Yes! It’s time for the first ever installment of:
SO YOU WANT TO MAKE BENTO LIKE A PRO!
This week’s episode –
BENTO 101
So, you might be asking “What is this crazy bento business anyway?” Good question, citizen! Bento is a thing that we’re going to make. Let’s make some bento! Since this is the first time I’ve done a tutorial, we’re going to start off pretty easy.
The first thing you need to do is set up your work station:
Hey ingredients, what’s up? Spoiler alert: people are going to eat you!
Now, since this is a very basic bento lesson – we’re just going to focus on putting all of the ingredients in the box. Fancier boxes have themes and motifs and all that, but today it’s just the basics. Making a box that contains the perfect blend of proteins, starches…and oh man, deer, I can’t keep focusing if you’re going to be that adorable!
I get it already! You’re the cutest ever. Good for you.
Okay, so let’s get to work! So for the protein portion, I decided to make eggs!
What a great day to be an egg!
You can make your egg happy or sad depending on your mood – I used carrot strips and edamame to make my egg look indignant.
For starch, I used rice. But rice is booooring, right? So I used a star mold. If you don’t have a rice mold, you can use cookie cutters or shape by hand.
Once the rice is out of the mold, it’s time to see how it will fit in the box.
Not bad…but not great…it looks like they don’t get along, better solve that problem.
A wall made out of mango and melon! Best idea ever, but now they look uncomfortable…
A bed of edamame and carrot! Yes! But…we can do more, right?
Let’s add a little furikake for color! And a treat!
You guys ready to go? Don’t be so nervous, egg!
That’s better!
There we go, a simple bento that anyone can make. If you like this tutorial let me know and I’ll try to do some more.
And now for our Fabulous Friday question:
What would you put in your bento?
That was great! I didn't make it yet but I will. I would put... Can you put Chocolate in a Bento box? Mmmmm...
ReplyDeleteTotally! You can put chocolate in anything. Well, not everything, but a friend told me one time that you can improve all food by adding either chocolate or garlic. (if chocolate won't make it taste better, garlic will. Or the other way around.) I think that's pretty true. Anyway - you can put whatever you want in your bento!
ReplyDeletechocolate and garlic are my 2 favorite tastes! ^-^
ReplyDeleteguess I'm in luck!
and I'm jealous of your adorable deer and awesome rice mold. haha.
i love your star rice molds too! and i'd enjoy reading another tutorial. i'm not sure what i'd put in my bento, but once i had a piano teacher that told me "i believe onions and garlic will make anything taste better!" ... does this mean that since garlic gets two votes, it ultimately tastes best? :)
ReplyDeleteI loved this tutorial! I would love to read another one :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteOkay - I could do some more - anything you want to see?
ReplyDeletewoohoo! could you try on of the themed ones? i think that would be pretty cool! :)
ReplyDeleteAWESOME tutorial! I wanna move to Kyoto :p
ReplyDeleteBento looks so pretty. I love how you made the different shapes and got so creative. AWESOMENESS, YUMI. PURE AWESOMENESS.
P.s. I vote for chocolate and garlic, the two best tastes EVER.
Cute! I'd probably put fried plantains and baby carrots in my bento. I so want to buy a bento box right now.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite thing in a bento would probably be katsu sando - had that a couple of times in Japan and loved it. (Would love to learn how to make that.) I really like cherry tomatoes, so those would go in any bento I'd pack. And maybe some kitkat. And I think renkon chips would be awesome. Never actually had them, but they sound yummy!
ReplyDeleteI wish they sold bento boxes here in the states, I would eat it every day...mmmm.sush. and havev a side order of green tea ice cream.
ReplyDeleteI'd put....cupcakes in my bento! :D I like making cupcakes that look cool ^_^ I'm making some tonight that look like Cookie Monster!
ReplyDeleteI would put fried chicken, strawberries, corn on the cob and a cookie in my Bento!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read another tutorial.
Thanks for the tutorial, Yumi! I bought my own bento box in NYC's Chinatown (it was just TOO cute to resist) but have yet to put anything so bento-y in it. (unless PB&J counts ;)) I will definitely try this out!
ReplyDeleteI REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY want to o to Kyoto Japan
ReplyDeleteOh YAY! That looks fun to make! And delicious to eat, of course. I'd love so more tutorials!
ReplyDeleteYum! Looks good, Yumi! Please make more! I'd love to see one with a theme and some chicken teriyaki in it!
ReplyDeleteIn my bento box, I would have grilled chicken skewers, some long, thin noodles, a clementine, carrot sticks and some chocolate covered strawberrys ! <3
ReplyDeleteI would have your bento plus a cool drink! Like lychee berry soda! Yeah!
ReplyDeleteI would defentily put cheese and carrots in my bento box
ReplyDelete