Bento 169

I'm sending lunch to #2 so this morning's bento is light and easy.

In the left box is a nest of Cha Soba and a tupperware of frozen dipping sauce from the freezer. In the right box is a piece of homemade daifuku mochi made last night and some peas. Some carrot flowers for color.

Doesn't the two boxes look like mirror images?


I completed my 2 1/2 km walk this morning. It was a brisk walk and I sweated and felt more energetic after that. "I feel good".

Mochi, Mochi, Mochi

I made Moffles for tea today. I love this simple snack which I can just pop into my waffle machine and top with any flavor topping, sweet or savory.

I read about moffles in Obachan's Kitchen & Balcony Garden for the first time and I was curious. So happen I had mochi in the fridge and a waffle machine.

I popped this into the waffle machine and.....



... this was the result .... it was toasted crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside...



Topped it with home made anko and it was absolutely delicious!!



Later in the night, I decided to make daifuku mochi because I had left over anko.

This recipe yielded eleven pieces of daifuku mochi. I've tweaked the recipe a little and provided more details so it should be a lot easier to handle now. Here is the homemade anko recipe.

Daifukumochi

#2 and I are great fans of this Japanese dessert. Where she prefers the plain Anko daifuku (red bean mochi), I am inclined towards the Ichigo daifuku (strawberry mochi). I've made this many times and I've tried various recipes. I make my own Anko because I don't like the can ones available in Jaya Jusco - it's incredibly sweet.

I still prefer the recipe given to me by my friend Alice.

Recipe:

150g Joshinko (Loh Mai Fun/rice flour)
80g Fine sugar
270ml water
kinako or katakuriko for dusting
5 - 8 strawberries (depending on size)

Method:
1. Put Joshinko, sugar and water into a microwaveable bowl and whisk till all ingredients are combined. (Optional: You can add a few drops of pink coloring if you want).
2. Put into microwave at medium heat for 3 minutes. After that bring out and mix paste well.
3. Put back into microwave for another 3 minutes on medium. Bring it out and mix the paste well again.
4.Put back into microwave for another 1 minute on medium.
(While in the microwave for the second and third time, the mochi paste should expand and deflate like a balloon). When ready, the mochi looks semi-transparent and is pliable.
5. The mochi is very hot and you have to be careful because you need to work with your hands.
6. Dust hands and tools with katakuriko.
7. Dust a stiff plastic spatula with katakuriko, cut up about a 'golf ball' size of mochi and use hands (dusted with katakuriko) to flatten the mochi out and fill with Anko and Strawberry (optional). Wrap up by picking up the opposite corners and pressing them together to seal it.
8. Roll in katakuriko before packing in a box and into fridge.
9. Enjoy!!!

BEC Rosary night @ home

No Bento today! #2 is officially on holiday for the next ten days. #1 has her last exam paper today and doesn't have the time nor appetite to eat.

I'm hosting Rosary at my house tonight. Twice a year my BEC has a special devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus Christ by recitation of the Rosary at our BEC member homes.

It's a time for prayers and great fellowship. It happens four days a week for the whole months of May and October.

The Rosary nights are something the children look forward to and you can find the young ones awaiting designation of their portion of 'duty' (their turn to say part of the Rosary). Even small kids as young as 3-4 years old look forward to their 'duty' during these periods. It's also a time for bonding for these kids. My children's best friends whom they grew up with are from our BEC.

Tonight is a special night because my God- daughter (adult) and her family are back on holidays from USA and came tonight especially to spend this time with us.

Incidentally, her son is also my God-son (5 years old) and another one of my God-son (10 months old) from another family also came and so did one more God-daughter (adult).

Hubs and I are God-parents to many and tonight 4 God-children are at my house! I'm very happy and feel so blessed to see not only my good friends but also some of my God-children, especially the ones from USA whom I've not seen for the past year.

They are also fans of my Japanese cooking so I made their favorite sushi. I also introduced Oden and Udon noodles to them and they absolutely loved it!! It was everyone's favorite!








I made Ichigo Daifuku for dessert. It was also a hit. Initially everyone was wary because of it's size but after convincing them to try, they also 'ta pau' home!













I also made the little kids favorite macaroni and cheese. Froze some for my kids Bento.
It's been a long night but an enjoyable one.

I thank God for the wonderful people who has brought so much happiness into my life!

Bento #27

Monday morning is the best! I have the weekend to think, plan and stock up on groceries. My weekends are very busy because on Sunday's we're at church for more than half the day. Nevertheless, some compromise from family members help make my chores a lot easier.
This morning's bento box consists of Chinese styled noodles in garlic oil, shoyu, thick black sauce and pepper, topped with fishballs. In the other end are banana's with cinnamon sugar.

I was browsing through this site Salad Talk and found this recipe (10/08: Warm Chicken Salad with Mango on Baby Arugula). I improvised a little with the fruits and salad but kept to the dressing recipe (without the nuts because #1 doesn't like nuts). It turned out very delicious. The dressing combination of Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese was excellent! I made a whole big bowl this morning and after filling their bento boxes, we shared the balance for breakfast. Mmmm....the taste is still lingering on the tongue, so nice!

