Sashimi is sliced raw fish and has been eaten by Japanese people for hundreds of years. Usually Sashimi is served with Soy Sauce to dip, but sometimes salt or citrus juice is preferred for some fish. Sashimi is an essential part of Japanese cuisine, and it is becoming more and more popular outside Japan too.
Tamagoyaki Sandwich is a popular choice for Japanese Bento lunch. Tamagoyaki, pan-fried egg, is a quick but delicious filling for sandwiches. Just make some eggs into a thick frittata-like shape, which takes no time, sandwich the eggs with bread slices, and that’s it. Oh – don’t forget to spread some Japanese mayo and Karashi hot mustard. That’s the key taste of this dish. Tangy Japanese mayonnaise and spicy mustard go very well with mild flavored cooked eggs. To build your Bento, pack your favorite vegetables and fruits to add more nutrition along with the sandwich. Choose colorful ones to please the eyes of your family. There are other easy and tasty sandwich recipes in our cook book Simply Bento: Delicious Box Lunch Ideas for Healthy Portions to Go
Teriyaki Chicken Bento is a simple and easy Bento you can make for you and your family. Pan-fried chicken coated with a sweet and salty sauce is good hot and also at room temperature. It is a great dish for a Bento lunch. Chicken can be made the night ahead so that you can eat some for dinner and leave some for next day’s Bento. Just heat chicken up in the morning, and add lettuce and cherry tomatoes along with Steamed Rice in the Bento box. If you are an early bird, you can of course make the whole thing in the morning. This recipe is from our cook book Simply Bento: Delicious Box Lunch Ideas for Healthy Portions to Go
Vegetable Agebitashi is deep-fried vegetables marinated in a Soy Sauce-based sauce. It can be eaten at room temperature or chilled. In summer, cold Agebitashi is very nice. Cook while it is still cool in the morning, and chill in the fridge in the afternoon until serving for dinner.
Mango Purin (pudding) is a mango-flavored cold jellied dessert, now quite popular in Japan. It is called Purin (or pudding), though it often doesn’t use eggs, and it’s not baked or steamed. It is made of gelatin and chilled. It has a creamy taste from milk and cream, and that may be the reason it’s called “pudding.” It is originally from Hong Kong, and it became popular enough to spread all over the world. Mango Purin is often seen at Chinese restaurants in the US, but not very common anywhere else. However, Mango Purin is more well known in Japan, and you can buy it at a lot of cake shops and other stores like supermarkets and convenience stores.
Iced Hojicha Milk Tea (ほうじ茶ミルクティー) is literally iced milk tea made with Hojicha tea. Iced milk tea is a very popular drink at coffee shops in Japan, especially during summer, although it’s not seen as often in the US. Usually iced tea is made with English black tea in Japan, but some people like Iced Hojicha Milk Tea for a different but interesting fragrance. Lately, it has become more trendy to use Hojicha in iced tea so it’s gaining popularity.
Tamago Tofu (Tamagodofu) is savory egg flan similar to Chawanmushi. Even though it’s called Tofu, it is not made from soy beans. It is really more like custard. Tamago Tofu is simply flavored with salt, Mirin, and Dashi fish stock. This subtle and comforting dish is usually eaten chilled, especially in warm seasons. If you don’t have any appetite from the heat outside, this can be an easy dish to enjoy. It feels great going down on a hot summer day. However, hot Tamago Tofu is also good just like Chawanmushi.
Nikumiso (肉味噌) is braised ground pork seasoned with Miso paste. The ginger and garlic in the dish give a wonderful aroma to it. Even though the red Miso used here is saltier and has a stronger taste than regular Awase (mixed) Miso, the sweetness of onions mellows it out. Nikumiso is not a main dish, but it can be used in many different ways as a side dish. You can simply put it on Steamed Rice and make into a Donburi (bowl). Or use as a filling for Onigiri rice balls to give a twist to your usual dish. You can also add it to your favorite noodles like Udon and Soba, or even pasta. We wrapped Nikumiso with lettuce leaves, and it became a great appetizer. If you multiply the recipe, you can serve for a crowd at a party.
Nikumiso is a tasty side dish you can make ahead. This strongly seasoned beef can be kept in the fridge up to a week. Heat up a little just before serving. Perfect for lunch and busy weekday dinners when you want one more thing!