Kuri Curry LunchBots Thermal Bento

With the weather cooling down a bit, I'm thinking more about thermal bento these days. And when I saw the cutest kuri squash at the market, I had to make curry. I wish I took a picture of the squash before I cut it. If you haven't seen one, it's a small roundish squash with a tough outer skin in a brilliant red color. The flesh is orange like pumpkin and it's great in curry because of the autumny color! My curry is packed with all kinds of veggies (and ground turkey) like broccoli, celery, onion, carrots, and sometimes mushrooms and potatoes. You can pack it over rice or just straight, like I did here, in the LunchBots Thermal Food Container. I packed a side box with beautiful cara cara oranges (also called red navel in my market) and watermelon balls. I also packed this cute Light My Fire combo spoon fork because it's MisterMan's favorite. It even has a serrated edge for cutting. How cute! Happy Start of Fall!

May Day Flower Lei Fried Rice Bento

May Day Fried Rice Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

On May 1st we celebrate May Day in Hawaii. And May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii! So for TinySprite, I served her fried rice with a hard-boiled egg girl decorated with nori. She's wearing a lei of carrot, radish and cucumbers, and some fresh nasturtiums in her hair. The top tier contains strawberries, broccoli and cara cara oranges. Can you believe it's May already? I'm ready for the warm weather and brand new garden blooms!

"...May Day is Lei Day in Hawai`i
Garlands of flowers ev'rywhere,
All of the colors in the rainbow
Maidens with blossoms in their hair
Flowers that mean we should be happy,
Throwing aside a load of care,
Oh, May Day is Lei Day in Hawai`i
Lei Day is happy day out there."

~ Red Hawke, 1928

Added to What's For Lunch.

Calzone Bear Bento

Calzone Bear Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Gotta love the calzone for the ease and fun factor, not to mention the fact that it's a no-brainer to pack. Especially when you have the Sistema compartmentalized bento box. I've come to think of this box as my calzone box since that is what I've been packing in the large open section; you can also fit a standard sandwich or even a burger. It's not practical for messy foods since the two halves come together and become inverted after closure, but it works quite nicely for breads. Can you see the bear? I added some facial details with extra dough, a party hat for fun, and filled out the other side with grapes, strawberry, broccoli, tomatoes, and cara cara oranges.

Shoyu Vinegar Chicken LunchBot Trio Bento

Shoyu Vinegar Chicken LunchBot Trio Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

The shoyu chicken I grew up with includes just shoyu, sugar, ginger, and garlic. I recently added a new twist to the sauce when I found a recipe that used honey instead of sugar. That turned out to be a big hit. This time I decided to try the version I saw on David Lebovitz' site, which uses vinegar and shoyu together. Hmm. The caramelized shallots are supposed to add some sweetness to the mix. I thought it was nice, but I think the flavor is probably not as appealing to kids. Mine seemed to like it enough, but I think they prefer the other versions. Along with some chicken pieces in this LunchBot Trio: steamed Okinawan sweet potato flower shapes, red rice with furikake, carrots and pickles, melons and cara cara orange chunks.
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Roast Chicken with Caramelized Shallots (from David Lebovitz)

Adapted from French Farmhouse Cookbook (Workman) by Susan Herrmann Loomis

I use a whole chicken cut into eight pieces; two legs, two thighs, and I cut each breast piece in half, crosswise, keeping the wings attached. You could also just use eight of your favorite chicken pieces.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 large shallots, peeled and minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
One whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
one generous handful of coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).

2. In a large baking dish, one which will hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer, mix the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, shallots, and some salt and pepper.

3. Toss the chicken in the mixture, so they’re completely coated with the shallots. Turn the chicken pieces so they are all skin side up.

4. Roast the chicken for about twenty minutes, until it starts to brown on top. Turn the pieces of chicken over. Scrape any juices and shallots over the chicken that may be clinging to the pan, and bake for another twenty minutes, or until the pieces of chicken are cooked through and the shallots are well-caramelized.

5. Remove from oven and toss in the chopped parsley, then serve.

Added to What's For Lunch.

