Chef's tips on making bento! A three-item bento that looks fancy but can be made quickly

Hello. I am Ayumi Nakaganji, a chef.

There are probably some people who are thinking about starting to make bento this spring, or who are thinking about starting.

When I was a student, my mother packed my lunch for me every day, and I had lunch in the classroom with my friends. We traded side dishes, so I still think back to other people's lunches and think, "That was delicious in XX's lunch." (laughs)

Recently, there are many opportunities to see gorgeous, colorful bento boxes on social media, and you might feel like "they're impossible to make...", but since you're the one eating it, don't push yourself; just put in what you like and enjoy it.

This time, we will introduce some points and tips for making bento.

Tip 1: It's okay to use a cheap lunch box! But try using your favorite one.

If the lunch box you use every day is something that makes you excited, it can be a little bit of motivation.

At first, you may be unsure about how much you need, whether to get a single layer or a double layer, etc., so start by looking for an inexpensive lunch box that suits you.

By the way, I personally love using a wooden lunch box made by woodworker Sekinai Kiyoshi.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

I took the plunge and bought it, but I love the look and performance! I've been using it for eight years now. What's great is that even if you don't put anything special in it, it somehow looks like a proper lunch box.

Everyone, please try looking for your favorite lunch box.

Tip 2: Put in a little effort

As the season approaches, you may be concerned about your lunch going bad. To reduce that worry, take a little extra effort.

First, disinfect your lunch box with alcohol before filling it. I use one that can be sprayed directly on food.

Even though it is called food-grade alcohol, there are many different types - some that you let dry naturally after spraying, some that you need to wipe off, and some that you can spray directly on food - so be sure to check the packaging for instructions on how to use it.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

Next, the contents of the lunch box.

The key is to thoroughly cook the ingredients. In particular, make sure to thoroughly cook the side dishes from the day before (you can warm them up in the microwave) before packing them. Moisture on vegetables and other foods can cause them to spoil, so be sure to wipe them off thoroughly with paper towels before packing them.

Chikuwa and kamaboko are foods that can be eaten as is, but they are also foods that spoil easily. Make sure to heat them thoroughly before adding them. You can also saute them in butter and soy sauce, or make them into deep-fried seaweed dishes.

Also, be careful with simmered dishes with a lot of liquid, potato salad, macaroni salad, fried rice, etc. Donburi bento is also not recommended.

Foods with a high moisture content allow bacteria to grow quickly, increasing the risk of food poisoning. Please be especially careful during this coming season.

Complete with just 3 dishes! A quick lunch for those days when you don't have anything special to do.

This time, I tried making a bento for one person using ingredients that were in the fridge. It took about 10 to 15 minutes to prepare the side dishes.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

The menu includes "sausage stir-fried with pepper and ketchup," "omelette with white onion and wakame seaweed," and "fried shiitake mushrooms with butter."

The sausage is cut into small pieces and cooked slowly until crispy, then mixed with ketchup and plenty of black pepper at the end. This is a side dish that goes really well with rice. It's useful when you don't have a main dish. You can also add a little curry powder.

I put white onions and wakame seaweed inside the eggs. Since bento lunches tend to have few vegetables, I usually add perilla leaves, parsley, dried small sardines, and dried shrimp. I recommend this to increase the volume.

To make the white onion and wakame omelet, mix one egg with the other ingredients and pour into an oiled frying pan.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

After roughly mixing, split it in half and cook thoroughly. I like this tamagoyaki because it's easy to pack in a bento and you don't have to bother rolling it up. The seasoning this time is a little white dashi, mayonnaise, and white pepper.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

Cut the shiitake mushrooms into bite-sized pieces and saute them in butter. Season with a little oyster sauce. This is also a vegetable side dish that goes well with rice.

When I make bento like this, I usually pack about three dishes. If there are few side dishes, I put more rice and top it with plenty of side dishes such as mustard greens, red shiso furikake, shirasu, salted kelp, and bonito flakes.

This time I put komatsuna on top of rice. I chopped it finely and put it in a bowl with boiling water and left it until it cooled down (I cooked an egg during this time). Once it cooled down, I put it in a colander, rubbed in salt, and squeezed out all the water. It's done. I sprinkled some white sesame seeds on top to make it look like nabehan.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

The best part about making your own bento is that you can make it in a good mood and put in things you like. Try making your own bento with what you have and can do that day. (Text by Ayumi Nakaganji)
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