Most Japanese associate the classic Hinomaru bento so named because it calls to mind the Hinomaru, or
Japanese flagーwith a square bed of white rice topped
by a red umeboshi plum. The original version, according
to Kasahara, “consisted of rice and umeboshi, plain and
simple. Today’s bento, with their colorful side dishes,
are a much fancier version.” Grilled salted salmon and
rolled omelet, simple mainstays of Japanese cuisine,
complement this most orthodox of bento.
- RECIPE -
*Each recipe makes 2 servings unless otherwise noted.
• 400 g cooked rice
• 2 umeboshi pickled plums
SIDE DISH 1
Grilled salted salmon
• 2 fillets (80–100 g each) salmon
• Salt
1 Salt each salmon fillet on both sides and let stand for 15 minutes. Blot moisture with a paper towel.
2 Grill the salmon until cooked through.
SIDE DISH 2
Kinpira gobo
• 100 g gobo burdock root
• 80 g carrot
• 1 Tbsp salad oil
• Seasoning sauce:
3 Tbsp sake
- RECIPE -
*Each recipe makes 2 servings unless otherwise noted.
• 400 g cooked rice
• 2 umeboshi pickled plums
SIDE DISH 1
Grilled salted salmon
• 2 fillets (80–100 g each) salmon
• Salt
1 Salt each salmon fillet on both sides and let stand for 15 minutes. Blot moisture with a paper towel.
2 Grill the salmon until cooked through.
SIDE DISH 2
Kinpira gobo
• 100 g gobo burdock root
• 80 g carrot
• 1 Tbsp salad oil
• Seasoning sauce:
3 Tbsp sake
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds
• Dried red chili pepper flakes, to taste
1 Peel burdock and carrot and cut julienne-style into thin 4 cm strips.
2 Heat salad oil in frying pan over medium-high heat and saute burdock and carrot until tender. Add seasoning sauce and continue sauteing until the liquid is nearly gone. Remove from heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds and red chili pepper flakes over the vegetables and mix gently.
SIDE DISH 3
Dashimaki rolled omelet
• 3 eggs
• Seasoning sauce:
45 ml dashi stock
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp salad oil
1 Break eggs into bowl and whisk lightly. Add seasoning sauce and mix thoroughly.
2 Place a rectangular omelet pan over medium heat. Add salad oil to coat the pan surface thoroughly. Pour the excess oil out into a container, reserving for use as needed during cooking.
3 Pour a third of the egg mixture into the pan to make an even layer, popping any bubbles that may form.
4 When the egg has set but is not yet firm, fold in half from the back of the pan to the front.
5 Coat the empty surface at the back of the pan with salad oil, then slide the folded egg to the rear.
6 Coat the empty surface at the front of the pan with oil and pour in another third of the egg mixture. Lift the cooked egg at the back of the pan slightly so that the new egg mixture flows underneath. When the egg begins to set, fold and move as before, oiling the pan again as needed.
7 Repeat the process with the last third of the egg mixture.
8 After folding for the last time, press the omelet firmly into the corners of the pan to make an even rectangle. Once the omelet has cooled, cut to fit the height of the bento box.
SIDE DISH 4
Sesame-dressed asparagus
• 2 asparagus stalks
• Salted boiling water for blanching
• Dressing:
1 Tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 Cut the base off each asparagus stalk and peel about a third of the way up from the bottom. Cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces.
2 Blanch asparagus in boiling water until just tender. Drain well and allow to cool.
3 Stir dressing ingredients together. Combine asparagus and dressing and mix gently.
SIDE DISH 5
Kombu tsukudani
Note: This recipe calls for cooked kombu. This is a good use for kombu left over after making dashi stock; you can also use quick-cooking kombu.
• 100 g cooked kombu
• 2 Tbsp whole sansho prickly-ash berries, boiled
• Seasoning sauce:
800 ml water
2 Tbsp vinegar
100 ml dark soy sauce
50 g sugar
1 Cut kombu into 3 cm squares.
2 Combine seasoning sauce ingredients, kombu, and sansho in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from the surface. Reduce heat to low and cover with a drop lid. Simmer for 2 hours until liquid is nearly gone.
Source『 KATEIGAHO INTERNATIONAL Japan EDITION 2015 Spring / Summer Vol.35 』
Photography by Hoshito Omija
Recipes and preparation by Masahiro Kasahara
Styling and text by Atsuko Sakamoto
Translation by Julie Kuma
Copy editing by Katherine Heins
1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds
• Dried red chili pepper flakes, to taste
1 Peel burdock and carrot and cut julienne-style into thin 4 cm strips.
2 Heat salad oil in frying pan over medium-high heat and saute burdock and carrot until tender. Add seasoning sauce and continue sauteing until the liquid is nearly gone. Remove from heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds and red chili pepper flakes over the vegetables and mix gently.
SIDE DISH 3
Dashimaki rolled omelet
• 3 eggs
• Seasoning sauce:
45 ml dashi stock
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp salad oil
1 Break eggs into bowl and whisk lightly. Add seasoning sauce and mix thoroughly.
2 Place a rectangular omelet pan over medium heat. Add salad oil to coat the pan surface thoroughly. Pour the excess oil out into a container, reserving for use as needed during cooking.
3 Pour a third of the egg mixture into the pan to make an even layer, popping any bubbles that may form.
4 When the egg has set but is not yet firm, fold in half from the back of the pan to the front.
5 Coat the empty surface at the back of the pan with salad oil, then slide the folded egg to the rear.
6 Coat the empty surface at the front of the pan with oil and pour in another third of the egg mixture. Lift the cooked egg at the back of the pan slightly so that the new egg mixture flows underneath. When the egg begins to set, fold and move as before, oiling the pan again as needed.
7 Repeat the process with the last third of the egg mixture.
8 After folding for the last time, press the omelet firmly into the corners of the pan to make an even rectangle. Once the omelet has cooled, cut to fit the height of the bento box.
SIDE DISH 4
Sesame-dressed asparagus
• 2 asparagus stalks
• Salted boiling water for blanching
• Dressing:
1 Tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 Cut the base off each asparagus stalk and peel about a third of the way up from the bottom. Cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces.
2 Blanch asparagus in boiling water until just tender. Drain well and allow to cool.
3 Stir dressing ingredients together. Combine asparagus and dressing and mix gently.
SIDE DISH 5
Kombu tsukudani
Note: This recipe calls for cooked kombu. This is a good use for kombu left over after making dashi stock; you can also use quick-cooking kombu.
• 100 g cooked kombu
• 2 Tbsp whole sansho prickly-ash berries, boiled
• Seasoning sauce:
800 ml water
2 Tbsp vinegar
100 ml dark soy sauce
50 g sugar
1 Cut kombu into 3 cm squares.
2 Combine seasoning sauce ingredients, kombu, and sansho in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from the surface. Reduce heat to low and cover with a drop lid. Simmer for 2 hours until liquid is nearly gone.
Source『 KATEIGAHO INTERNATIONAL Japan EDITION 2015 Spring / Summer Vol.35 』
Photography by Hoshito Omija
Recipes and preparation by Masahiro Kasahara
Styling and text by Atsuko Sakamoto
Translation by Julie Kuma
Copy editing by Katherine Heins
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