Omurice

No Bento again (through no fault of mine - I'm raring to go)! Tried cooking Omurice for the first time. Wikipedia doesn't really do justice in describing Omurice.

I Googled the recipe and fried the rice. It's basically fried with chopped onions, I used duck meat instead of chicken as in the recipe. Then I mixed in some tomato sauce at the end.

The omelet is supposed to be a little under cooked and soft when placed on top of the rice. You're suppose to slit it open to cover up the rice. Mine was a little over done but still very tasty. Look at this link and see how simple and delicious it is. There are two methods with the eggs in Omurice. One is to top the rice with the omelet and the other is to wrap the rice with the egg. Look at this link for the second method.

Check out Peony's site - a fellow bento blogger for first hand pictures from Japan.

Missing layer from Tag

Oops! Faux pas! When I read ling's subtle message, I realised that I am supposed to tag another five people from ling239's tag.

Personally I'm okay with tags, I only don't like chain letters.

It can be fun to do. However, if you are tagged by me and choose not to do it, I understand. Please don't feel obligated or feel bad. It is, after all, in the name of fun! Have fun! Thanks!!

Layer Twelve: Tag Five People
1. Sue from: Cooking Momster Corner
2. Terri from: A Daily Obsession
3. Judy from: Grandmother stories
4. nightwing from: Carpe Diem
5. Elaine from: wokkingmum

Bento #51

I am inspired by what the Japanese government is doing to improve the health of it's people through healthy eating. If you read my last post you would find that in their initial attempt, they have taken an unprecedented step to advocate and introduce a healthy diet in schools. Can you imagine, in one month they don't serve the same menu? Amazing! They have nutritionists to draw up a healthy menu and yet variety is their priority.

This morning's bento box contains "Vegeroni Spirals" tossed in garlic oil. Next to it are some skewered fish balls and tomatoes. On it's right are cheese and salad sandwiches. I topped the salad with freshly crushed black pepper for extra flavoring. Next to the sandwiches is a box of white sauce for the pasta, cooked with cheese and salmon bits.

In the middle is a fruit box. Guess what fruit? On it's left is a bottle of 'leong cha' (Loh Hon Koh).

Healthy, Friendly Japan - Lifestyle, Star online

Please read the article published in the Star newspaper on Sunday, October 28 about Healthy, Friendly Japan. It's about how Japan battles with obesity and lifestyle-related diseases like any other advanced nation. Japan, not a nation to take things lying down has drawn a battle plan to improve healthy diet efforts.
In an unprecedented initiative in the world, the Japanese government is not only providing healthy lunch meals at a highly subsidised rate in public schools but also in it's national movement, nurtures people into practising a healthy lifestyle.

Watch this Movie depicting a lunchtime scenario in a public elementary school.

Bento #50

This is a delicious bento. In the back bento box are vegetables tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Used cookie cutters to cut carrot stars for color and another STAR - shaped egg.

In the front bento box is Udon noodles lightly tossed in garlic oil and topped with kamaboko.

We were at a wedding dinner on Saturday and there was a lady sitting next to us with beautiful, porcelain type skin. We just couldn't resist asking her for her beauty regime. She shared with us that when she was young, her mother used to force her to eat lots and lots of vegetables and fruits. So much so that she never had a chance to eat tit bits like her two other brothers. She was so traumatized by the disparity that she decided only to have one child so that her child would not have to suffer like her, being set aside and treated differently. That bit of personal sharing blew us away.

She was so bare with her hurts that we could only share her languish by providing a listening ear. I would never put my children through such 'abuse' for finer skin. I could, perhaps add on the fruits and vegetables to their menu and encourage that they maintain a balanced diet.

#3 asks for cupcakes!

#3 celebrated children's day at school on Friday. On Monday she'd already requested that she bring cup cakes to school. #1 loves her very much and condoned without much ado. Because it's a kiddies party, she was game for 'a little of everything'. Just 'tembak' for the experience.

