14.4.13

Ika furai Okaka Bento (bento with fried squid and dried bonito shavings).

Convenience stores (often shortened to Konbini) such as Seven Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart, are extremely popular in Japan. Especially Konibini bento of many varieties, is one of a main selling point for each stores. Each companies develop both standard and seasonal bento to attract customers.

Ika furai Okaka Bento (bento with fried squid and dried bonito shavings) was a seasonal bento menu of Seven Eleven. It was a hit product on 1982. Seven Eleven revives this bento sometimes.
There are many fans of this bento in Japan including me. I miss this bento and made it in the Netherlands.

This is the specification of Ika-hurai Okaka Bento.
1. Fully place and spread steamed rice in the bento box.
2. Sprinkle Okaka on the rice. Okaka is the dried bonito shavings that is tossed with soy sauce. This is popular as a stuffing for rice balls or bento topping.
3. Place following items on the rice.
- fried squid coated with bread crumbs. deeply dipped in Japanese brown source.
- vegetable kakiage (deep-fried onion and carrot). deeply dipped in Tempra souce.
- scrambled eggs
- beni-shoga (red pickled ginger)

Don't use good bento box to make Konbini bento. It's better to use "Chinese take-away box" to create an atmosphere of Konbini bento.
Enjoy Japanese traditional junk bento!

Kyaraben (character bento) workshop

Kyaraben, a shortened form of character bento, is a very popular bento style in Japan which features food decorated to look like Anime or Kawaii characters. At the workshop you learn how to make authentic Kyaraben and the result you can take home. More info http://tokyodoll.web.fc2.com/workshop/bentoworkshop.html