to me, when I have my bento lunch, people will apologize for interrupting lunch. When I pull my sandwich out of a plastic bag, no one even slows down when they come into my office.

Go get one sweetie. You more than deserve it. After all you've done and have to do this will be a special treat for you. So indulge and enjoy ma say's
ma

Exactly right! Yanno, we still have more room in bento land.

What a nice way to "get away!" When you finish looking seriously at them and get one, post a picture!

We even have room for TWO plus in Bento-land!!!! And she must post a picture!

Take your time and find one that is "you." It could be, the perfect one will come to you when you least expect it.

Finding just one is the real challenge.