Category Archives: 弁当

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/35): Shiira Bento!

June 24, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

“Shiira/シイラ” is the Japanese name for Mahi-mahi, Dorado,or Common dolphinfish!

It is a very popular and reasonably-priced fish in Japan you can eat in all manners. This particular one came from Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku Island although they are also caught of our shores in Shizuoka!

This time the Missus kept things simple with the rice.
After steaming it she mixed it with some finely chopped carrot and parsely and topped it with broken walnuts.

She strived for balance in nutrients as well in colors for the “side dish”!

Having cut the fillets of shiira into proper-size bits she took off the small bones with pincers before covering the pieces of fish with flour, seasoning, egg and panko and shallow frying (fried in shallow oil, not deep) them.
She added lemon for more seasoning and color and plenty of lettuce for the fibers and vitamin C!

For the “garnish”, she placed her favorite half-boiled egg decorated with black olive, boiled broccoli on a small bed of tartare sauce, French cornichons and tomatoes (the latter for dessert!).

Very tasty, but a little short of satisfaction (I guess the Missus is significantly reducing the calories!)!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/34): Alien Chicken Faces Bento!

June 21, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Now, what made me call this bento, Alien Chicken Faces Bento?
The Missus is going to kill me for publishing such a title LOL
Mind you, I can always plead the sudden rise in temperatures as a good excuse!

Anyway, the rice first:
The Missus steamed it with a dash of soy sauce and dashi/soupstock added to the water.
Once steamed she mixed it with boiled black beans.

She added home-pickles mini-melons for fibers and vinegar.
These mini-melons mainly come from the musk melon farmes in the area of Fukuroi City who have to pare down their plants. A good way to avoid waste and turn a reject into gastronomy!

Now, for the accompaniment box:
Can you see the alien faces peeking out?

The Missus made her usual pickle corner with home-pickled cucumber mixed with seaweed (wakame) and umeboshi pulp with a little more ponzu!
Very appreciated on hot days!

Now, do you agree they look alien?
The Missus did work hard to conceive them with sasami/Chicken breast fillets she had first flattened before rolling them around boiled carrots strips and stringbeans and stir-fry them together.
She added plenty of local lettuce and small plum tomatoes for fibers and vitamins!

The dessert added plenty of colors with pineapple and redcurrants from our balcony garden (the redcurrants, not the pineapple!)!

Very colorful and summerlike bento! Very satisfying and yummy!
Loved those alien faces…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, 弁当, 浜松市

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Kenkadako/Fighting Kites

June 20, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

　　
On my way to work today I decided to stop at Kakegawa JR Station and sample my first ekiben sold in that station!
The name “Kenkadako/喧嘩凧/ means fighting kites ( the playthings, not the birds), another name given to the Hamamatsu Festival.

The same ekiben is sold at Hamamatsu and Kakegawa JR Stations where the Shinkansen/Bullet Train stops by Jishotei co./自笑亭株式会社.

A wet towel and chopsticks are graciously provided with the name of the company.

The box cover would definitely be a must-get collector’s item for the ekiben fan!

All the different designs are real emblems of family kites seen in the air (they are truly enormous!)!
Have a look HERE for a great picture collection of the event!

Like any other worthy company, Jishotei Co. clearly indicates the contents of the box!

One more paper towel is provided while the contents are well protected by an extra transparent hard sheet of paper.

Now, what do we have there?

Plain steamed rice with black sesame seeds.

Wasabi Zuke/wasabi stems and leaves pickled in sake white lees to accompany the rice and red pickled cucumber.
Curried chicken (popular anywhere, isn’t it?).

Nikudango/肉団子/ Meat ball made with minced chicken and onions.
Unagi Dani/鰻田煮/broiled eel. Eels are a famous product from Western Shizuoka Prefecture!

Hijikini/ひじき煮/simmered hijiki sweet seaweed with soy beans.
Niwatori no Karage/鶏の唐揚/deep-fried chicken.

Ebifrai/海老フライ/deep-fried shrimp.
Yakisaba/焼鯖/grilled mackerel.
Bottle of soy sauce.

The tidbits:
From left to right, bottom to top:
Simmered shiitake mushroom, ikadango/イカ団子/steamed cuttlefish paste ball, two kinds of colored (green and gray) balls of konnyaku/蒟蒻/elephant’s foot tuber, boiled satoimo/里芋/taro, simmered sweet kuri/栗/chestnut and ninjin/人参/carrot.

Very satisfying and so intriguing! And yummy!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bento, 美食, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/33): Dry Curry & Meat Balls Bento

June 15, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Dry curry is a very popular way of preparing curried rice in Japan!
Actually, there is nothing dry about it, only a “Japlish” expression!