I still have bananas and I'm going to try out a banana cake recipe this morning. Will post an update if successful.

By the way, the Ichigo Daifuku, after one night in the fridge turned out very nice. #2 said that the texture was 'excellent' - her own words!! Then she added, 'No so difficult to make right? Can we make another batch and color them pink?" Sigh...the things we do for our kids...coming right up - Ichigo Daifuku!

I can't afford your 'fix'!

Daughter #2 really loves Daifuku mochi. She wants the ones from Isetan because it's nicer than the ones they make at Jaya Jusco! Eh! Hello! I have to take the train down to KLCC to pick them up and they are RM12.90 for a pack of three! Two or three times seem harmless when I'm there to stock up my groceries but this 'fix' that she needs is getting out of hand!

I spoke to my friend Alice and she said that she had a recipe for "Ichigo Daifuku" (strawberry mochi). Since I had some left over Anko (red bean paste) from my Dorayaki pancakes, I decided to try her recipe.

The first try cooking the "Shiratama-Ko" (Japanese rice flour) was a disaster. It was too soft and mushy. It was very sticky and got stuck everywhere!! Ewwwww......I decided to try again instead of wasting the strawberries (already wrapped in Anko). Look at the 'cacated' picture (above) from the first attempt! #2 said that it was 'sinking' and wrinkly plus she didn't like the 'Kinako' (bean powder) which I coated it with. Such a tall order from a 15 year old! Huh!

I tried cooking the "Shiratama-Ko" again and this time with less water and slightly longer. It came out very well. Firmer and less sticky. I coated it with "Katakuriko" this time. I was quite satisfied with the result but had to have the opinion of #2. "So how? I asked". "Not bad for a first attempt, says she, but need to improve on the texture". Aghhhh....What texture? "It needs to be firmer". Okay, okay, try again tomorrow!! Hmm...(I thought to myself) Let you eat until you 'pengsan'!

On the left is the "Ichigo" wrapped in "Anko" ready to be wrapped in mochi. The taste is really very nice, the slight sourness from the strawberry is burried in the sweet Anko and mochi - the blend is just perfect.

An afterthought: Perhaps, after one night in the fridge, the Ichigo Daifuku texture would be firmer? We'll see....tomorrow....

Bento #22

I was at Isetan, KLCC yesterday. It was a very busy day and I knew that I would not have time to prepare much for today's bento.

I got a pack of daifukumochi and a chocolate swiss roll filled with cream and raspberry from the Japanese cheese cake shop.

I managed to get some buns from Sun Moulin and filled it with salad and leftover SPAM. A tangy orange to complete the meal!

Bento #17

Today, Daughter #1 stay back at school up to 3.00p.m. I need to pack some substantial food for her to last half the day.

Clockwise: In the yellow paper 'Glad' bag is a croissant, in the pink box is rice crispies in two colors. The box in front contains a hard boiled egg and some salad and strawberries. A small tub of Thousand Island and Salad cream and a box of last night's 'claypot chicken rice' and fried chicken.

Today is Daughter #2 second day of PMR trials. I was Isetan, KLCC yesterday and I saw more Daifukumochi and it looked much nicer. I bought another two boxes.

Daughter #2 told me that yesterday's bento was 'very nice' when I went to fetch her from school. "Could I have the chicken again?".

Okay, make my life easy and have repeat orders. Makes me happy too because I don't have to think of another item for the bento.

Sometimes when I'm planning their bento I am at wits end what to prepare for them. I want them to enjoy their bento but I don't want to give them too much processed food. At the same time, I don't want to end up slogging in the morning to get their food ready. I marinate the chicken ahead of time and freeze so that's easy!

This morning Daughter #2 was up before me and already revising her books. When she saw her 'shaped egg' she was trilled! I gave her the bear face one and the simpler one for her elder sister.

Her whole bento is packed with most of her 'happy food' so I hope she doesn't get so stressed up with the exams.
[bento box]

Bento #16

Today, is the first day of PMR trials for Daughter #2. Last night, before she went to bed, she asked me not to pack any carbohydrates for her bento this morning. Carbo make me very tired mum, I'd like protein in my bento if it's okay. Of course it's okay! I would have gone to the ends of the earth to prepare what she requested. That's what we mothers tend to do, go beyond our call of duty for the love of our family.

This morning I decided to prepare some 'happy food' for her. Daughter #2 loves Japanese food, so last night I went to Jusco @ 1U to purchase some stock. I saw some Daifukumochi and immediately bought a pack. Daifukumochi is a type of glutinous rice cake stuffed with 'anko' (sweetened red beans made from azuki beans). I was sure she'd love it and I was right, first thing this morning when she opened the fridge she exclaimed "can I have the mochi, please?". Okay, my 'happy food' set her in the right mood already.

In the left box, more happy food and proteins; marshmallow, fried chicken de-boned, two types of fish balls with wholegrain mustard.











In the right box, blanched baby corn, broccoli and heart shaped carrots. I topped it with mayo and Parmesan cheese. To completely fill the box, a Mandarin orange for desert.

[daifuku]