obento obsessed

My first bento

I had a Japan infatuation before it was cool. I read Japanese fiction (and non-fiction,) I swoon over tea ceremonies, Kurosawa films, and Kanji, I fold every receipt I get into origami...and I practice Zen. The classic Japanese lunch tradition of O-bento, or boxed lunch, is no exception to my obsession. Lunch in a Box, a great site for bento beginners, says that "a bento lunch is a compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box." It's also a nifty, creative way to teach myself portion control (heh,) and it encourages me to attempt making my own Japanese culinary delights, which are traditionally healthier than the good ol' American diet. (Check this "meal" out from one of my favorite cult movies of the 80's, UHF.)


My week may include a trip to San Francisco's Japantown, so I'm making a shopping list of fun bento-related items. Bento boxes come in lots of shapes and sizes, from traditional wood and lacquer works of traditional and modern art, to colorful plastic gems featuring every kawaii (cute) cartoon character under the sun. Many Japanese moms pack bento boxes for their kids (and sometimes, husbands) lunches every day, but some take it up a notch, creating wildly complex and adorable kyraben (character bento) which turns every edible part of the meal into a plant, animal, flower or delicious reference from pop culture.

OMG KYRABEN!

Any food grade container with a tight sealing lid can be used as a bento, but there are many places where you can get the real thing. To buy your first bento box, try the kitchen section in your local Asian market. Bento boxes made specifically for that purpose can be deceptively tiny, as most are made with young girls or dieting women in mind...here's an easy way to help you pick the right size for your caloric needs. The milliliter capacity of your box is roughly equal to the amount of calories it can hold if tightly packed. So, a 350ml. box can hold about 350 calories of food if packed tightly. 

Even though there is definitely no limit to what you can put in your bento, there is a traditional method that is helpful (and healthy) to abide by. Your bento should contain 3 parts carbohydrates like rice, pasta or grains, 1 part protein (meat/fish/cheese/nuts) and 2 parts vegetables or fruit. Since part of the purpose for bento is constructing a balanced meal, the amount of candy, sweets and oily or greasy foods should be limited. And there are TONS of adorable, awesome ways to keep it all neat inside the box...from tiny plastic sauce bottles shaped like animals, to skewers, cups, fake grass, seaweed punches for putting faces on your food, flower and leaf shaped food cutters and more little tiny things to get truly obsessed over.

Even though bento is traditionally Japanese, it has lately become an international hobby too, and there are some excellent English language sites out there to help you develop your bento habit. Just Bento and Lunch in a Box are great to start with, with everything from beginner basics to traditional and experimental recipes to try and tons of helpful tips. J-List is a great site for Japanophiles and has a truly amazing selection of bento boxes and accessories. A dangerously amazing selection. :) And if you wanna get competitive about (or addicted to) bento, just take a look through this Flickr photo sharing group, Bento Boxes, a great way to see what other people are creating and get ideas for your own.

So wish me luck on my trip to Japantown to buy my first real wood bento box! The wood ones can be pricey, but I know I'll put it to good use. And go try making your own bento, you probably have enough stuff in your kitchen to try it right now! <3