Japanese Style Bento Box Recipes

JAPANESE-STYLE BENTO BOX

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the edamame for 3-4 mins (or 1-2 mins if using frozen soya beans) until tender. Drain, sprinkle with salt and set aside.
• Rinse the rice well in cold water until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a heavy-based pan with a tight-fitting lid and cover with 200ml water. Bring just to the boil, then put on the lid, turn the heat to its lowest point and cook for 15-20 mins, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave with the lid on for another 10 mins.
• Spoon the cooked rice into a wide bowl and leave to cool a little. Stir together the rice vinegar, sugar and a small pinch of salt, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Mix this into the cooled rice. Lay the nori sheet on a sushi rolling mat or sheet of cling film. With damp hands, spread the rice over two-thirds of the nori sheet.
• Mix the smoked mackerel, mayonnaise and spring onions, season well with black pepper. Spread a line of wasabi down the middle of the rice, if using, and layer on the red pepper pieces, then the fish mixture. Roll the sushi up, starting from the end covered with rice. Dampen the uncovered end to help it stick. Slice into about 6 x 3cm thick pieces.
• Pop the sushi rolls into a bento box or lunchbox, adding the edamame and fruit to the other compartments.

JAPANESE ONIGIRI AND BENTO BOX

Steps:

• Cook sushi rice according to package directions. Do not add vinegar or sugar like we would when making sushi. We just want plain rice.
• Once cooled, dip your hands in the bowl of salted water and take a handful of rice. Mold it into a ball, triangle, or pack it (very tightly) into a cookie cutter, then unmold the shape. Or make a flat disc and put some leftover meat into the center. Fold up the edges of the rice disc to hide the filling, or add more rice on top and form into a ball or triangle. Keep your hands wet to keep the rice from sticking.
• Using cookie cutters or a paring knife, cut fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, sandwiches, or anything else you can think of, into cute shapes. Stack them, line them up, or create scenes and characters with them.
• Silicone muffin cups are great for keeping foods separate that will either leak juice onto dry foods, or roll around like blueberries and peas.
• Use craft punches or scissors to make shapes out of the nori (seaweed sheets) and stick it on the onigiri. It'll stick nicely to the rice.
• For a great demo on making bento box lunches for kids, check out the alphamom website here: http://alphamom.com/family-fun/how-to-make-a-kids-bento-box/.