New bento box!
Front: egg-chick in a nest of quick-pickled carrots, onigiri stuffed with tuna & wasabi-mayo, grape tomatoes, strawberry
Back: fried rice with chicken and veggies, sliced cucumbers, sliced tamago
I got a new bento box yesterday as a birthday gift from the lovely miss meocat! You can see it in all its glory on the bento boxes & accessories post (picture-heavy). I did my best to do it justice with the little food that I have in my fridge (I am always cleaned out by the weekend).
The quick-pickled carrots were inspired by sakuraminamoto -- you just rub some salt into the carrots and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the bento. When you're ready, just rinse the carrots off well and blot them dry. The salt flavors and tenderizes them.
The tamago was leftover from when I made sushi earlier in the week, and the fried rice is leftover filling from when I made omuraisu. See? Told ya I was out of food. ;)
I've already eaten the ill-fated chick and one of the onigiri for breakfast. Yummy! =^.^=
Ok, peeps. By request, here is a quick how-to for the chickie. Hopefully my diagram is clear.
Usually the yolk is in the fat end of the egg, but you'll be able to tell once you cut in. Using a small, sharp knife, first cut the zigzag line around the circumference of the egg as shown. Cut by pressing the tip of the knife in gently. You'll be able to feel the yolk when your knife comes up against it. If you don't hit yolk, your egg may be positioned differently and you will have to flip it. Anyway, continue cutting the zigzag line all the way around. You should then be able to easily lift off the egg cap over the yolk. Then just slice the other end of the egg horizontally so that you have a stable base. For the eyes, I cut little circles of nori. You can also use sesame seeds, peppercorns, etc. I used carrot to make the little triangle beak (sort of a rectangular-based pyramid with the base of the pyramid stuck to the chick). And that's it!