Korakuen Bento

A bento is a typical Japanese boxed lunch usually served by moms for their kids to eat at school, but boxed lunches in japan has become more than that as you can find them virtually anywhere from convenience stores, to train stations, parks and gardens, theme parks... everywhere at least. The bento has become an art form and most popular locations serve a "special" bento, that can only be bought and eaten at that particular location.

Anyway, i was able to visit Korakuen, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan. It is located in Okayama, in the Chuugoku region of Japan. And being famous, of course gives them the distinction of serving their own bento.

Take a gander at this beautiful bento! And mind you, it's not pretty, but really yummy as well!

Clockwise from top: tender bamboo shoots with slices of pimiento, fish stwed in light miso, boiled eggplant with sauce, rolled chicken cutlet with egg, tsukemono or pickled vegetables, sweet taro and boiled quail egg, fragrant and lightly flavored rice in sesame, sakura and matcha with a cute bean paste peach sweet in the middle, slightly sweet boiled octopus with crane-shaped radish, egg that looks like jello.

Okay, so let's start with the rice. japanese rice is really good but this is truly artful rice as it is very lightly flavored with traditional flavors like sakura (cherry blossoms), and matcha. the pickled vegetables are quite a surprise because they're not too salty or sour as some yucky pickled veggies are but slightly sweet and crunchy. the "egg that looks like jello" was also a pleasant surprise because it's like a poached egg that with a very mild sweet-salty seasoning. and the octopus didn't try to force itself away from my teeth! that was how tender it was. and the slices of fish and chicken were absolutely lovely! no overpowering flavors, very natural and healthy. yes, this is really good bento! and for the price of JPY1,500... it's well worth your money!

Okra-Bihon and Fried Pork in sesame Oil

i bought some fresh okra and pork yesterday. i've been wondering what to do about them and came up with these very simple recipes.

Okra and Bihon (Vermicelli)

Ingredients:
a pack of okra (about 8) sliced
vermicelli, single serve pack
1/4 large white onion, sliced thinly
garlic, 3 cloves crushed
salad oil, 2 tbsp
oyster sauce, 3 tbsp
salt to taste
water

procedure:
soak the vermicelli until soft, drain and set aside.
heat oil in a pan, sautee garlic until brown. add sliced onions and sautee for a few minutes until tender. next, add the okra and stir in the vermicelli. stir in water, mix well, add salt to taste. add oyster sauce and sautee. leave to simmer for a few minutes.

the soft vermicelli noodles are pretty good with the crunchy okra. the oyster sauce, used minimally makes the dish tasty without overpowering the subtle flavors of the the vegetables.

Super simple fried pork in sesame oil

Ingredients:
pork, cut into very thin strips
soy sauce
garlic, 3 cloves crushed
finely ground pepper
2 tbsp sesame oil
a dash of lemon

Procedure:
marinate the pork strips in soy sauce, garlic, and pepper. make sure that the soy sauce is just enough to partially cover the meat. it's best to marinate in a tighly sealed container so you can shake the ingredients to make the flavor seep through the meat. leave in the refrigerator for a few hours to overnight.

heat the sesame oil in a pan, fry the pork strips and crushed garlic until done. add a dash of lemon before serving.

it's super simpe and cheap, and very tasty too! you can marinate the meat and cook a few strips at a time. it's perfect for people on the go.

welcome to food tabi!

welcome to food tabi!

tabi, in japanese means travel. and this is what this site is all about; food, travel, and more food! why? because we love food~!

anyways, i decided to start this blog because upon coming here to japan, i realized that i don't know how to cook! i tried to subsist on food bought from the convenience store but after two weeks of eating the nasty stuff, i decided to learn how to cook on my own. these are recipes which i invented, most notably, the eureka recipes. i'll also be adding some food reviews too.

my wonderful foodie friends will contribute their own food adventures. live life to the fullest! let's eat!