Did you know…
Tsuke mono
Tsukemono, Japanese pickle helps create the harmony in Japanese cuisine, they cleanse the palate and provide pungency to counter the heaviness of umami-rich foods.
Agemono is the Japanese name for fried food
Pork cutlet and chicken are commonly used in a bento box, flavored with typical Japanese sauces like Ponzu sauce (citrus soy), Yakisoba sauce (sweet and savory sauce) and Goma dressing (roasted sesame dressing)
4:3:2:1 Rule of bento
Bento follows the general Japanese eating culture of a balanced diet of carb, protein, vegetables and pickles.
4: carbohydrates - Japanese short grain rice for its starchy, soft and sticky texture, as well as its sweet flavor.
3: protein - premium meat choice, either pork, poultry or seafood to help you stay in shape for reducing muscle loss and building lean muscle.
2: vegetable - fresh vegetables as your essential source of vitamin, fiber and minerals etc
1: Japanese pickles or sweet - something to cleanse your palate and add fresh fragrance to your meal
Eel in the summer
Japanese people eat unagi (eel), which is especially rich in vitamin E on Midsummer Day of the Ox (Doyo-Ushi) to stay healthy and weather the heat wave. Doyo of summer usually falls towards the end of July to mark the transitional period between Summer and Autumn.
It’s also a saying in the old time that eating something with a name starting with “u” like “udon” (rice noodle), “ume” (plum) etc is good for your health.
tonkatsu before exams
Traditionally students in Japan would eat Katsudon or tonkatsu before or on the day of an exam, it’s largely due to the likeness of the name to the word “katsu”, in Japanese meaning winning
bento between acts?
Ancient Japanese theatre goers did not snack but enjoyed elegantly presented bento boxes between acts.
The word makuno-uchi bento ("between-act bento"), dates back to the Edo period (1603 to 1867), when these special bento boxes were sold to theatre-goers during the intermissions of Noh and Kobuki performances.
This bento consists mostly of rice along with fish, meat, pickles, eggs, vegetables, and an umeboshi (a salt pickled plum).
Makunouchi bento has since evolved into today’s ekiben, bento boxes sold at train stations and convenience stores.
Bento as beautiful as flowers
hanami, the tradition of appreciating the beauty of cherry blossom and enjoying bento under the trees dated back to the Nara period (710 to 794),
Hanami usually takes place Within a few weeks during Spring when cherry trees bloom all over the country. Japanese people hold large outdoor celebration and PARTIES WITH family and friends.
