American-Asian Fusion Bento Boxes

Bento Boxes, the traditional Japanese counterpart to our American lunchboxes, have been steadily gaining popularity over the past decade, spurring countless blogs, books, and even special mention in cooking programs. While the idea of authentic sushi, pickled seaweed salads and raw fish may not appeal to everyone, the basic idea of a bento box is universal: Several small containers holding a sampling of food choices contained within one box.

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Authentic bento boxes can easily be found online through Ebay, Etsy or Japanese vendor websites. However, they are not a necessity, especially for those just looking to dabble in American fusion bentos. For a cheap alternative purchase several resealable containers, preferably three to four that are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and one bigger container to hold your main course. Scour your local craft store for a wooden or plastic box large enough to hold your containers, and consider decorating it for a personal touch.

Traditionally bento box meals are eaten with chopsticks, so you may wish to invest in either a pair of reusable chopsticks or a package of disposables that can easily be thrown in with your meal. Small soy sauce, duck sauce or other single serve condiment packets are another great investment.

Small, awkwardly shaped items such as whole fruit may not fit into a container, and should be wrapped in wax paper or plastic before placing in your container. Snack size Ziploc bags are also good for holding small items to be packed between containers.

The largest portion in bento box meals, the main dish usually consists of noodles, rice, stir fry or some combination of the three. Try some of these dish ideas that put a modern American spin on classic Japanese favorites.

• Hmong bean noodles stir fried with curry, shredded beef and cooked peas
• Ramen noodles stir fried with rooster sauce and your favorite vegetables
• Fried brown rice with soy sauce, egg, bean sprouts and canned bamboo shoots
• Satay chicken with peanut sauce on a bed of white rice
• Beef stir fried with peppers, onions, broccoli and soy sauce, served with soba noodles
• Mai fun noodles with shrimp, chopped chicken breast, peanuts and cilantro

A watertight container makes soup a candidate for your main dish as well. Try one of these fusion soups for a lighter lunch.

• Ramen noodle soup with a vegetable broth base, canned chicken and your favorite roasted vegetables
• Ginger soup with freshly chopped green onions, soybeans and whole shrimp
• Chicken noodle soup, cooked with soba noodles
• Dumpling soup with shredded carrots and a tofu and sesame filling
• Homemade miso soup with scallops and fresh, thinly sliced mushrooms

Bento boxes usually contain 2-3 small snacks that require a lot of cooking or are otherwise elaborately put together. These are the 'enhanced' side dishes, and should be cooked in large batches ahead of time, then divided up when packing your bentos. Enhanced side dish items include choices such as.

• Fried eggrolls with meat, noodles, sauce and vegetable filling
• Small salads, such as a pasta salad with mandarin oranges, chicken and slivered almonds
• Small pieces of sushi, such as a california roll made with mock crab, avocado and sesame
• Cold spring rolls filled with greens, fresh vegetables or fruit, sauce and seafood
• Fried wontons, cream cheese are classics, adding crab or chives enhances the flavor
• Dessert fried wontons, filled with marscapone cheese, fruit and chocolate
• Cooked pieces of meat, tofu, plain noodles, rice or vegetables in sauce.

Remember to get creative when putting together your meals, try your own combinations, use up leftovers and try new ingredients often.