1. Pork Dumpling (Shumai) Bento Box Recipe
Ingredients (for 2 servings)
・Rice (As much as you want)
Pork dumplings (Shumai)
・14 Shumai wrappers (About 4 inch square)
・4.5 oz (128g) Ground pork
・1.7 oz (50g) Onion
・1.5 tbsp Potato starch
・1 tbsp Soy sauce
・1 tbsp Sugar
・1/2 tbsp Chicken stock powder
・1/2 tbsp Sesame oil
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・1 tsp Grated ginger
・Peas
・2 tsp Oil
・0.2 cup (50ml) Water
Carrot garlic stir-fry
・2 oz (60g) Carrot
・1 tsp Sesame oil
・1/3 tsp Grated garlic
・A pinch of Salt
・A pinch of White sesame seeds
Cucumber pickles
・2.8 oz (80g) Cucumber
・A pinch of Salt
・1 tsp Soy sauce
・1 tsp Sesame oil
・1 tsp Sugar
・1/2 tsp Rice vinegar
Direction
1. [Shumai] Mix minced onion with potato starch in advance. In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, minced onion, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and chicken stock powder, grated ginger, salt, and pepper. Knead until the meat turns slightly white and sticky.
2. Place about 2 tablespoons of meat in the middle of the shumai wrapper. Do not wrap the top of the meat, only the sides. Place green peas on top.
3. Oil a pan. Place the dumplings on the pan one by one, spacing them out one by one. Add water and light the fire. Bring to a boil and cover. Steam over medium heat for 10 minutes. When the water is gone and the bottom of the dumpling is browned, it is done.
4. [Carrot garlic stir-fry] Stir-fry shred carrot with sesame oil. Add salt, grated garlic, and white sesame seeds. Stir to combine.
5. [Cucumber pickles] Cut cucumber into desired pieces. Sprinkle salt, and stir well. Let sit for 10 -15minutes until the cucumbers are moistened. Pat them dry with paper towel.
6. In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumber, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar.
Let’s pack in bento box!
2. Potato Salad & Pork Cutlet Sandwich Bento Box Recipe
Ingredients (for 2 servings)
・Bread (Your favorite kind)
Potato salad sandwich
・3.5 oz (100g) Potato
・0.5 oz (15g) Carrot
・2 tbsp Mayonnaise
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・Ham slices
・Lettuce
・1tbsp Butter
Pork cutlet (Tonkatsu) sandwich
・4 oz (115g) Pork loin
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・1-2 tsp Flour
・2 tbsp Beaten egg
・2-3 tbsp Panko (Breadcrumbs)
・Oil for deep-frying
・2 Boiled eggs
・1 tbsp Mayonnaise
・1 tsp Parmesan cheese
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・Tonkatsu sauce
・Cabbage
・2 tsp Mayonnaise
・1 tsp Karashi (Japanese mustard)
Direction
1. [Potato salad sandwich] Cut potato into small pieces, and cook them in microwave until soft (7 minutes @500W). Mash them and let it cool.
2. Mince carrot and cook it in microwave as well (2 minutes @500W). Let it cool.
3. When potatoes and carrot are cool, mix them with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
4. Butter the bread and spread as much lettuce as you like. Place potato salad and ham slices. Finish with another slice of bread on top.
5. [Pork cutlet sandwich] Cut into the oil part of the pork. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Coat it with flour, beaten egg, and panko. Fry in oil for 3 minutes on each side.
6. Mash boiled eggs. Mix it with mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
7. Spread mayonnaise and karashi on bread. Place shredded cabbage, pork cutlet, and egg salad. Put tonkatsu sauce on pork if you have one. Finish with another slice of bread on top.
Let’s pack in bento box!
3. Fried Green Pepper Stuffed with Meat Bento Box Recipe
Ingredients (for 2 servings)
・Rice (As much as you want)
Fried green pepper stuffed with meat
・5.3 oz (150g) Green bell pepper
・4.5 oz (128g) Ground pork
・1.7 oz (50g) Onion
・1/2 tbsp Flour
・1/2 tbsp Sesame oil
・A pinch of Salt
Batter
・1 Egg
・4 tbsp Flour
・2 tbsp Water
・Panko (Breadcrumbs)
・Oil for deep-frying
Chikuwa tempura
・3.2 oz (90g) Chickuwa (Fish paste stick)
・Leftover batter
・1/2 tsp Aonori (if you have)
Stir-fried burdock and carrot (Kimpira)
・2 oz (60g) Burdock
・1.7 oz (50g) Carrot
・1 tsp Sesame oil
・1/2 tbsp Sake
・1/2 tbsp Soy sauce
・1/2 tbsp Sugar
・1/2 tsp Dashi granules (Hondashi)
・A pinch of Salt
・A pinch of White sesame seeds
Direction
1. [Fried green pepper stuffed with meat] In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, minced onion, flour, sesame oil, and salt. Knead until the meat turns slightly white and sticky.
2. Cut the bell peppers in half and stuff the meat inside. Coat meat stuffed bell pepper with batter. Then coat them with panko. Fry in oil for 3 minutes on each side.
3. [Chikuwa tempura] Cut chikuwa into small pieces. Add aonori into the leftover batter from [2]. Coat chikuwa with batter, and fry in oil until browned.
4. [Kimpira] Stir-fry shred burdock and carrot with sesame oil. Add sake, soy sauce, sugar, and white sesame seeds. Stir to combine.
Let’s pack in bento box!
4. Japanese Stir-fried Noodles (Yakisoba) Bento Box Recipe
Ingredients (for 1 serving)
Stir-fried noodles (Yakisoba)
・Noodles
・2.8 oz (80g) Pork or Chicken
・2.5 oz (70g) Cabbage
・2.5 oz (70g) Onion
・1 oz (30g) Carrot
・2 tsp Oil
・A pinch of Salt and pepper
・1 tbsp Water
・1 tbsp Sake
・1 tbsp Soy sauce
・1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
・1/2 tbsp Sugar
・1 tsp Chicken stock powder
・A pinch of MSG (optional)
Mini rice ball
・Rice
・A pinch of Salt
・Nori seaweed
Direction
1. [Yakisoba] Cut vegetables and pork into thin stripes or bite-sized pieces. Stir-fry carrot and onion first. When they get soft, add cabbage.
2. Add pork and sprinkle salt and pepper on pork. When the pork is cooked to some extent add noodles. Add water over the noodles to loosen them.
3. Add sake, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and chicken stock powder. Stir to combine.
Let’s pack in bento box!
