Kanae Inoue - Real Bento: Fresh and Easy Lunchbox Recipes from a Japanese Working Mom

There is a school cafeteria, but the after-school sports club she belongs to forbids her from eating there, and also requires her to keep her weight in check. She loves eating above all else. She loves Thai food, fresh coriander, oysters... shes always thinking about food. Sue (our younger daughter) In the first year of middle school. Her school has a lunch program, so she basically doesnt need to bring bentos, but she does occasionally need bentos on the weekends for her club activities or for school outings and events.

She is a very picky eater, with definite likes and dislikes, so her mother is already worried about whats going to happen if she has to bring a bento every day once she gets to high school. Hubby (my husband) A businessman, six years older than me. Even though his wife is getting rather well known in the food world, he has a policy of not talking about her work at all to his work colleagues, friends or other acquaintances. Previously, not only could he not cook, he never even entered the kitchen! But recently he has developed the ability to make coffee. This is a dramatic improvement. Mei (our beloved dog) A girl labrador retriever.

She loves Mom to bits, and stalks her all the time. My Bento Philosophy About ten years after I put my oldest son in daycare and went back to work, I started making bento lunches for my husband and myself. That was when I published my first book of hearty, simple bentos filled with the brown-colored food that my husband loves, titled Bentos for Guys. So I was making guy bentos for my husband, and then for my son too, once he started middle school and had soccer club every weekend. Since then, five years have passed. My oldest daughter has started middle school, and now Im in the throes of making bentos without a break seven days a week, with my daughters taking center stage.

She needs bentos every day, and my oldest son, whos now in college, needs a bento four days a week. (Incidentally, my husband now has his lunches at his company cafeteria, which are delicious.) Unlike the guy bentos I started out making, the bentos I make for my two daughters, who are much more critical, are first and foremost ones that make them happy, or what I like to call praiseworthy bentos. From my point of view, as the bento chef of the family, they also must be: easy and quick to make, using inexpensive ingredients really delicious, nice to look at, and something my daughters will want to show off to their friends My older daughter in particular always gives me feedback, really focusing on the flavor of every item I put into her bentos. Based on what she tells me, I get to thinking, Well, next time Ill try this, or Tomorrow Im going to make her a bento that makes her even happier, or Shell love it if I put that in her bento tomorrow. And that, I think, is the reason why my bento making has improved or perhaps I should say, continues to improve! In this, my ultimate bento book, I have put together bento items that can be made using various time-saving tricks in ten minutes in the morning, using basic ingredients found in any ordinary refrigerator. On top of that, I try to make bentos that will make demanding teenage girls in middle and high school squeal Delicous! Cute! Youre the best, Mom! I really hope that this book will help you, the reader, make praiseworthy, everyday bentos too! Basic Ingredients for Bentos Most of the ingredients I use all the time are those that are available year round, at any supermarket.

Even though the ingredients are nothing special and easy to get hold of, I can still make delicious, varied and great-looking bento lunch boxes that my kids love. Youll also find recipes in this book that make use of Japanese ingredients you may be less familiar with. Where possible, Western ingredients are given as substitutes, but if you can get hold of the Japanese ingredients, why not give them a try? Many of them are starting to become widely available in regular supermarkets and you can also find them at your nearest Japanese grocery store, or online. The ingredient notes on these pages are divided into Bento Staples and Japanese and Other Asian Ingredients. If your kitchen is stocked with the items on the list of Bento Staples youll have more than enough for your bento-making needs. The Japanese and other Asian ingredients or their recommended substitutes will add a delicious, authentic flavor, and make your kids the envy of their classmates! Bento Staples Aromatic vegetables I like to make use of green onions (scallions), baby leeks or fat green onions, and ginger.

A little of any of these goes a long way to adding flavor and fragrance to a dish. Bacon The salty, rich taste of bacon is a great addition to a bento-box lunch. Bell peppers Great for adding crunch and color to stir-fries. I use both the immature green type and the ripe red or yellow peppers. Bottled lemon juice Handy to have for those times when you dont have fresh lemon juice. Perks up dishes with a fresh, sour note.