Chicken Enchilada Soup Bento

Chicken Enchilada Soup Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I made use of the crockpot to make this one; it's great to toss everything in in the morning, and then I'm free to run in and out of the house the rest of the afternoon. The kids have the usual assortment of afterschool activities this quarter, and there's always that one day (or two) that you can barely get everyone dropped off/picked up in time. Remember when we were kids and if we wanted to join an afterschool activity we had to ride our bikes there and just make sure to get home in time for dinner? Times have sure changed!
Anyway, this one is a shortcut enchilada soup. I LOVE Mexican soups (especially posole) and this one is actually kind of healthy since it uses chicken breast meat. I found the quickie recipe at Tastingspoons. I packed this hearty serving for MisterMan (TinySprite got similar -- she loved it too!), topped with cheddar stars in his LunchBot thermal jar. I sent along an Eco Dipper holding some cara cara orange chunks, blueberries, blackberries and a grape tomato. Delish!
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Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup (from Tastingspoons)

3T butter
3T flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups lowfat milk
10 oz. enchilada sauce
15 oz. black beans
14 oz. Rotel diced tomatoes and jalapenos
10 oz. corn
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped (my addition)
2 whole boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, continuously until smooth. Remove from heat and add broth and 1/2 cup milk, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil, cook until thickened. In a large bowl, mix together with enchilada sauce. Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth. Set aside.
In a crockpot, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover, cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
When you are ready to serve, remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup and mix together. Top with cheese, avocado, chopped green onions, sour cream, cilantro, or crushed tortilla chips, as you desire.

Added to What's For Lunch.

Furikake Fish Bento

Furikake Fish Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I wanted to use salmon, but there wasn't any at the market so I used wild snapper instead. This fish doesn't stay together as well, so you have to be more careful if you pan-fry it. I used butter, flipped once, then sprinkled with furikake after it was nicely browned. In the same pan I tossed the pencil asparagus, which cooks up pretty quickly. There are two colors of steamed sweet potatoes cut into flower shapes, and a fruit section of strawberry, cherries and cara cara oranges rounds out this LunchBots Trio. She ate it all. If you think your child won't eat fish, try smothering it in furikake (I used a no-salt no-msg variety). Suddenly, it's delicious!

Shoyu Chicken Froggie Bento

Shoyu Chicken and Rice Frog Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

TinySprite's bento today contains my old childhood favorite: shoyu chicken and rice. I used the Secrets of the Red Lantern recipe again, with a whole bunch of drumsticks.

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Soy Chicken Drumsticks Recipe (adapted from Secrets of the Red Lantern, By Pauline Nguyen, Luke Nguyen, Mark Jensen)


4 and a half pounds chicken drumsticks
3 Tbl fish sauce
3 Tbl shoyu (I used gluten-free tamari)
1/2 cup shaoxing Chinese cooking wine (I omitted)
1 cup coconut juice
1 Tbl sesame oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbl cracked black pepper
1 onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbl ginger, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
2 scallions, sliced, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish


Marinate drumsticks for 4 hours with the rest of the ingredients, except the chicken stock, and use only 1 Tbl each of the onion and garlic.
Remove from marinade, pat dry, then wok fry on all sides until golden brown. Place into crockpot.
Fry the remaining onion and garlic until golden. Add to crockpot with reserved marinade and chicken stock.
Cook on high for 3 hours, or until meat is cooked and tender.
Remove lid, turn to low for an additional hour or so, to reduce sauce. Mine didn't reduce much.
Once cooked, the chicken should fall off the bone.
Transfer chicken to serving platter, boil the sauce to reduce further, then pour over. Garnish with scallions and cilantro.


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I like making this in the slow-cooker, and especially on busy afternoons, because then I can run in and out of the house while the meat gets more and more tender all by itself. To make things easier for my preschooler, I pulled the meat off the bones (really, it fell off) before I packed it into this two-tier froggie bento, layering it atop a white/black rice mix alongside steamed broccoli. It's even better the next day, after you skim the fat off the top. I added a radishroom for a pop of color, and the top tier holds chunks of cara cara oranges, blackberries, carrots, and a perfect little baby white peach. So good!

