I
recently discovered a website called JustBento.com . Bentos are an incredibly popular, packed single portion meal and the Japanese have taken the art of lunch
box prep to…well, artistic new heights. Some schools have forbidden
students from bringing their own lunchboxes in order to prevent jealousy
and bullying among classmates (let’s face it, when you have a nation of
largely stay-at-home moms, things can get pretty competitive in regards
to child rearing).
This
practice is less enforced at the high school level, and I am often
impressed with the lunch boxes some of my students bring to school (and
less impressed with my male coworkers who seem to either scarf down a
single Cup Noodle or rely on their wife to make their lunches). Thanks
to their artistry, and a delicious winter meal I had with my friend L
before Christmas, I got to thinking, “Why can’t I make a bento?”.
To
tell the truth, I do often bring my lunch to school, although it’s
usually half-haphazardly thrown together with whatever leftovers I have
in the fridge. A bento, on the other hand, is something that is prepared
specifically for lunch. As part of my New Year Resolution to start
trying recipes, JustBento.com came into my life precisely when I
needed inspiration.
 |
| Clockwise from top:Kinpia Gobo, Tamagoyaki (rolled egg omelet) with genmai (brown rice) and hijiki, a small side salad, and kimchi plus homemade takuan! |
The
first thing I made was a side dish called “Kinpira Gobo”, or stir fried
carrot and burdock root. Stores carry pre-packaged kinpira, but a few
meals worth isn’t worth the convenience (in my opinion). A carrot and a
slice of burdock together are maybe $2, and I had the rest of the
necessary stuff in my pantry. Burdock is packed with fiber, it’s crunchy
and the kinpira recipe is a bit spicy, so it winds up making a really delicious side and a healthy snack
option.
 |
| A light lunch consisting of tofu garnished with leek, some cherry tomatoes, simmered pumpkin, kinpira gobo and smoked salmon |
Additionally, I threw a jar of what appears to be bright yellow toxic waste into the fridge. It
will continue to sit there until it decides to listen and absorb all
the flavors that I ask of it. It's called “Takuan”, and is pickled
Daikon, or giant radish. I feel in love with the stuff while at L’s
house, and was disappointed when I saw that buying pre-made was close to
$3. A bit of daikon at the store is less than a dollar! I found the
pickling recipe and threw everything together. I may have to try again
and make some adjustments to the sugar, salt and vinegar combination,
but so far it’s been fun. My coworkers have been impressed that I’m
taking more of an interest in cooking Japanese food. And why shouldn’t
I? I’m here, I find cooking therapeutic, and I love trying new foods. It
makes perfect sense to try and master this all before moving back to
‘Merica!
