Well, here is my husband's bento for today. Though I'm sure he doesn't approve of the pink container...well...what can I say...it is cute. ^_^ This bento is made using the leftover meat sauce from last night. I think the sauce suits white rice very well. It is kind of like eating chili. The cucumbers have a dash of vinegar, salt and black sesame seeds. The closed containers are shown below:
I really love these containers. The 'happy sweet berry' container is so adorable! I have a pink version of the blue bento box for my own lunches. In fact, my bento making cupboard is filled with all sorts of goodies that will eventually make their way onto this page.
Now who doesn't love a good cup of tea? Shown above is powdered green tea called Matcha. Usually it is darker, but I added milk and sugar so the colour is quite pale. The Japanese tea ceremony uses Matcha and recently it has become quite popular in Canada. Since Matcha is a powder, it is easy to use it in baking things such as Matcha Roll Cake. As well, Matcha can be sprinkled into yogurt, milk or ice cream. Matcha ice cream with dango and sweet bean is one of my favourite Japanese treats! Because Matcha is slightly bitter, in Japan it is often served with a small sweet.
Today I began to make 'miso tamago' or miso egg. This particular dish takes at least a day to make and is best left overnight. You start by hardboiling some eggs and then peeling them. Then you mix together about one tablespoon of miso and one teaspoon of maple syrup or honey together in a bit of clear wrap. Next you place the egg into the clear wrap and cover it with the mixture. You let this sit in the fridge overnight--the miso basically pickles the egg! The next day when you unwrap the egg, it has a rich golden colour and the flavour has actually seeped deep inside. It is perfect for bento! You can play with the flavours a bit too. I added spicy Korean bean paste to miso because my husband loves spice! It will go in his bento tomorrow.
You can leave them longer than overnight like this. The longer they sit, the richer the flavour, but I find that overnight is enough.
Supper tonight was super simple and a bit of a cheat! I made 'ochazuke' which is quite simply tea rice. However, I used the above flavouring packets, rather than brewing some strong flavoured green tea (not Matcha, but regular green tea from loose leaves). These packets contain green tea pellets, nori seaweed and dried salmon. Ochazuke is super easy to make. You place steamed rice in a bowl, add some fish such as tuna or salmon, sprinkle the packet and add hot water. Done! It is best served with wasabi and extra nori.
I also made some deviled eggs, salad and miso soup with our own garden turnips. It was simple, yet satisfying. I do feel like a bit of a cheat for using ochazuke flavour packets, but they are so very convenient. My husband's mom sent us lots from Japan, so I might as well us them. Often ochazuke is eaten for breakfast. When I lived in Japan, it was the first breakfast I ate there. The first time was very...interesting. Now it is routine. The moral? Don't be afraid to try something different!
I never really realized how much egg is used in Asian meals until I started to expand my sushi-eating diet, and since you've been posting all of these delicious meals.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think has made you decide to keep making more Japanese meals, instead of going back to, say, a ham sandwich? Do you still crave things like that every once in a while, or are you pretty much entirely addicted to the more Asian tastes, now? I find that the more Japanese food I eat, the more I am drawn to it; I definitely find it more filling, even when you eat very small portions, and it fills you up for a long time! Has that contributed to it?
Yes, eggs are a vital ingredient in Japanese cuisine--especially home cooking. Raw egg is very popular in Japan but that was one thing I simply could not do. I did a lot, but not the raw egg. Oddly enough, there was no food poisoning from it. The only reason I can think is that their eggs are fresh fresh...like still warm fresh. Our eggs usually have a one month expiry date! Makes you wonder...
ReplyDeleteYou know, sometimes I find myself craving a sandwich, but not as much as before. It just doesn't seem like 'enough' anymore. Japanese food just has so much variety that you don't become bored easily. All the little dishes and flavours make eating an experience. And you are right, they ARE filling, even with smaller portions. I think it is related to the content of the portions (protein, good carbs, and lots of fiber rich veggies). For extra fiber my rice is always cooked half brown half white unless we are making sushi, then it is all white. My husband loves his country's food and while he will eat pizza or a burger once in a while, he likes his rice. I just love the flavours and health benefits of eating food that fills you up, not out! One thing I learned in Japan is that you can eat anything you want in small portions. Nothing is off limits so you feel satisfied and full. Maybe that is why I stick with it. ^_^