Japanese "Lunch Pack" Sandwiches Bento

I remember that I was so excited to grab lunch at a convenience store (conbini) when I was in junior high school.
My mom used to make bento for me and my sister almost every day before going to work, but sometimes she overslept and we had to buy lunch at a convenience store. ( I don't blame her, she usually left home 6am and came home around 9pm..What a tough woman.)
I loved her bento, but it was nice to try something different from time to time.
FYI, Japanese convenience stores are way better than the ones in the U.S. Yes, we have seven eleven in Japan too, but so different from the ones here.
Very clean, well organized and have hi-quality and unique food.
Going to conbini is a must do thing when I visit Japan! It's very exciting and fun to find new items there.

One of the popular items at conbini was and still is "Lunch Pack".
They put a layer of filling between 2 pieces of crust-less soft bread and seal the edges.
It has more than 30? 40? filling flavors including their seasonal and local limited flavors.

You can't go to Japan to try it!? No worries, I will show you how to make it at home!
I made it for my football-lover husband;)

Egg and Mayo Lunch Pack Sandwiches

2 Slices of dense bread
2 Eggs
1tbs~to your taste  Mayonnaise
Salt, Pepper

1. Boil eggs and mash with a fork and season with mayo, salt and pepper.

2. Steam bread. or wrap with plastic wrap and put in a microwave about 10 seconds. (Adjust the time to your microwave) This is very important! if the bread is dry, it will be ripped.

3. Place one of the slices on a cutting board and put the egg in the middle. (Adjust the amount to the size of the bowl you use. Don't put too much)

                                         I put tomatoes too.

4. Place the other slice on top and cut with a small rice bowl or soup bowl. Edges are sealed if you do this right! (do this process while bread is still warm)

                                         Push hard!

* I used a football shaped cookie cutter for the football. It's dessert sandwiches! Grain bread + strawberry and soy whipped cream inside;)

Mashed Potato Soccer Balls

Enjoyed watching FIFA world cup with this mashed potato soccer balls!
It's very easy to make and fun!

I cooked potatoes in boiled water and mashed with butter and salt.
I had some leftover grilled corn sot put inside the balls.

Create 5 sided shapes with a piece of nori seaweed.
Please see the older post " Soccer Rice Balls" too:)

Soccer Rice Ball

My husband loves soccer and so excited about up coming FIFA world cup!

I like salmon rice balls, but wild salmon is so expensive...
I found wild caught salmon can at Whole Foods Market and it's not that expensive.

I made salmon flakes with it and it turned out really good.
You can mix it with mayo and use it for sushi roll too. Yum!

Salmon Flakes

1/2can(about 200g)   Wild caought salmon, drained

2~3tsp Sugar

1.5tbs Soy sauce

1/2tbs Sake

Cook all the ingredients in a pan until salmon gets dry.

Shu-mai Dumpling Ducks and Inari Sushi Football Bento

My husband is a huuuuuuge Oregon Ducks fan!  He said there is a good game tomorrow, so I made "Go Ducks! bento" today:)
I made footballs with inari sushi. Please see Rilakkuma inari sushi bento for the recipe.

Ducks are made with shu-mai dumplings.
I wanted to use up tofu and chicken, so decided to make a lot of shu-mai with them and freeze for bento.
However, a problem is.... I don't have a steamer!! I need a big steamer to make a lot of shu-mai at one time.
I searched online and finally found a good solution....You just need.... CABBAGE! Yes, cabbage.
Please see below.


Shu-mai dumplings

150g Tofu (medium firm)
150 Chicken thigh (or ground chicken)
2 tbs Flour
1tbs  Soy sauce
1tbs Sake
a little Salt&Pepper
20 Shumai skins

1. Boil water and add tofu. Bring to a boil to get rid of water that tofu has absorbed. About 10 mins.
    Or Wrap tofu in a few paper towels and press with something heavy for about 3 hours.

2. Grind chicken with a food processor and mix well with the tofu.

3. Add flour, soy sauce, sake, salt and pepper. Add more flour if the mix is a little liquidy. (depends on how firm tofu is )

4. Place about a tablespoon of chicken mix on a shu-mai skin. Don't put too much.

5. Collect all the edges to the center and wrap as shown.

You can wrap them however you want!

6. Put about 1/2 cup of water and line the bottom of a pot with cabbage.

7. Put shu-mai on top.

8. Wrap a lid with a towel to avoid water from dropping on shu-mai(optional)

9. Cook over medium heat about 15~20 minutes.

10. If you want to freeze them, cool completely and put in a Ziploc and freeze.
      Don't forget to enjoy steamed cabbage too!!

To make ducks, make eyes with sliced cheese and nori seaweed.
Slice a boiled carrot and cut beak shape.
Connect edamame and shumai with a yellow pick.

It's fun to make referee's uniform design with rice and seaweed too:)

Football Meat Pies

My boyfriend loves Oregon ducks and meat pies..so I combined both!

Quail eggs ducks wearing corns and broccoli stems hats and football meat pies.

Pies

Ingredients
2 puff pastry sheets
Meat fillings
Cheese

Direction
Cut out shapes with football shaped cookie cutters, using two different sizes.
First cut out 8 larger football pies, then cut 4 of them again using a smaller cutter.(I made the cutters by myself with a thick paper)
Place the second cut pies on the first ones.
Brush edges of pastry with beaten egg.
Bake in a very hot oven, 400F for 15-20 minutes.
When it's done, put the meat filling in the middle of the pies.
Cut cheese and put on the pies to make it look like footballs.



Meat pie filling
Recipe adapted from food.com

Ingredients
500 g minced beef
1 onions, chopped
1 cup water, divided
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 pinch nutmeg
3 tablespoons plain flour


Directions
Pre-heat oven at 220 degrees Celsius.
Brown meat and onion.
Add 3/4 cup of the water, bouillon cubes, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, pepper, oregano, and nutmeg.
Boil and cover for 15 minutes.
Blend flour with the remaining 1/4 cup water until it becomes a smooth paste; add to the meat mix.
Let cool.