Boba Tea

 Bubble tea most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls. It can contain fruit juice or milk, and is sometimes a blended frozen drink. Tapioca pears are available at Asian grocery stores and some in a variety of sizes and colors. But! Did you know it is possible to make them yourself? You will need tapioca starch, fruit, sugar, a sauce pan, and a blender. Today we make DIY tapioca pears from scratch!

1. Add fruit to your blender to get 1/2 C. puree

2. Add puree,1/2 C. tapica starch, and 1/2 C. sugar to a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until it turns into a goo.

3. Transfer goo to a bowl with another 1 C. tapioca starch, and blend it until starch is incorporated, and feels and acts like playdough.

4. Roll out a long snake of dough and chop into tiny pieces. Roll pieces into balls. After trying this once, I would suggest that smaller is better as the larger ones remain super chewy even after cooking.  

 5. Next you boil the pearls for 20 minutes.

6. Make a tea and add cooked tapioca and serve.

Blt bento

I know this doesn't look like a classic BLT, but I had to assemble it at work. I toasted the bread at work, warmed my bacon in the microwave for 10 seconds, and used a steak knife on the tomatoes. I had a blob of mayonnaise for my pasta salad and sandwich.

Grilled Eel Bento

This was a project I have been waiting many months to attempt.  I purchased fresh whole eel from my local fish monger.  I learned how to filet them.  I then steamed them to remove the excess fat, and then grilled them over wood charcoal and applied a type of bbq sauce called 'eel sauce'. It is similar in flavor to teriyaki, but thick like bbq.  If I make this again in the future, I think removing the skin would make it more tender.

Omurice

Omurice typically consists of chicken fried rice wrapped in a thin sheet of fried egg. The ingredients flavoring the rice can vary. Often, the rice is fried with various meats and/or vegetables, and can be flavored with beef stock, ketchup, demi-glace, white sauce or simply salt and pepper. Today it was filled with taco meat and cilantro rice.

Veggie Tray

Hummus with zaatar seasoning, snap peas, carrots, provolone stuffed pepper, pickled garlic, and bluecheese stuffed olives.

Asian Meatballs

Frozen Meatballs
hoisen sauce
green onions

Sesame Noodles
1/2 box whole wheat noodles
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 Tb. peanut oil
2 Tb. rice vinegar
2 Tb. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. chili sauce
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Omurice

Fried Rice (enough for 3-4 omelets)
2 diced green onions
1 chicken thigh, rinsed and patted dry
1 Tbs. oil
½ C. frozen mixed vegetables
Freshly ground black pepper
1½ C. cooked sushi rice
1 Tbs. ketchup and more for decoration
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 omelet
1 large egg
1 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. oil for the skillet
3 Tbs. sharp cheddar cheese (or any kind)

Cut up onions and chicken. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the onion until softened. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the mixed vegetables and season with pepper. Add the rice, and chop it all up together. Add ketchup and soy sauce and combine everything evenly with a spatula. Transfer the fried rice to a plate and wash the pan.

Whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl. Heat the oil in the pan over medium high heat (make sure the surface of the pan is nicely coated with oil). When the pan is hot, pour the egg mixture into the pan and tilt to cover the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat when the bottom of the egg has set (but still soft on top). Put the cheese and the fried rice on top of the omelet. Use the spatula to fold both sides of omelet toward the middle to cover the fried rice. Slowly move the omurice to the edge of the pan. Hold a plate in one hand and the pan in the other hand, flip the pan and move the omurice to the plate. While it’s still hot, cover the omurice with a paper towel and shape it into football shape. Drizzle the ketchup on top for decoration.

Tortellini Bento

Taco Bento

I got a new bento box from Whole Foods today.  Laptop Lunch Box.  There are multiple removable containers (some with water tight lids) that can be rearranged in various configurations.  I made loaded nachos for dinner.

Ravioli Bento

Cheese ravioli with Italian sausage, baby eggplant, green olives, and blue cheese.  Served with garlic bread and green beans.

Taco Bento

Did you know you can double your hamburger based meal by adding bulgar wheat?  Cook meat as usual, adding about 150% the spices you normally use.  Add 1/4 C. bulgar wheat, and 1/2 C. water or tomato product. Simmer for 20 minutes until it is absorbed or evaporates. Stir occasionally.  When it is hydrated, it will look a little like garlic.

Spaghetti Bento

Spaghetti with savoy cabbage, orange slices, and sesame ginger dressing. Cookie for dessert, and a juice box.