Happy Little Bento has been getting a bit of press lately, which is pretty exciting! A few months ago, I got an email from an educator who wanted to use my bento pictures for a passage she was writing for a 5th grade reading workbook by ECS Learning Systems. I can't show you the passage, but it's been published and I suppose some 5th graders are now learning about "Lunch Art". Last week, a high school classmate of mine talked about bento as an art medium, using my creations as an example, for her advertising/marketing company website. Then today I saw my radish star tutorial get a plug at Dotcoms for Moms, along with other cute ways to make mealtime fun for kids; and also today another plug over at MentalFloss, in a piece on What Kids Eat around the world. More exposure means meeting lots more people, and I often get emails from parents who tell me they look here and realize: "hey, I can do that!" I just got a couple today, and that always makes my day ^_^

Another Chili Bento

Another Chili Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Yep, you've seen this one before. It looks a lot like the other chili bentos. And we have it a lot because it's gooooood. It's similar to the basic recipe I've used before but I'll change it up depending on what I have on hand. This time I skipped the hominy and used regular corn, and omitted the chocolate. I scooped it over rice in the thermal jar, and it's good to go. Little side dish for TinySprite holds strawberries and cara cara oranges, since the chili is already packed full of vegetably vitamins. Now that the hotter season is coming up, I may have to skip the thermal bentos for awhile in favor of cool refreshing meals. Can't wait!
Oh, and by the way, I've been baking up a gluten-free storm over here, with some hits and some misses. And some hits that were nowhere near pretty enough for pictures (lemon bars!). I'll bring you up to date on the sweet stuff soon...

Tacorice Panda Bento

Tacorice Panda Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today's easy bento is the kind that goes well in the donburi bento bowl: tacorice. MisterMan prefers tacos the regular way, in a tortilla, but I convinced TinySprite to go for the tacorice because it's much neater that way. Especially when you're a preschooler. I layered seasoned ground turkey atop mixed (millet quinoa brown) rice, followed by cheese, shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. We added sliced avocados at dinner, but if I sent them to school for lunch they might turn brown by lunchtime. I've been meaning to try sprinkling them with lime juice to see if it would keep them green; I'll remember to try it one of these days. The top tier contains a rainbow of fruit: strawberries, cara cara orange chunks, and blackberries. I mean, how quick and easy is that? Add a cute fruit pick and it's done in minutes. My favorite kind of bento to pack ^_^

Lentil Curry Chicken Bento

Lentil Curry Chicken Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

MisterMan really liked this bento: it has lots of different flavors, which he likes, and lots of healthy stuff, which I like. I made lentil curry chicken in my slow-cooker, using chicken thighs and adding chopped spinach at the very end. The meat was so tender it fell apart. I also made bhindi (okra) masala, and packed them in the lower tier alongside millet quinoa rice with a radish decoration. [I was asked about my method for cutting the star radish, and I managed to take some process photos that I'll show you next time.] In the upper tier of this classic EcoLunchBox, I packed carrots, grapes and cara cara orange chunks beside a separate container of Greek yogurt topped with strawberries and wheat germ. The little oblong container comes with a stainless steel top to keep the contents secure, and both tiers latch together tightly. I really like the way this one came together, and do you see my cute Moomin cutlery? From my dear Finnish friend :D

Veggie Barley Chili Thermal Bento

Veggie Barley Chili Thermal Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Is it just me, or does it seem like one thermal bento after another? Next up in the rotation is veggie chili. This one uses a lot of the same ingredients as my basic chili recipe here, but I made this batch in my slow-cooker and added barley and corn (and omitted the hominy and chocolate) to change it up a bit. Also, I didn't have time to watch the pot at the stove since there were three activities going on this day: Mad Science Afterschool Program, Ballet, and Kung Fu. It sure is nice on days like this to come home to dinner already-cooked and the house smelling delicious. The kids get a hot chili lunch along with some fresh fruit on the side. A welcoming bento on a cold rainy day!