The Missus, like most Japanese, loves curry, but more the Japanese style than anything else.
This means curry will be mild, even sweet.
You would be surprised how many shops serve curry in Japan, from Tonkatsu Curry to Curry Udon!

Anyway the Missus, after steaming the rice, mixed in curry mix powder and curry paste while the rice was hot.
She filled the main box with it and topped it with a few raisins.

I was not allowed inside the kitchen (even in the bigger one in our new apartment!) while she prepared the meat balls! All she would tell me is that they were made with pork and beef minced meat, cheese and parsley!
I must admit she makes great balls! (No pun meant!)
She added Shizuoka-grown celery for more fibers and vitamins!

The salad and dessert (she did not forget the latter!) box consisted of home-pickled mini melons and carrots, a semi-boiled egg topped with black sesame seeds, lettuce and beautiful Japanese cherries from Nagano Prefecture ( a present from a student!)!

Plenty of colors again, very satisfying (I was very busy physically today) and yummy!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 野菜, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/32): Nokorimono Bento!

June 14, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

The Missus is still very busy settling around in around our new appartment.
So, when she asked: “Do you want a bento today?”
I replied: “Yes, if possible!”
To which she commented” In this case, “nokorimono no bento” today!
“Nokorimono” means “leftovers (or what’s ever left in the fridge)!

Plenty of vegetables as you can see, and all locally grown.
After steaming the rice she prepared burdock roots/gobou/牛蒡 in “kinpira” style. She fried some red and green peppers in olive oil and wasabi dressing and black sesame seeds.
The okra served raw with katsuobushi/dry bonito shavings/鰹節.
She then topped the rice with the three of them.
When I ate from that box, I mixed the whole a bit beforehand.

As for the side dish, she first boiled local white and yellow potatoes and then fried them with a tin of yakitori!
She added boiled morokko ingen/モロッコいんげん, a large variety of string beans (these are usually grown for their beans, but the Japanese like them young) knotted for design and some pearl tomatoes!

Very healthy and yummy leftovers, but where was my dessert? LOL

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/32): Italian Sushi Roll bento!

June 8, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

The Missus, getting more and more used to her new kitchen (same size, but more open and practical) went into sushi mode today!
As said yesterday, nothing really complicated yet, but some of my favorites creeping back into the recipe!

I called these sushi rolls “Italian” for the simple reason that they are wrapped in Trevise!
The Missus first prepared sushi rice and added some black sesame seeds to it.
She then made the rolls with freshly chopped avocado, walnuts, and “kanikama/surimi” and finally wrapped them in Trevise cabbage leaves.
The home-made pickles are mini-melons coming from local musk melon farms to which she added her own pickled Japanese pepper/sanshyou.
The taste of the latter is very zippy!

Now, for the side dish:
My favorite, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette containing boiled black beans!
Home-pickled cucumber and mini tomatoes salad.
Yellow kiwi fruit (dessert!).
Celeri leaves.

Once again vey nourishing and colorful!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/31): New Home Bento!

June 7, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Due to our moving to a new home just completed the Missus simply had not the time to make a bento for me for nearly a month!
Thus this is my first bento made in our new home!

The Missus kept everything simple this time. She said more complicated affairs will still have to wait!
After having steamed she rice she mixed it with her own pickled Japanese pepper seeds/sanshou/山椒 and added a “kinpira” of carrots and burdock roots/gobou/牛蒡 she had prepared last night. It certainly made for simple and nice colors.

The “side box/dish” also came in simple colors and healthy balance!

She deep-fried (actually shallow-fried) “tontoro/soft pork” cut into rough strips, not with breadcrumbs, but with karaage crumbs which are a lot finer. She placed them on a bed of Shizuoka-grown celery (our Prefecture grows half of the total Japanese crop!) and added a touch of color and balance with lemon pieces for seasoning and sweet pearl tomatoes for taste and vitamins!

She finally added her own pickled cucumber (with black sesame seeds) and boiled black beans (bought in a market).

If she plans to concoct something more complicated in the future I’m not going to complain! LOL

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, 駅弁, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, Travel, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Haru Chisen

May 8, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

About this time of the year Tokaiken Co. offers a seasonal ekiben at Shizuoka JR Station called “Haru Chisen/春千扇”, or “The Thousand Fans of Spring to celebrate the most important season in Japan! It is slightly more expensive (1,000 yen), but it is certainly worth it!

The box is the color of cherry blossoms, the symbol of Spring!

The contents are clearly indicated as usual!

