Here is my first attempt at making bento lunches for myself and my boyfriend. I don't have real bento boxes yet, so I used tupperware for him and an old Quizno's salad container for me. I've been collecting bento supplies such as rice molds, mini cookie cutters, sauce containers, etc. The bento boxes are still in the mail. :)
Contents of his bento (above): Three vegetarian gyoza, two onigiri with a little bit of pork inside (one is stacked under the other), blanched brocolli, cucumber slices, strawberries, and a clementine. Not pictured are two tiny sauce containers filled with spicy ginger dipping sauce. They are really cute, shaped like fish -- I forgot to put them in until after the photo!
Contents of my bento (below): Three vegetarian gyoza, boiled egg, blanched brocolli, cucumber slices, strawberries, and a clementine. And the spicy ginger dipping sauce, not pictured. The sauce recipe is from MY'sCC.
The egg was supposed to go in Sheu's bento, but I couldn't figure out how to fit it. That's why it's a bit smashed -- I was clumsy transferring it to my container! I like the shape of the Quizno's salad bowl. Unfortunately it is flimsy and only lasted two days (two lunches) before cracking in various places.
I didn't have time to cut the cucumber & egg in shapes, but I'm hoping to practice that in the future. I just need to get up earlier. :)
These are just the cutest things I have ever seen. I want to hire you to make my lunches! What is the rice thingy with the cute flowers, is that nori??
ReplyDeleteThe rice thingy is called onigiri, a Japanese-style sticky rice ball. Onigiri can be different shapes. I have an onigiri mold to make the triangle shape. It's fun! That IS nori wrapped around the bottom -- it helps keep your fingers clean when you pick up the onigiri. I used a paper punch to punch the flower shapes from nori.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get your mold? Should I just Google it? What makes the nori stick? Is it the sticky rice or do you wet the nori? I'm very intrigued, by these.
ReplyDeleteHere's a great resource to learn more about Bentos (it's my favorite bento site!) http://www.cookingcute.com/
ReplyDeleteShe has a very good page about the equipment: www.cookingcute.com/bento_equipment.htm You can see the triangle shaped onigiri molds that I have.
Onigiris work best with sticky rice! The nori sticks to anything moist (especially rice).
OK, well I ended up in Russellville today and went to the NEW Hobby Lobby, and got some mini cookie cutters, Darrell helped me look, he is really getting into this Bento thing also. He said you needed a red bell pepper strip for color on your latest Bento (not blogged yet) we got a sneak preview via email! You have inspired me so much that I am planning to try to make a so, so Bento for Jeffrey & Tina when they come home on Sunday. Wish me luck.... brenda
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