#3 came home elated and talked non stop about how the head mistress, teachers and classmates enjoyed the cup cakes and were trilled by the designs. Obviously she ate the nicest of the lot - according to her, the purple one with the jelly beans which look like balloons.

#1 also wrote some Chinese characters, forgot to ask her what they meant. #2 and #1 hasn't been going to school because one has pharyngitis and the other just feels 'a little under the weather'? So while they are both off school there has been no bento and whilst one is under medication the other continues to be on a baking frenzy.

Tagged!!

My first tag by ling239
Thank you.

Layer One: On The Outside
Name: Known as "Bento Pet"
Birth Date: Same as the most popular 24 hours convenience store
Current status: Happy
Eye Colour: Dark brown
Hair Colour: Dark brown
Righty or Lefty: Right - definitely


Layer Two: On The Inside
Your Heritage: my religion
Your Fears: you really don't want to know
Your Weaknesses: my hobbies

Your Perfect Pizza: laden with CHEESE, CHEESE and more CHEESE!!


Layer Three: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Your Thoughts First Waking Up: Bento?
Your Bedtime: past midnight

Your Most Missed Memory: telephone conversations with my dad (deceased)


Layer Four: Your Pick
Pepsi or Coke: neither
McDonald's or Burger King: An occasional dose of poison? McD's will do.
Single or Group Dates: At my age? You must be joking!
Adidas or Nike: You want to ask my girls?
Tea or Nestea: Neither, for me it's Coffee!
Chocolate or Vanilla: Definitely chocolate.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Coffee.


Layer Five: Do You...
Smoke: No and I don't enjoy breathing in secondary smoke either.
Curse: Sometimes, at the people who smoke.
Have a crush: All the time, with McVitie's digestives
Think you've been in love: Many times over, with each baby.
Go to school: Yeap! Learning all the time from the cycle of life.
Want to get married: Been there, done that baby!

Believe in yourself: Often enough

Think you're a health freak: Huh? What kinda question is that?


Layer Six: In The Past Month Have you...
Drank alcohol: Occasionally
Gone to the mall: Often enough
Been on stage: Yes
Eaten sushi: Hey! Sushi is my second name!
Dyed your hair: What an embarrassing question.


Layer Seven: Have You Ever...
Played A Stripping Game: I only strip carrots and radish and all the hard stuff!

Changed Who You Were To Fit In: No masks for me thank you.


Layer Eight: You're Hoping
To Be Married: Are you sure you tagged the right person?

For a: couple more kids?


Layer Nine: In a Boy (For guys, In a Gal)
Best Eye + Best Hair Color Combination: So long ago, forgotten already
Short Hair or Long Hair: Does it make a difference?

Layer Ten: What Were You Doing
1 Min Ago: Decided to do this tag
1 Hour Ago: Baking cup cakes for #3 children's day celebration tomorrow
4.5 Hours Ago: Having pizza with the 3 girls for lunch.
1 month Ago: Busy, busy, busy
1 Year Ago: Never dreamed about producing iced cakes from this household.


Layer Eleven: Finish The Sentence
I Love: my God, my family and friends
I Feel: frenzied
I Hate: that's a harsh word!
I Hide: my bento stash from my hubby
I Miss: my dad

I Need: to control my blogging addiction!!

Bento #45

This was yesterday's bento. I couldn't access the internet the whole day so I could only post it this morning. On the left is a bun loaded with tuna mayo. In the foil cup is macaroni cheese and next is a box of raisins.

On the right are more fruits, just mangoes and watermelon. #2 deliberately reminded me that there must be fruits in her bento. I guess she's still trying to manage her weight, although I think she looks absolutely fine.

ADDICTION!!

I had some problem uploading yesterday's bento onto my blog the whole day. I couldn't access the server and it just wouldn't connect!! I don't know what you would do but I was completely stressed and fidgety.

I'm sure for now that I'm an ADDICTED blogger! I checked my computer like a hundred and fifty times for any trace of internet access! I even tried to get 'hooked' onto my neighbour's wireless but that didn't work either. I was calling every known source to try to get my internet access going. No avail and no success. I think I spent more time clicking my mouse yesterday than I do on a normal day.

