Bento Safe Sushi

Salmon Sushi Rolls and Kipper Nigiri

I have to start keeping track of updating this thing. Without a lot of readers, there's no incentive. :/ Still, it's a good exercise for writing and nutrition.

Sushi rolls are a guilty pleasure of mine. Even if I could never have a bite of anything else, I would still love these things. It's just tough to find sushi grade fish out here in the desert. Go figure. Worse, I couldn't pack fresh Nigiri for fear the fish would spoil. I found a great alternative in canned fish.

Although high in sodium, canned fishes like salmon and herring have loads of Omega-3 fatty acids. If you haven't heard of this miracle oil, start reading up. The fat helps cardiovascular health, inflammation, and many suspect developmental disorders and cognitive strengthening properties. (You can overdo it, though, so limit yourself to way less than 3 grams.)

Try this recipe for some at home or on the go fishy pleasure. Overall, this was a 400 calorie little box including the rest of the tin of kippers. (I like kippers, but they are VERY fishy. Be sure to pack your box with a dryer sheet in the bag so the smell doesn't bug others.)

Salmon Sushi Rolls:

-1 4-6oz canned salmon without bones or skin, drained

-2 tbs mayonnaise (with preservatives)

-1 cup sushi rice

-2 pieces nori sheets

*Optional: Cucumber strips, avocado, carrot strips, cream cheese, sesame seeds

1. Drain the salmon (or tuna) and mix in a bowl with the mayo.

2. Prepare the sushi rice. (1 cup glutinous white rice such as Calrose, 2 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt. For lower cal and sodium, don't use the sugar and salt.)

3. On a sushi mat or gallon-sized plastic storage bag, lay out the nori and press half the sushi rice in a neat square over the seaweed in an even layer.

4. Line half the filling evenly about half an inch from the border of rice. (Line other fillings, too.)

5. Roll and press the rice together as you turn the mat. This will get easier with practice; just be sure you're pressing enough to push air pockets out.

6. When the roll is tightly packed, take a very sharp kitchen knife such as a butcher or Santoku and slice the roll in half with one gentle stroke. Line the two pieces up and continue to slice in half until you have eight pieces.

7. Sprinkle the roll with sesame seeds and repeat with the next roll. Be sure to clean the knife thoroughly to avoid sticking and tearing.

A lot of sushi preparation is just practice. You will get lots of ugly rolls, and the filling may slide around or leak out. Don't worry, you'll get it in time. Even a completely torn and collapsed roll can be pressed back into shape. Just be sure you get all the water out of the can or the oil will deteriorate the rice's stickiness. For Nigiri, take two tablespoons of sushi rice and pack it into the hollow of your palm until you get a neat egg-shape. I used canned kippers and gently slid out a fillet for the tops. You can use any sort of canned fish or shell fish. I was just trying this recipe out, so no garnishes, but you could pack the rest of the box in broccoli, pickled ginger (a classic sushi side!), or any combination of low-sodium veggies. I might do a real sushi recipe at some point, so stay tuned.

Happy Belated Birthday, Julia Child

So, yesterday was Julia Child's 100th birthday. She was a giant of a woman in personality and talent, paving the way for French technique in a spray cheese and Spam postwar America. I personally think she saved us all from bland casseroles for the rest of our days and made foreign food appealing and easy. The above was mixed by PBS from her shows and set to autotune. Happy centennial, Julia. You are missed.

At 6'2", she had 38" counters that still fell short.

I'll be back with a Japanese breakfast after the weekend.

Been Awhile

 Chicken Kijiyaki, Tamagoyaki (not shown), Steamed Broccoli, and Rice.

Sorry for the late post, but between the Manbearpig's birthday and a generally busy summer, I've been swamped. I kept cooking, but I really don't as much as I do during school. There were a few stars. I'll post up the food porn for now and get to recipes later this week. :3 Enjoy and tell your friends the Bento Buddy is back.