As you lift the cover you will find another film of transparent paper protecting the food inside.

Now, what do we have?

Sansai maze gohan: Rice steamed together with wild mountain vegetables. Another indication that we are in Spring!

Shiozuke sakura no hana: edible cherry blossom preserved in salt!

Let’s have a look at the section on the left… beautiful colors!

Flower-shaped daikon pickled in sweet vinegar on na no hana/rapeseed flowers and umeboshi-pickled daikon.

Tara no me/a Japanese wild mountain vegetable.
Tofu edamame fuwafuwa: deep-fried tofu cake containing edamame and other vegetables.
Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette.

Now, let’s turn to the right section: More colors!

Nimono/simmered vegetables: Carrot, taro, shiitake mushroom, green peas in their pod, bamboo shoot and cherry-blossom-shaped jelly.

Now for the “main dish”: pork shuumai/dim sung, sawara/young Spanish mackerel (from the Suruga Bay) and deep-fried chikuwa/fish paste roll stuffed with umeboshi paste.

By now you should know the color of Spring in Japan!

To be continued…

Bento, Ekiben, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Shizuoka Tokusei Okonomi

May 6, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

It seems I still have to round up quite a few more ekiben at Shizuoka (City) JR Station before I can move to another station! LOL

This particular regular bento is called Shizuoka Tokusei Okonomi/静岡特製お好み, meaning that it is a specilally made bento with the rice coming with a different topping according to season.

A plain “obento/おべんと” is written on the box but the slightly retro designs are inviting!

Tokaiken Co. as usual describes the contents in detail!

Now, what do we have here?
Notice that the rice is protected by a sheet of paper.

Endou mame gohan/エンドウ豆ご飯, steamed rice and green peas.

Bottom left: pickled daikon
Bottom center: Grilled mackerel
Bottom right: Nimono/steamed vegetables: carrot, taro, shiitake, string bean and yuuba hiroisu/tofu cake.

Middle left: Ingen goma shirae/boiled string beans with sesame dressing
Middle center: Shrimps tempura with a small bottle of soy sauce

Top left: Niwatori Karaage/deep-fried chicken (Japanese style)
Top center: Daifuku/Japanese wagashi/cakes made with rice flour and sweetmeats.
Top right: Shrimps and coleslaw salad

Great balance again and reasonably-priced!

To be continued…

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Shizuoka Monogatari

May 5, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Even if the many ekiben/Raliway bento/Railway Box Lunches at Shizuoka JR Station are all prepared by the same company, Tokaiken Co., they still have to satisfy not only a great variety of individual tastes but also “multiple tastes”.
Some people don’t want rice only or not one kind of the latter.
Shizuoka Monogatari/静岡物語 (Shizuoka Story) is a typical example of an ekiben conceived to satisfy an eclectic customer!

Orange is the official color of Shizuoka Prefecture!

As usual everything is clearly indicated!

No, the picture is not blurry. It is only that the food is protected by a film of hard transparent paper!

Now, what do we have here?

Due to the design of the ekiben I will have to repeat myself!
The rice at the bottom is topped with deep-fried cherry shrimps/sakura ebi, only found in Shizuoka Prefecture!
The spaghetti are peperocino style!

The rice at the right has been steamed with Shizuoka green tea!

Bottom left: Nimono/stewed vegetables: carrot, bamboo shoots, string beans.
Bottom right: Yaki saba/grilled mackerel and sweet beans dessert (called “uguisu mame”)
Top left: Unagi kabayaki/broiled eel with pickled leaf ginger and lettuce
Top right: Maguro Kakuni/stewed tuna cubes, Kuro hanpen/Sardine paste (both Shizuoka specialties)

Bottom right: Shuumai, soy sauce bottle and apricot preserve dessert
Top right: Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette (containing minced meat) and pickled daikon

To be continued….

Bento, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Fuji No Mikaku

April 30, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Ekiben/Railway Bento Boxes are many, even in Shizuoka City (don’t worry I will soon investigate other cities!) and this stimulates a healthy competition not only in ingredients and taste but also in design!

So this particular ekiben called “Fuji no Mikaku/不二の味覚/The only taste of its kind” came as a triangular box!

The wrap made for some beautiful design!

A small “tongue” helps you open the box. The latter is very light and easily disposable.

Tokaiken Co. went as far as providing a menu card inside! Makes for a cute souvenir!

As usual a translucent sheet of hard paper protected the food!

Alright, what do we have here?

Chahan Sakuraebi Chirashi/Rice steamed in tea and decorated with fried Cherry Shrimps.