When I shared with hubs what happened, he grinned and said "Praise the Lord"! Finally my wife has time to do other things! Huh! Very funny I said! But deep in my heart, I knew that he's been really patient with me. I sleep very late some nights either updating my blog or reading in the toilet. I know that's a gross thought for some but that's the only way not to 'kacau' his sleep. I had the *guilty* word hovering my head the whole evening!

This morning the computer could access the internet again. What the heck! I'm still feeling guilty but life has to go on. I just need to prioritize! Yeah! See if I can discipline myself a little. *Sigh, still trying to convince myself *

Cup cake craze!!!

I promise you, this is not going to turn into a cup cake site!! It's just that #1 and I have been so busy doing all these for our BEC elections tomorrow. No! No! I'm not campaigning for any post in the elections with my cup cakes!! It's pot luck and we thought we'd bring cup cakes this time.

This stand can hold 19 cup cakes. There are a couple of extras which will go onto the tray tomorrow. Pictures were taken in a hurry because #3 is sick and I was shuttling between baker and butler duties today!!!

Bento #44

It must be the cup cakes! We've been baking dozens of them and it's made Bento-ing so difficult to crank up! Monday - yesterday, the kids didn't want any Bento. This morning's light and easy bento was just watermelons in the shape of tulips and mushroom and some blanched carrots acting as 'orange leaves'.

Wafu burgers wrapped in sushi rice and some 'pulut tekan' (presssed glutinous rice) and kaya.
#1's God ma made the 'pulut tekan' and gave us a box over the weekend. It's very nice.

Happy Birthday Luke!

I know I said no more cup cakes but this time I asked #1 to ice some for an old friend who turned 71 years old yesterday. As usual we were in a frenzied hurry because we had long and lazy brunch and #1 had a futsal game in the evening. She's getting good at this and my number of pipping nozzles has increased over the last one week and so has ingredients and accessories. *sweat, sweat, sweat*

#3 iced this and insisted that I upload the picture onto my blog!! "She said: Tomorrow morning I want to see the picture on your blog okay? I'm going to sleep now mummy, I love you!!" How to resist such sweet temptation?

Swap items transacted!

Sometime in August 2007, I put up some items for swap. I had bought extra wiener molds and some food dividers so I thought that instead of keeping them, I'd look for someone interested in these items and make a swap.

I was in for a disappointment because no one responded. Anyway, weeks later when I was surfing other bento sites, I found "Apple" (she's taking a break from blogging now) who was looking for winier molds. Jackpot! I quickly communicated with her and offered her my swap items. After 'negotiating' , we agreed to make the swap. Fortunately my mum's friend travels Malaysia - Singapore like some people travel on the LRT (very often) and she agreed to do me the favor of meeting Apple. I am so happy to finally own some egg molds!!















I always felt like there was some 'deficiency' in my bento stash. I didn't have the 'infamous' egg molds!!! At least now I own two egg molds, thanks to Apple!! I am so happy. Along with the egg molds she bought me some silicon containers, sauce cups and gave me a fish shape sauce bottle. Thank you very much Apple, I am very happy with the swap. I hope you are too!












This is what I swapped with her. They mold the winier or cocktail sausages into shapes of Octopus, Crab, Tulip and score the sausages for easy cooking.

I am looking forward to Monday when I can begin my bento packing.

More cake?

Monday

#1 and #3 has the same God parents.

It was their God pa's birthday on Monday.
#3 called God pa up early in the morning to wish him "Happy Birthday".
Following that, she offered God pa a birthday cake to be baked by #1.
Of course she nicely forgot to inform #1 to bake the cake and when #1 came back from visiting God pa, she found out that there was a Birthday cake outstanding.

Tuesday
#1: "Hmmm... how ah Ma, she asks?" Can we ice another cake?
Mum: Haiez.... no, no, no! Don't 'kacau' me!
It's the holidays and I want to enjoy it by relaxing!
#1: Only one cake mum!
Mum: Hmm...okay, okay!

