6 Practical Japanese Bento Recipes that Can Be Beautiful Lunch Ideas for Your Little One

Kapanlagi.com - Tired of the same old school lunch for your child? It's time to switch to Japanese bento, bento creations that are not only delicious but also adorable! With a creative touch, a regular lunch box can be transformed into a dish that your little one will love!

Japanese bento is not just a way to present food, but also a form of love that can make mealtime more enjoyable. Thus, KLovers can prepare practical meals that are still eye-catching, guaranteed to make your little one happy to open it.

Come on, check out some practical Japanese bento recipes that can become lunch ideas for your child. Just take a look, KLovers!

1. Chicken Karaage Bento

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Chicken karaage bento is a Japanese lunch box that contains crispy fried chicken, served with rice and fresh vegetables. Here are the steps to make this Japanese bento:

Ingredients:

- 300g chicken thigh fillet

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp mirin

- 1 tsp grated ginger

- Cornstarch/corn flour

- Cooking oil

- White rice

- Accompanying vegetables (broccoli, carrots)

- Omelette

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken into 3-4 cm pieces

2. Marinate with soy sauce, mirin, and ginger (30 minutes)

3. Coat with cornstarch

4. Fry in hot oil until golden

5. For the accompaniments:

- Boil broccoli and carrots

- Make a thin omelette, cut into strips

6. Arrange in the bento box:

- Rice on one side

- Karaage on the other side

- Vegetables and egg as accompaniments

2. Onigiri Bento

Onigiri bento is a Japanese rice ball lunch shaped like a triangle with filling, wrapped in nori, served with side dishes. Here are the steps to make one of these Japanese bentos:

Ingredients:

- 2 bowls of Japanese rice

- Nori (seaweed)

- Filling: tuna mayo/salmon/umeboshi

- Salt

- Toasted sesame seeds

- Cucumber & cherry tomatoes

- Tamagoyaki (rolled omelette)

How to Make:

1. Wet your hands with salt water

2. Take a portion of rice, create a hollow in the center

3. Fill with your choice of filling

4. Shape into a triangle/circle, compact it

5. Wrap the bottom part with nori

6. For tamagoyaki:

- Beat eggs with a little salt and sugar

- Cook thinly, roll

7. Arrange in a bento box with cucumber and tomatoes

3. Teriyaki Salmon Bento

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Teriyaki salmon bento is a Japanese bento filled with grilled salmon with sweet teriyaki sauce, served with rice and vegetables. Here are the steps to make it:

Ingredients:

- 200g salmon fillet

- 4 tbsp teriyaki sauce

- 1 tbsp mirin

- 1 tbsp sake (optional)

- White rice

- Spinach

- Sweet corn

- Tamagoyaki

How to Make:

1. Marinate the salmon with teriyaki sauce, mirin, and sake (15 minutes)

2. Grill the salmon until cooked

3. Boil the spinach, add a little salt

4. Boil the sweet corn

5. Make tamagoyaki

6. Arrange in a bento box:

- Rice as the base

- Salmon on top of the rice

- Vegetables on the other side

- Add tamagoyaki and serve.

4. Vegetarian Tofu Bento

Vegetarian tofu bento is a healthy lunch box containing fried tofu with teriyaki sauce, boiled vegetables, and rice for vegetarians. Here are the steps to make this Japanese bento:

Ingredients:

- Firm tofu

- Cornstarch

- Teriyaki sauce

- Brown/white rice

- Edamame

- Carrots

- Shiitake mushrooms

- Spinach

How to Make:

1. Cut the tofu into triangles, dry it

2. Coat with cornstarch

3. Fry until golden

4. Drizzle with teriyaki sauce

5. Prepare the vegetables:

- Boil the edamame

- Sauté the mushrooms with soy sauce

- Boil the carrots and spinach

6. Arrange neatly in the bento box

5. Gyoza Bento

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Gyoza bento is a lunch box containing Japanese dumplings filled with meat and vegetables that are crispy baked, served with rice. Here are the steps to make this Japanese bento:

Ingredients:

- Gyoza wrappers

- 200g minced meat

- Chopped cabbage

- Green onions

- Grated ginger

- Garlic

- Rice

- Gyoza sauce

- Complementary vegetables

How to Make:

1. Mix the meat with vegetables and seasonings

2. Fill the gyoza wrappers, fold neatly

3. Fry the bottom, then add water

4. Wait for the water to evaporate and the gyoza to become crispy

5. Prepare the accompaniments:

- Boil the vegetables

- Prepare the sauce

6. Arrange neatly in the bento box

6. Tamago Sando Bento

Tamago sando bento is a lunch box containing a Japanese-style egg sandwich with mayonnaise, accompanied by fresh vegetables and snacks. Here are the steps to make this Japanese bento:

Ingredients:

- White bread

- 3 eggs

- 2 tbsp mayonnaise

- Salt and pepper

- Lettuce

- Cherry tomatoes

- Cucumber

- Potato chips

Instructions:

1. Boil the eggs until cooked (7 minutes)

2. Mash the eggs, mix with mayo

3. Season with salt and pepper

4. Spread a little mayo on the bread

5. Fill with the egg mixture

6. Cut diagonally

7. Arrange in the bento box:

- Sandwich in the main section

- Vegetables on the other side

- Chips as a snack

Those are some recipes for Japanese bento that you can make yourself at home. These recipes can certainly be made right away, because if not now, when else?

(kpl/dhm)