Veggie Chili Phoenix Bento

Veggie Chili Phoenix Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

It may look at first like just another ho-hum veggie chili bento (see the vitamin-rich and hearty recipe and method I used here), but notice the very cool avian addition to the ever-present fruit and veggie side bowl. It's a phoenix, and I cut it from swiss cheese using my brand-new intricate cutter I received from Bento & Co! You might remember the dragon cutter I used for Chinese New Year (here and here). The phoenix is similar in construction and style. It's very well-made, sturdy, and cuts cleanly. You can see the craftsmanship here. I love it! Thanks Bento & Co ^_^

Spinach Gyoza Bento

Spinach Gyoza Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Gyoooooza! I found spinach wrappers in the grocery so I had to make gyoza. I think the green color is pretty cool-looking. I used ground turkey meat and added chopped scallions and choy mixed in to make the filling. This double stainless steel box set I got from Bento & Co comes in handy for this kind of bento. I placed as many gyoza as could fit into one box, atop a bed of shredded cabbage, and in the other box I packed the usual fruit (cara cara oranges, strawberry, blackberries, tomato) and vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and edamame). We have a glut of cara cara oranges around here; I can get a net bag of about 12 oranges for 99c. As a result, they make an appearance in daily bento, at breakfast, and in my midday smoothie. I love their ruby pink color, and they are sweet and juicy. Score!

Dry Curry Rainbow Bento

Dry Curry Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Okay, there isn't really a rainbow in here, but it's pretty cheerfully colorful! I packed MisterMan's dry curry in his metal "apple" shaped bento bowl, which I love. It's good for donburi type rice bowl meals such as this one: I put some mixed black rice (with millet and amaranth) on the bottom, and then scooped some dry curry on top. Dry curry is great for bento because there isn't a lot of soup or gravy to get soggy or leak out. And since this box isn't leakproof, it would have been a concern. I made this dry curry by browning ground meat and sauteeing a mix of diced vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, celery, garlic and onion - I also added potatoes, zucchini and corn - then sprinkling 1-2T curry to the ingredients to release the aromatics. I added about 1/2C water and 2T tonkatsu sauce, stirred and simmered until well absorbed and "dry." If it's too strong you can add applesauce to sweeten it up, which is what I did. Or you can add ketchup. The top tier of this cute bowl contains cara cara oranges, strawberries, grapes, blackberries and blueberries. And a tomato and a couple slivers of mandarinquat. I sent this lunch to school at room temperature, but it's also a great candidate for a thermal jar, to ensure a hot curry meal on a cool winter day.
Added to What's For Lunch.

Chubby Calzone Bento

Chubby Calzone Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

It's calzone day today - filled with pepperoni, ham, mozzarella, and arugula - and I didn't take the time to make any particular shapes but when they came out, I thought they looked like chubby crabs. So I added a scrunched face and that's what we're calling it. Luckily MisterMan's fit inside his Sistema box perfectly. I like this box for calzones because the sections are pretty tall and can accomodate a chubby calzone very well! The other section contains cara cara oranges, blackberries, strawberries, carrots, broccoli and grapes.

Mac and Ka-broc-cheese-rizo Bento

Mac and Ka-broc-cheese-rizo Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

My kids have been requesting mac and cheese, so I decided to make a giant batch to last them a couple days. They can seriously put away this stuff. As usual, I packed the portions in their thermal food jars; this one is TinySprite's Hello Kitty Thermos brand jar, which holds 10 ounces and has served us well throughout most of her preschool lunch career. I know it doesn't keep the food as hot as long as MisterMan's Stanley food jar, because I've done a nonscientific, side-by-side comparison using hot water and a thermometer. It doesn't really matter for her since she eats within 3 hours or so after I've packed it, but my bigger concern now is that she may be outgrowing this little jar. The last few times I used it, it's come home completely empty -- which is good, of course -- but it just makes me wonder if I could pack a little bit more for her whether she'd eat more.