Those sharp of eye may notice that the hubby's box is back in that top photo. No, it's not an old shot. We went to San Francisco as a weekend anniversary getaway. Lo and behold, a Japan Town dollar (sort of) store had the exact same box, chopsticks and all, for $5. We scooped up the box and got a few veggie cutters, sauce bottles, and a chopstick case for myself. With treats and all, we didn't spend $20. Pretty sweet deal. Best of all, he doesn't have to use mine anymore. The boxes on Amazon can still be a good deal if you don't live near a specialty store like that, though.

This is a meat pie bento I made for the hubby before we got the newbie. Flaky, butter and shortening crust and a little beef and onion filling make this seem like a fatty treat, but you really only use a couple tablespoonfuls between the pies, and fitting them in the boxes means making them small. It's a good sometimes treat for when he has to work late, and I pad the rest of the box with veggies only. Best of all, the pies keep well. Make a bunch and freeze them for a quick and easy bento on the run.

I was feeling Moroccan for a week. These are Moroccan meatballs, mini Roti, Cucumber Raiti, and Cilantro Rice. The meatballs were little more than ground beef, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, poppy seeds, and cilantro, and the cucumber salad was fat free Greek yogurt and dill. Roti are an Indian flat bread. I make these on occasion as a cheap and easy snack or to sit with a bowl of curry. It's just two parts flour to one part water, a sprinkle of salt and oil, and cook it on a dry skillet. The bread couldn't be easier, but they impress.

When Danny saw Dad's excitement over his new box, he insisted I pull out his Star Wars tin lunchbox and fill it for him one day. A peanut butter and jelly Tie Fighter, carrots, vanilla cookies, and some sliced apples were the perfect appeasement and took no effort on my part. I've learned how to carve apples in the traditional rabbit and checker styles since I took up bentos, but I made the mistake of spoiling the Manbearpig with them. Now, he insists I cut every apple the same way for him.

Here's a quick treat and a recipe: Bubble Tea. This has become extremely popular lately and can even be found around our town. Large tapioca pearls sit at the bottom of milky drinks and are slurped up with special, wide straws. I'll give two recipes for making the pearls and tea, but you can pair the bubbles with any cold drink for a fun, summer sweet.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup large tapioca pearls (or flavored gelatin cut into small cubes)
5 bags chai or black tea
1 quart boiled water
1 tbs sugar
1 pint milk
-Prepare the tapioca as directed, drain and stir in the sugar.
-Steep tea bags in water in a bowl for 5 minutes, removing bags after.
-Add the milk to the tea and refrigerate in a serving jug until cool.
-In a glass, pour 2-4 tbs of the tapioca pearls or gelatin and fill the remainder of the glass with the milk tea. Add sugar if desired.

I love Bubble Tea, and finding these rainbow pearls on the trip was a major bonus. Even Danny enjoys the drink, but be careful to watch small children with these. I keep the sugar low in my milk tea, but many Japanese recipes call for a syrup of the stuff added to a much thicker milk concentration. The pearls create a similar consistency when you add the sugar, so I suggest adding extra at that stage. Play with it how you like.

Finally, Popovers! Okay, they're not Japanese nor particularly bento friendly. I just like them as an homage to traditional American baking and have made these to accompany a few meals lately. The ones in the corner are bleu cheese with the foreground being plain. They're light and buttery, but I'm starting to look a little like that puffed over muffin top. x.x Hope you enjoyed catching up. I'll post recipes soon enough.

Koftas

Busy week, and I think I'm catching a cold. When that happens, I like a lot of Indian curries. There's something comforting about a big bowl of stewed, spicy food on rice.

This was a Turkey Kofta Curry that I piled on jasmine rice. Koftas are meatballs of finely ground lamb, beef, or chicken. I used ground turkey and piled the meat high with poppy seeds, pureed onion, coriander, ginger, and garam masala. The sauce was a mix of nonfat, plain yogurt and tomato paste with more garam masala and topped with fresh cilantro leaves. When you have a creamy or tomato curry like this, use jasmine rice. It smells wonderful and goes with the sauce so well, I don't mind when the meatballs are gone.

