Japanese Bento Boxes

A Japanese bento (弁当) is a single portion takeout or home packed meal very common in Japanese cuisine. The typical Japanese bento lunch box consist of a meat, rice and some vegetables and/or pickles. The meat can be a variety of fish such as salmon, or fried chicken, pork cutlets, sausage, hamburger. The rice can be plain or consist of a topping sprinkled on called “furikake”. Most bento`s are eaten cold but it is not a problem to heat them up in the microwave depending on what they contain.

Bento can be very simple or very elaborately arranged. In Japan, there is a bento style called kyaraben or “character bento”, where the bento is designed to look like popular Japanese cartoon characters (anime) such as Anpanman, Doraemon and Mickey Mouse.

For an easy Japanese bento lunch box try some boiled white rice or onigiri (rice ball) with a rolled omlette and a few small main dishes like karaage (Japanese fried chicken), hamburger, tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet), gyoza (dumpling), spring rolls, mini sausages, potato or pasta salad.

A Japanese bento is usually in a boxed-shaped container. Containers or bento boxes usually range from disposable mass produced boxes to beautiful hand crafted lacquerware. A traditional bento box in Japan is shokado bento (松花堂弁当) which is a black-lacquered Japanese bento box.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

Picture of the Week Tokyo Disneyland Japan

Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Chiba, Japan near Tokyo. The park was constructed in the same style as Disneyland in California. There are seven themed areas in the park. Made up of the World Bazaar, the four classic Disney lands: Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and two mini lands, Critter Country and Mickey`s Toontown.

This picture is of the main icon of Tokyo Disneyland, Cinderella Castle.

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A Short Stop Over in Tokyo, Japan

If you have a 13-hour layover at Narita Airport, Tokyo Japan do you have enough time to actually go into Tokyo and see a few sights?

The answer is Yes, a short trip into Tokyo is very possible. The best way to get from Narita Airport is on the Narita Express train (http://www.jreast.co.jp/), which takes 53 minutes to reach central Tokyo Station. It is best to try not to achieve too much in the time you have, but you can still see at lot of the major attractions of Tokyo.

Ginza, is one of Asia`s best and most exciting shopping districts and is located right near Tokyo Station, as is the Marunouchi Building (http://www.marunouchi.com/), an upmarket retail and dining complex. Nearby is the Tokyo Imperial Palace and its lavish gardens.

If you fancy a splurge, there is a special Tokyo City Transit Tour (http://www.tctour.co.jp/) designed for visitors on a stopover. A minivan with an English speaking guide collects you at Narita Airport and takes you into Tokyo for a tour of the city. It`s not cheap at USD $270 a person, but you get to see the major sights of Tokyo in a short period of time.

(Source: Escape, Sunday Herald Sun, 2010)

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Easy Japanese Cooking Recipe Onigiri (Rice Ball)

This month`s Easy Japanese Cooking Recipe is Onigiri or Japanese rice ball.

Onigiri is a popular snack food or takeaway option for a quick meal. It is kind of like the sandwich in the West.


Ingredients
• 5 cups hot cooked Japanese style short-grain rice
• 4 sheets dried nori seaweed

For the Filling
• dried bonito flakes (moistened in soy sauce)
• salted salmon grilled
• umeboshi (pickled plums)
• 2 Tbsp black sesame seeds toasted

Method

1. Wash and cook the rice. Onigiri is made while the rice is still hot.
2. Slightly toast the nori sheets and cut sheets crosswise into 1-inch widths.
3. Toast the black sesame seeds in a dry frying pan.
4. Prepare your different fillings
     - the salted salmon should be broken up into small pieces
     - pit the umeboshi (pickled plums)
5. Form the triangles – When handling the hot rice, keep your hands moistened with salty water to season the rice slightly and keep it from sticking to your hands.
6. Place a handful of rice (about ½ cup) across the bent fingers of your left hand. Make an indentation in the rice and tuck in about a tsp of one of the fillings (Salmon. Plum, or Bonito flakes).
7. Use your index finger, middle finger, and thumb to mold the triangular shape.
8. Set the rice triangles down on their bases and cover each with a strip of nori seaweed.
9. Sprinkle one or both ends with the sesame seeds.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

The Frankston Undercover Market

The Frankston Undercover Market is on Saturday 11th December 2010 at the Heart Arcade, 16-20 Wells Street Frankston. The market will feature Arts, Crafts, Food, Gifts, Jewellery and new & second hand goods. The Frankston Undercover Market is open from 10am to 2pm and will be held once a month on the second Saturday of the month from October to March. If you are interested in having a stall, please call 8707 0768.

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Frankston Waterfront Sand Sculpting Exhibition

Sand artists from all around the world have returned to the Frankston foreshore for the annual Frankston Waterfront Sand Sculpting Exhibition. This year`s theme is Creepy Crawlies. A spectacular exhibition of sand sculpting featuring giant creepy crawlies such as beetles, bugs, butterflies, dragonflies, ladybirds, spiders, slugs, scorpions and many others. There will also be activities to keep the family entertained. The event opens on 26 Dec 2010 and runs until 26 April 2011.

January – December open daily from 10:00am to 9:00pm
February – April open Monday to Thursday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, Friday to Sunday and public holidays 10:00am to 6:00pm

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for concession, $7 for children (4-12) with children under 4 free.

Located at the Frankston Waterfront (Melway Ref: 100A A8). Tickets available at the gate (cash only) or prepay with card at the Frankston Visitor Information Center, Pier Promenade.

The Frankston Undercover Market

Picture of the Week Cherry Blossoms in Japan

The cherry blossom or sakura is the unofficial national flower of Japan. There are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in Japan with most blooming for just a few days in Spring. The Japanese celebrate that time of year with hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties under the blooming trees. The blossoming begins in Okinawa in January and typically reaches Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March or the beginning of April.

This picture is of a tree in Kagamigahara Shiminkoen in Gifu, Japan.

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