I've used several different recipes for mac and cheese (like Pioneer Woman's version here and Bacon Mac and Cheese here). Today's mac batch contains three extra ingredients. Can you guess what they might be? Soyrizo, diced kabocha and broccoli! It's not exactly a secret; I've done it before, and anyway I told them I'd put it in, and their reactions were mixed. TS: Yayyy! MM: Did you cut the kabocha super small and mix it in really well? Mmmkay. Can you tell my boy might not appreciate the finer aspects of this wonderful squash as much as my girl? I assured him I did. The other key is to use a lot of cheese. I mean a LOT. Like a whole pound or more. They love the gooey stuff, and I don't think they even noticed that it was whole wheat elbow macaroni. So there. The other container held all fruit, since I was pretty happy with the vegetable load they got in the mac: strawberries, kiwi, cara cara oranges, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes. And, there's a heart. Because it's the month of love. ^_^

Mac and Ka-Brocco-Cheese-Rizo Method/Recipe (I know, not a great name. But can you think of something catchier?)

Cook 8oz (or more if you like) whole wheat elbow macaroni, 10-12 minutes or until just al dente. Drain.
Steam or microwave 5 slices kabocha (or more) and one head of broccoli until softened.
Chop into small dice.
Whisk: 1C milk, 2T whole wheat flour, 1tsp dry mustard, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6-8 minutes.
Add the diced kabocha and broccoli.
Add a half link (or more, if you like) soyrizo. Stir it all in well.
Add: 1C (or 2C, or more) shredded cheddar, parmesan, or whatever cheese you happen to like. Stir.
Add more cheese if you like it cheesier.
Add pasta, stir to completely incorporate.

Added to Allergy-Free Lunchbox Love.

Salmon Trio Bento

Salmon Trio Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today's Lunchbot Trio is packed with the salmon of the week, roasted in olive oil and shoyu. I also roasted some thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, after tossing with fresh-ground pepper and Parmesan. The kabocha slices were -yep!- roasted as well in the fish pan. There was just enough room in the vegetable section to slip some steamed Okinawan sweet potatoes and a grape tomato in there. The longitudinal fruit section holds cara cara orange wedges, a strawberry and some cherries. How handy is this box? This bento didn't take any time at all to pack. Of course, there aren't any cute details, but nothing that a few food picks can't fill in. Even on a busy midweek day, you can still find a few minutes to pack a cheerful lunch for yourself or your child. And to be honest, I always choose divided boxes on days like this because half the job of organizing the food is already done for me. I really recommend to have at least a couple of these boxes on hand. My other go-to is my round divided box (see it in action recently here). Happy Wednesday!

Nyanko Burger Kitty Bento

Nyanko Burger Kitty Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today I tried another new meatless burger recipe, since the garbanzo burgers and the beet burgers went over so well. This one is a walnut rice cheeseburger with fresh lettuce and a thick slice of ripe tomato in a whole wheat sandwich thin. The cute swiss cheese kitty Nyanko Burger is sure to make this a happy meal. I added some parmesan sweet potato oven-baked "fries", a cucumber cup of blueberries, cara cara orange chunks, cherries and a strawberry heart. Since it is the month of valentines, after all. ^_^

Do you know Nyan Nyan Nyanko? It is a San-X kitty character which can imitate various food items. I saw this Nyanko bento box and I strongly wish to obtain it. Isn't it so cute?

I have to admit, when I think of walnuts, I think of muffins and sweet treats. So when I smelled the walnut rice while making this, I had mixed feelings. Is this savory? Is it a dessert? A bit unsettling. The reason that walnuts are included is because this nut is a good source of monounsaturated fats. What I've found with these meat substitute burgers is that the flavor is usually so mild that the success of the burgers often depends upon the choice of seasonings you use. If you have a favorite blend (such as garlic and cumin, which I like), then maybe you should stick with that. But that's just my opinion. What do you vegetarians think? 