The photo's kind of screwy because I barely snapped this before Bobbers and I gobbled it up.

Quiches

Sad, sad news. 

Bob has lost his bento box. We think it might have been the janitorial staff at his work, but how someone could have confused his nice box with Tupperware is beyond me. The black beauty had its run, though, and lasted over a year in spite of bumps and a broken hinge. Other than that, it was very sturdy and didn't get ratty like most plastics. For now, Bobbers will be toting disposables, but we'll get him a new one soon enough.

Tomorrow's meal will be mini quiches, smoked turkey octodogs, and apple bunnies. I love eggs. They're something of a super food in my mind because they can be anything you want and give you protein for minimal calories. I know some people harp on the "cholesterol" tangent, but eggs contain a good cholesterol that actually helps clear away the plaque kind that builds up in the arteries. Besides, anything in moderation is fair enough, and these puffy, spinach-packed bites are just that. The hot dogs were a surprising treat because cooking them filled the kitchen with a pleasant smokey smell, and the turkey meat means less fuss over fats. Normally, I don't pack a box with mostly proteins, but these two were healthy enough in their small doses.

Another staple of the bento box, the apple bunnies make their appearance here. I'll have to do these as my next tutorial, but for now, shiny red apples and a fruit paring knife will easily get you started in fruit carving for the boxes. Most people will carve out the ears and dip them in ice water so they stand up, but a quick triangle cut shallowly into the skin gets you the same look with little effort. I'll even carve these out for the Manbearpig when we're at home. You can also try cutting into veggies to get finicky eaters interested in the treats. For the boxes, just a splash of lemon juice and water will keep these fresh.

Happy cooking!

Curry Noodles and a Bobbers Cocktail

It happened again. Sorry about the delay in posting. I don't know what's going on with my camera (or just the memory card), but I lost a couple of meals and the pictures are mixed up. I'll try out a different card and see if that helps. To catch up on the two that I have, one is a bento, and the other is a cocktail creation from the Hubby, Bobbers.


Curry Udon Noodles was a treat we tried when we went to San Francisco's Japanese district. I love wandering around there and finding hidden shops, so when we stumbled into one restaurant that was literally a door hidden in the corner, we were thrilled with what we found. I can't remember what it was called as the sign was in Japanese. (Still trying to learn, but unsuccessfully.) What I do remember is that we all had a wonderful meal with a very friendly staff. I had a donburi with eel (basically, a rice bowl), but Bobbers chose the special of the day: Curry Udon. As much as I loved my eel, I couldn't help but eyeball his pile of curry and noodles and vowed to try it myself someday.

It's been a couple of years, now, but Japanese curry is one of those stick-to-your-ribs meals that you just don't forget. You can make this either of two ways: store-bought roux paste or make it yourself. The first is how I grew up with the curry. I recommend Golden Curry as it comes in a variety of heats and colors and you can break up as much of the bars as you need and reserve the rest for another time. I ended up making this from scratch, but the flavors are almost identical.

Chicken Curry Udon:
1 small russet potato, sliced thin
1 carrot sliced thin
1/2 small onion chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock, plus 1/2 cup
1 chicken breast, large, chopped into 1" cubes
2-3 tbs flour
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 package udon noodles prepared as directed
green onion for garnish

1. Slice up the veggies and heat a small pot with 2 tbs olive oil.
2. Cook the chicken cubes for 5 minutes on medium high heat and remove to a bowl.
3. Add the onions and sautee for 3 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 5 more minutes before adding the chicken again.
5. Aside, mix the flour and spices in a small bowl or dish and add a little of the chicken stock very slowly, stirring until a thick past emerges with no lumps.
6. Stir the remaining stock into the veggies and chicken and add the roux in a little at a time, eying the thickness. The sauce should be runny at this stage.
7. Cover and reduce the heat to low, simmering for 15 minutes.
8. When curry reaches desired consistency, serve over the udon noodles with green onions sprinkled on top. Serves 2-4.

