Unleash Your Inner Japanese Bento Master

Our bodies are our temples. Allow a morsel of gluten or a grain of sugar to trespass our lips…and we’ve committed a mortal sin! At least in Southern California.

Health is important. But so is fun! Eating can be enjoyable AND good for you. Did your inner Japanese bento master just say Amen? I thought so.

The original Japanese bentos were the precursor to astronaut food: dehydrated fish and rice (reconstituted with water.) But I believe the wives of Japanese farmers planted the seeds of the bento we know today. You may have noticed on Pinterest or Instagram that Japanese onigiri rice balls are often the stars of bento boxes.

Recently I was asked to create American audience friendly onigiri patty recipes. The deal did not include promoting them on my blog. Still I’m compelled to share James Burton’s interpretations of my Japanese onigiri recipes. The onigiri dishes my friend created are so darn clever and cute.

P.s. The recipes are designed for kidlet participation, too.

ポケおにぎりバーガー 
Onigiri Poke Burger

Serves 1 to 2 people

新鮮な鮪とアバカドに長ねぎと胡麻を振りかけるポケ焼きおにぎりバーガー
は栄養たっぷりで超美味しいです。

Bursting with nutrition and deliciousness, onigiri burgers tout fresh tuna and avocado sprinkled with scallions and sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

• 2 grilled onigiri patties
• OR
• 2 cooked Japanese short-grain brown rice balls ( ¼ ~  ½ cup each) flattened into circles
• (Make sure you wet your fingers to make handling the rice easy.)
• OR
• 2 brown rice cakes
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsps chopped scallions
• ¼ - ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• ½ lb ahi tuna, cubed
• ¼ avocado, chopped
• 1-2 tsps sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, scallions, garlic and sesame oil in medium-sized bowl. Gently coat the cubed tuna with the mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Prepare the grilled onigiri patties according to package instructions. Or cook the rice per package instructions, cool and prepare 2 onigiri. Make sure you wet your fingers to make handling the rice easy.
3. Divide the marinated tuna between the patties and drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with the avocado and sesame seeds. Feel free to eat as an open-faced sandwich with a fork and knife. OR make a meal for one; sandwich the poke between the 2 patties. Dive into yumminess!

笑顔おにぎり
Smiley Face Onigiri

Serves 1 to 2 people

のりを利用する子供の弁当箱からご主人のランチまで笑顔 おにぎりは皆様に喜べさせる食べ物です。（のりの変わりにマヨネーズが使えられます。）

From your child’s bento lunch box to your husband’s lunch, this onigiri which uses dried nori seaweed is sure to please everyone. (Substitute mayonnaise if dried nori seaweed is not your favorite snack.)

Ingredients:

• 2 grilled onigiri patties
• OR
• 2 cooked Japanese short-grain brown rice balls ( ¼ ~  ½ cup each) flattened into circles
• (Make sure you wet your fingers to make handling the rice easy.)
• OR
• 2 brown rice cakes
• 1 (10 grams) pack dried seaweed nori snack
• ½ cup mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Prepare the onigiri patties according to package instructions. Or cook the rice per package instructions, cool and prepare 2 onigiri. Make sure you wet your fingers to make handling the rice easy.
2. Carefully cut out circles for smiley face eyes with clean kitchen scissors from a sheet of snack nori. Next cut a long thin strip to form a smile from a 2nd nori strip.  As an option create dimples with shorter strips of dried seaweed nori snack.
3. Gently press the nori into the grilled onigiri patties to create smiley faces. Mayonnaise can also be used to “glue” the nori onto the grilled onigiri patties. (Toothpicks are helpful to paint the mayonnaise on the nori snack strips.)
4. OR attach a round decorating tip (#3) to a piping bag. A plastic sandwich bag with one of the corners clipped off works well for decorating, too. Fill the piping bag (or sandwich bag) with mayonnaise. Pipe smiley faces onto the grilled onigiri patties.
5. Share with the person who brings you the biggest smile…Or enjoy a smiley face grilled onigiri all by yourself!