From bottom up, left top right:
Jelly for dessert
Nibutaniku/simmered pork with bits of yuzu/lime
A small bottle of wasabi miso sauce
Jyako Iri Tamagoyaki/japanese omelette with sardine whiting
Shiitake mushroom, sweet konbu/seaweed, carrot, peas in the pod, kabocha and bamboo shoot.

For a better view of the tamagoyaki!

And for a better view of the tamagoyaki’s companions!

The miso sauce was delicious!

Top corner from bottom up:
Tofu Hamburuger (no meat, all vegestables with some seaweed)
Renkon Hasami Age/Deep-fried lotus root sandwich
Kuro Hanpen no Tenpura/sardine fish paste (a Shizuoka specialty) fried as tempura

For a better view of the last two with their fresh lettuce!

Very healthy and perfect balance!

To be continued!

Bento, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/29): Sakura Anago Sushi Bento!

April 28, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

The Missus was very busy this morning as she had to prepare not one but three bentos!
She did have to come up with practical ideas, hence a sushi stylle!

After having steamed the rice and prepared it as sushi rice she made three types of “te-mari/手まり sushi, that is sushi in the shape of small balls ( you shape them insde cellophane paper:
1-Sakura Te-mari: the rice was mixed with real pickled cherry blossoms.
2-Anago te-mari. She mixed the rice with home-pickled sansho/Japanese pepper seeds and topped them with broiled anago/conger eel.
3-Pickles and cheese te-mari. She mixed the rice with finely chopped Japanese cucumber pickles before introducing small pieces of processed cheese inside.

As for the side dish she prepared tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette with chopped shiso/perilla inside. She placed them in the box with shizuoka-grown cress and Ameera Rubbins pearl tomatoes and quite a few broad beans.
For dessert she added sweet stewed beans.

Solid and tasty!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Bento, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/28): Wasabi Zuke Bento!

April 27, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Wasabi Zuke/山葵漬 is wasabi fermented and pickled with the white lees of Japanese sake. This is a prime product of Shizuoka Prefecture which outputs 80% of all wasabi in Japan!

The Missus being very this week didn’t have much time for shopping yesterday and made ends meet with waht was available in the pantry!

After steaming the rice she mixed it with home-pickled wasabi stems and chopped seaweed/konbu (she pickled them together).
She added wasabi zuke (very high qulaity even in Shizuoka Prefecture made by Tamaruya Co.) for extra seasoning and zip.

As I like yakitori hot, cold or canned, she opened a small tin of it and spread it over the rice. Simple and effective!LOL

The side dish looked like a flag!

The Missus included her favorite trick, half an avocado fille with the half of a boiled egg. She coated the inside of the avocado with tartatre mayonnaise for seasoning. The cut tomatoes on a thick bed of Shiuzoka-grown cress is Shizuoka-graown Ameera tomatoes (very sweet!)

She added some cheese for the necessary balance. As for dessert, home-made apple compote and (imported) blueberries.

Today promises rain. I wonder what the Missus will come up with?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Bento, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/27): Salmon & Seaweed Bento!

April 23, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

To tell the truth the Missus was very grumpy today and you could almost feel it through the colors of her bento! LOL

She filled the first box with two dinstinctive layers of rice.
First she laid the first one and covered it with dry seaweed, a typically Japanese technique. She then spread a second layer and placed two smalls quares of nori/dry seaweed fo pattern and sprinkled the lot with plenty of roasted sesame seeds.
She finally placed on top a slice of salted salmon (fried in light teriyaku styke) she had been frying after the rice had been ready.

Beans, corn, tomato and sweet hijiki seaweed salad with lettuce, lightly pickled zucchini and sliced renkon/lotus roots fried with black sesame seeds,

No dessert… I told you she was in a bad mood!LOL

Very tasty and soid in spite of her character!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Bento, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/26): Bamboo Shoots Bento!

April 22, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Bamboo are in season and “take gohan/bamboo shoots rice” can be seen everywhere!

A very colorful rice dish!
The Missus prepared the finely chopped carrot and the bamboo shoots (cut into small triangular pieces) beforehand to soften them a bit and than steamed them on top of the rice before mixing the lot.
She placed a fresh sansho/Japanese pepper sprig (very much in season) on top for more color and seasoning.

A solid side dish! (I’m just recovering from a very bad cold and I need the calories!)

Pork fillet she pan-fried and which she seasoned (while still frying) at the last second with mayonnaise and capers. Very Italian/French/Japanese!
Shizuoka-grown Ameera Rubbins Peral Tomatoes, green and white asparagus tip, stick Junior Broccoli and lettuce.