My first bento
Chinese bento! Ok i'll admit, I *really* wanted to do a traditional Japanese bento to start, but this might have worked out better for me. Starting with Chinese food allowed to me work with recipes I was already familiar with and concentrate on the portioning as well as the logistics of launching lunch to 6 people.
For the lunch itself I went with some basic comfort foods as I was growing up. For the main entree Moo Shu Pork with a scallion brush for the hoisin sauce. Hot and Sour soup (my dad's recipe) on the side. A chicken fried rice, unlike the fast food variety, the fried rice I had growing up was a lightly pan fried rice with very little in oil and no soy sauce usually topped with a thin omelette. For desert we have a sweet almond "tofu" (it's actually more like gelatin) mixed with a light fruit cocktail.
Everyone seemed to enjoy their lunch and they're still wanting more so I guess I did something right.
Things I learned:
1) Prep time is important don't count on the morning of to do anything
2) Find ways to economize
3) Remember that your diners are not eating this straight out off the stove, they are re-heating. (I usually cook for big dinner parties that I can count on the food being hot)
4) Still need to fine tune portion control. I think this one was a little excessive, I underestimate the lunch box.
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