So our expedition commenced!
Along the way, we decided to try to bake cup cakes because it's so popular these days
(never baked them before) - cup cakes, here we come!

Went to the Wilton shop to buy some supplies and get some ideas.
I was told that I could use my butter cake recipe to bake the cup cakes.
Bought some cup cake cups, food color and some nozzles.
These are our first attempt at cup cakes.

We baked a whole cake and the balance became cup cakes.
#1 tried out the new Wilton food colors and iced the cake.
It was a disaster!
Wrong color combination, wrong nozzles, wrong spelling and all things wrong!
Looked at each other and decided the same thing.
Forget about the cake and try icing the cup cakes.

This was the final result!

Gosh! I quite admire #1 and her determination.
I just helped her with the cake and the rest she did herself.
Denon's cake was her first actual attempt at baking and
I'm happy that she's more inspired than put off by the 'hard work'!

Wednesday
#1 reminds me that she's organizing a surprise Birthday party with "M's" mother.
It's for "M" her gym partner, partner in crime, coffee 'kaki', study partner (?), swimming buddy, jogging buddy, old school friend......the list goes on.
What can I say? Ah...okay, okay.

#1: Mum, can you make some sushi for "M's" birthday?
Her mum is doing the rest of the cooking.
Mum: For "M", sure why not! Just remind her that
'unfortunately, my husband doesn't bake'
I grinned at #1.
(we both break into loud guffaws)

#1: Errmm...Can we bake some more cup cakes? I want to do it for "M".
Mum: Hello!! Not enough cup cakes ah? We've been baking cakes since the holidays started!
Can't you see that we're all putting on weight with all the butter and cream!!!!
#1: Yeah...! But I still want to bake and ice cup cakes for "M".
Mum: Haiez...I think you will soon be known as
"#1 (name) - surname - cup cake" if you keep at this!

Bake! Bake! Bake!
Ice! Ice! Ice!!





Sweetheart(#1)!
If you read this, can you please give your mama a break from baking. Your mum isn't called 'Bento Pet' because she bakes, it's because she loves bento-ing and not baking.

Spring Cleaning!

The kids are on holiday for a week. No Bento packing but a lot of spring cleaning of the cupboards. I cleared out the cupboards and took some pictures of my ever-growing Bento and accessories collection!

Top, clockwise from left: Shuttle flask bag which contains the flask and three small containers in front together with the white chopstick holder. Next is another red flask with two containers. In front of the red flask are two pink bentos with a movable partition. Next to the pink bento is a double layer red tiffin styled box. In front and side are two sandwich boxes with fixed partitions. (I haven't used them for a long while). The colorful tupperware with the individual sections are good for a Chinese style meal plus two dishes type of Bento.

Above, some of my two tier Bento boxes.


Above, some of my single tier Bento boxes and side dish boxes.


These are the Bento accessories which are in my cupboard. I think that I should stop buying and stocking because suddenly, I realise that there seem to be a lot!


The tupperware right at the top contains food cups and sauce bottles. In front of it are food picks for skewering small bits of food or vegetables. I've got some fancy food dividers on the right and some wiener cutters in the middle. Right in front are some spoons and forks, sized for Bento boxes and on the left top you can see more sauce bottles.


This picture has most of my cutters in two boxes. You can see my limited number of pipping nozzles, some more food divider grass and leaves and some yellow plastic flowers in the front row of the right box. In front of the two boxes are some more side dish and sauce containers. In the front middle is a box of Glad 'rainbow' bags - good for sandwiches. Left is a box of zip lock plastic bags for freezing udon and sorts.
The yellow bottles in the back are used to freeze soba dipping sauces and tempura sauces. Next to them are tea containers. I now officially own six because I love them and are so useful containing my different variety of teas.

I've uploaded pictures of some of the above items in my older posts. While packing I just gathered them together and took these pictures. There are some more knick knacks and loose pieces here and there which I have not sorted out. Perhaps another post.

I'm still working on the Japanese ingredients part II, so look out for it soon!!