Showa-Style Big Mezashi Bento
Just pack the box tight with rice and top with grilled mezashi. An old-fashioned big-portion bento where the bitterness and salt keep the rice going.
Ingredients
- Cooked riceabout 400g (2.5 bowls)
- Mezashi (dried sardines)4-5
- Umeboshi1
- Takuan3 slices
- Toasted nori (optional)1/2 sheet
Directions
- Line a pan with parchment and grill the mezashi over medium for 1-2 minutes per side. They burn easily, so watch them.
- Pack the box tight with rice and top with the umeboshi. If you like, layer torn nori within the rice.
- Arrange the mezashi on the rice and tuck the takuan in a corner. The mezashi can be eaten whole from the head, and their bitterness and salt go well with rice.
- Put the lid on only after the rice and sides have cooled (even with umeboshi, lidding it warm invites spoilage).