For experienced curry munchers, you may notice that this recipe is a little on the mild side. Japanese curry is supposed to have a smooth, creamy, and almost-gravy taste to it. You can kick up the spice a bit or mix around the ingredients; I don't even follow the recipe when I'm making it. I just smell what I like that day and adjust the flavor accordingly.

Belated St. Paddy's Day Treat Courtesy of the Bobbers:

This is a Key Lime Pie Martini that the Hubby concocted with Smirnoff Whipped Cream Vodka and Ke-Ke Beach Key Lime Liquor. He rimmed it in graham cracker crumbs and a lime, topping it with whipped cream and a cherry. I usually don't like alcoholic drinks. I taste the alcohol right away, and it's just not my thing, but this was fabulous. Every sip was a perfect balance of the flavors, and the alcohol didn't stick out at all. I liked it so much, I went back for a rare second. I'll have to get the exact measurements from him at some point, but I thought this was a cheerful alternative to the soupy, dyed green beer on St. Paddy's.

Sorry I've been missing out on updates. I mostly just got busy last week, but I'm caught up and even ahead a little. Above is a Miso-Marinated Chicken with broccoli, blueberries and strawberries. This one was for last Thursday and was very tasty. I should have marinated the chicken overnight and cooked it in the morning, but otherwise, it was perfect. I've been trying to branch out into different recipes, but mostly, my range is Japanese food in these little boxes.

Remember the Onigiri (Rice Balls) I promised? Here they are:

There are hundreds of ways to make these, but the basic recipe is short grain rice pressed and molded by hand with a little sea salt brushed over your palms. This triangle shape is the most traditional, but people make them in all shapes and sizes. You can even stuff them with a variety of fillings from Umeboshi plums to dried, salted salmon. Just make sure that what you're filling them with isn't greasy or the oil will make the grains soggy and split up the Onigiri. I decided to munch on just a few of these with some soy beans (they were frozen, but by lunch time, they thaw and are perfect for snacking) and more strawberries and blueberries. I seldom put sweets in the boxes, but when I do, it's always fruit. Fruits can still be high in carbohydrates, so count them as part of the carb portion of your box, and you're safe. Preserving the cuts until meal time is really easy, too. Most people try a salt water dip, but I don't like adding too much sodium to something already sugary. I sprinkle my fruit with lemon juice, and it keeps its color and shape. If you're really worried about it, keep a small ice pack handy.

And the last two! (What an update, right?)

The top is Teriyaki Salmon with ginger-glazed carrots and Tamagoyaki. Bob loves teriyaki, so I confess that I make this one a lot. Up to once a week. It's a basic, easy meal that can be churned out in fifteen minutes if you have the rice already. Good teriyaki sauce can come in a variety of flavors at your local grocery store if you want to save even more time. Otherwise, I use a simple mixture of one clove minced garlic, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and a sprinkle of grated ginger. When the fish is done, take it out to cool and throw in the carrots in the remaining sauce with a little honey and a sprinkle more ginger.

The bottom photo is today's concoction and catches us up from my camera. Salt Salmon, Octo/Fish Dogs, and Tamagoyaki. This is a really Japanese mix. Salt Salmon is fish (skin on) that has been cured in sea salt for the last three days. The end result can be VERY strong and fishy, but it's perfect for mashing up in the rice and is a great flavor once you get in to it. You can also try it with whole mackerel and grill it for an irresistible taste. The hot dogs are cut up like an octopus and fishes. I don't know why this is a thing in Japan, but it's so cute, I'm not objecting. It might have something to do with octopus being a popular food. In either case, these were cooked up in the pan and tossed in, too.

I'll try to be more punctual in the future, but here they are. Thanks for reading.