I had extra rice from the last batch of Thai purple jasmine, so I decided to make kimchi fried rice. This time I used chopped onions, garlic, baby bok choy, red capsicum, shredded carrot and green onion. And chopped kimchi of course! This time I added equal amounts of shoyu and kimchi juice; I'm trying to get my kids accustomed to more spicy foods so we can all eat the same stuff. My husband and I LOVE spicy food, the hotter the better. Korean is one of our favorite cuisines, and kimchi jigae is my favorite Korean soup! If we order it at the restaurant, I eat most of it. Wouldn't it be great if the kids liked it too? Then we could all enjoy it. Anyway, back to the bento.
Kimchi fried rice is a good way to introduce spicy food because you can control the level of hotness using more or less of kimchi and kimchi juice. If you like it very spicy you can add a lot, until the rice turns a beautiful orange color. It's a delicious and substantial meal-in-one, and if you add meat it's even more so. Traditionally you can top with a fried egg, and you may remember last time I made a fried egg bunny. Here I fried the quail egg inside a red capsicum ring, which is an idea I got from a flickr friend, Cathryn3. Nori and sesame seeds make the facial details. I also added some yellow carrot flowers for color punch. For fruits I put in a tangerine, strawberry and some kiwi flowers. This is my Pokemon box, which always seems too small to me at first, then ends up being a perfect size for my 6 year old. Go figure.
Happy Friday, bento friends!
Showing posts with label kimchi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kimchi. Show all posts
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Bento Box
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Bunny Kimchi Fried Rice Bento
I made kimchi fried rice (Kimchi bokkeumbap), inspired by a twitter friend whose dinners often inspire mine! As an aside, I've found that twitter has given me cooking/food ideas/recipes on several occasions. Of course, I follow quite a large number of "foodie" types, so that explains it. Invariably the folks I've met and chatted with are always generous and helpful. It's been a great resource for me.
Anyway, back to the bento:
My kimchi rice is vegetarian; it's also mild, since my kids are heat-intolerant! But, not totally mild, since kimchi is in there! Also, being the healthy mom that I am, I added some nontraditional ingredients. I understand that the recipe can be fairly flexible and may include "leftover" kimchi and assorted vegetables. I began by sauteeing minced garlic, then adding carrot, onion and shredded baby bok choy. I also used minced kale! I've already mentioned how I add this ingredient to rice occasionally for added vitamin enhancement. This dish is so highly flavored, I doubt the kale is even noticable. I forgot the mushrooms, but this would have added a nice rich flavor. Then I put the cold rice in the pan and let it get crispy on one side before I began tossing it. This is because I love crispy rice. Then I added the chopped kimchi (napa cabbage type). You should add in the liquid from the kimchi as well, but as I mentioned I was wary of doing that. However, I could not avoid the liquid which was retained in the kimchi itself after I cut it. Okay, I could have, but I didn't. I really wanted the orange rice color. I also drizzled some shoyu and sesame oil for taste. If this were for me, I would have added a lot of gojuchang, but as it was, it was still pretty tasty. Top with chopped green onions and a fried egg, and it's a very satisfying meal!
I fried a quail egg in a metal bunny mold, and the yolk managed to stay in the exact center of the face. Now that I look at it, I wish I had used the yellow yolk as the nose. Wouldn't that have been cute? I almost forgot, the bunny makes this bento eligible for Hapa Bento's B.O.M.B. Yay! I added a nori face, some maroon carrot and peapod flowers, and I was done. The extras include cut carrots, a bit of broccoli, strawberries and black grapes.
Verdict? It was a hit :)
Anyway, back to the bento:
My kimchi rice is vegetarian; it's also mild, since my kids are heat-intolerant! But, not totally mild, since kimchi is in there! Also, being the healthy mom that I am, I added some nontraditional ingredients. I understand that the recipe can be fairly flexible and may include "leftover" kimchi and assorted vegetables. I began by sauteeing minced garlic, then adding carrot, onion and shredded baby bok choy. I also used minced kale! I've already mentioned how I add this ingredient to rice occasionally for added vitamin enhancement. This dish is so highly flavored, I doubt the kale is even noticable. I forgot the mushrooms, but this would have added a nice rich flavor. Then I put the cold rice in the pan and let it get crispy on one side before I began tossing it. This is because I love crispy rice. Then I added the chopped kimchi (napa cabbage type). You should add in the liquid from the kimchi as well, but as I mentioned I was wary of doing that. However, I could not avoid the liquid which was retained in the kimchi itself after I cut it. Okay, I could have, but I didn't. I really wanted the orange rice color. I also drizzled some shoyu and sesame oil for taste. If this were for me, I would have added a lot of gojuchang, but as it was, it was still pretty tasty. Top with chopped green onions and a fried egg, and it's a very satisfying meal!
I fried a quail egg in a metal bunny mold, and the yolk managed to stay in the exact center of the face. Now that I look at it, I wish I had used the yellow yolk as the nose. Wouldn't that have been cute? I almost forgot, the bunny makes this bento eligible for Hapa Bento's B.O.M.B. Yay! I added a nori face, some maroon carrot and peapod flowers, and I was done. The extras include cut carrots, a bit of broccoli, strawberries and black grapes.
Verdict? It was a hit :)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Furikake Mahi Mahi Bento
Furikake mahi mahi, brown rice, kimchi, cherry tomato. Pineapple and sliced grape. All my Hawaii bento are non-cooked by me! (so far)
We're still in Hawaii on vacation, and that is my excuse for another ready-made bento. I love furikake mahi mahi. You have to use lots of mayonnaise to get the furikake to stick while you cook the fish, and so it's not super healthy. Plus, I can't ever get it to cook without burning. But it's very yummy! I got this one from Loco Moco. Have you been eating healthy over the holidays? I am definitely eating more than usual, and more sweets than usual too. I know the new year has nearly started (a few more hours here), but I will go back to cooking healthy bento as soon as we get back! Til then, maybe this one and another local grinds bento to fill in the blog?
^_^
We're still in Hawaii on vacation, and that is my excuse for another ready-made bento. I love furikake mahi mahi. You have to use lots of mayonnaise to get the furikake to stick while you cook the fish, and so it's not super healthy. Plus, I can't ever get it to cook without burning. But it's very yummy! I got this one from Loco Moco. Have you been eating healthy over the holidays? I am definitely eating more than usual, and more sweets than usual too. I know the new year has nearly started (a few more hours here), but I will go back to cooking healthy bento as soon as we get back! Til then, maybe this one and another local grinds bento to fill in the blog?
^_^
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