For these burgers, I heavily adapted the recipe here:

Walnut Grain Burgers

2 cups cooked brown rice (I used a mixture of brown, white, millet, pearl barley, and amaranth. Very hearty and filling!)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 1/4 cups walnuts
1 egg
1 tablespoon your favorite seasoning blend (I used garlic bread seasoning)

Saute onion, carrot, and garlic in a large saucepan. Mix with rice and set aside.
Process the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade until finely ground. Add the rice mixture, egg, and seasoning. Pulse until the mixture sticks together. With wet hands, roll into balls and then flatten into patties.
Coat a nonstick griddle or large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes or until golden. Turn carefully and cook for about 4 minutes longer or until heated through. Melt some cheese on top if you like. Place each patty on a bun with a tomato slice and lettuce leaf, with mustard.

Chinese New Year Dragon Bento 3

Chinese New Year Dragon Bento 3, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

One more Chinese New Year of the Dragon bento and that's it; I promise! I made eggplant okra curry, which I think is a misnomer because there isn't any actual curry in here. Perhaps it should be eggplant okra stew. Anyway, it's completely vegetarian, which rounds out our second meat-free bento week. Wow! We haven't become vegetarians, and have no plans to completely quit meat, but I thought it would be a fun challenge to see how long our family could go without eating meat, voluntarily. Now that week #2 has come to a close, I can say that all of them took it like real troupers. No complaints from anyone. Pretty pleased about that! I even got them to all participate in my daily green drink resolution. They don't all love it equally, but they'll all drink it. Heh.
The thermal jar contains the eggplant stew, and the side box contains a selection of colorful fruit: grapes, strawberry, cara cara orange, and Okinawan sweet potato stars. I topped them off with a cheese dragon cutout, using my ultimate elaborate dragon cutter.

 I used it last year to cut a dragon from dragonfruit; you can see that one here. The dragon is playing with a red ball on a stick. I think it represents the sun. Welcome Year of the Dragon; I hope it's an auspicious one for all!

Eggplant Okra Curry Stew

Ingredients

2 large eggplants
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
14 oz can chopped tomatoes (if you like it extra tomato-ey, you can add another can)
water or broth as desired
1/2 bunch kale, torn into pieces.
1/2 pound okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch slices, angled
1 Tbs chopped cilantro (or more, if you like it, like me)

Preheat oven to 400F, wrap the eggplants in foil and bake for 1 hour, until soft.
Cut each eggplant in half and scoop out the soft flesh into a bowl. Mash.
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a wok and saute the scallions and garlic for a few minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt and cook 3-4 minutes.
Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes.
Add the mashed eggplant, kale and cilantro. At this point you may need to add water or broth to make it saucier. I think I added about a 1/2 cup. If you like it soupier you can add more.
Bring to a boil and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Add okra, stir well to mix, reduce heat, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Remove cover, turn up the heat and cook another 5-10 minutes, until the okra is tender but not too soft.

Chinese New Year Dragon Bento 2

Chinese New Year Dragon Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Aaaand, it's another Chinese New Year bento! It's the Year of the Dragon - in case you forgot. Today I used my super cool slim stainless steel double box bento set (called "Zen" from Bento & Co) because I wanted to have a place for my dragon to rest until lunchtime. Each of these boxes is identical, and each has its own lid with gasket. When the two tiers are stacked and bound together with elastic, they are perfectly sealed. The left box contains salt grilled salmon with some lime wedges, roasted potatoes and kabocha strips (both sprinkled with garlic powder), and a bunch of grapes with a beautiful strawberry. The right box is layered with slices of cara cara oranges. I am super excited to see these fruit too! Now I am stocked up on blood and cara cara. They complement each other well -- the dark red blood oranges are tart and the pretty pink cara cara are sweeter. On top of those I lay my dragon made from cucumber, with quail egg and tomato eyes, tomato nostrils, and wispy green fire. I also cut some fierce fangs from the cucumber. His body is represented by the cucumber scales behind his head. Do you see him? I am trusting MisterMan with both tiers of this bento set for the first time, and I'm a little nervous! I hope he doesn't fling his bag around too much. RAWR!

Added to Allergy-Friendly Lunchbox Love.