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Easter Bunny Bento

A bento box for Easter, filled with turmeric rice, fresh veggies and Japanese fried chicken.
Keyword: bento, box, easter bento box, japanese fried chicken, karaage, karaage chicken

Ingredients

Broccoli Garden

  • broccoli
  • ½ a carrot or sweet potato
  • frozen edamame soybeans
  • kamaboko optional
  • 2-3 bento or cake picks

Turmeric Bunny Rice

  • 3/4 cup Japanese sushi rice uncooked
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger optional
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 sheet of nori dried seaweed used in sushi
  • 2-3 sticks kanikama imitation crab meat, usually found in the frozen section
  • 3-5 black sesame seeds
  • 1-2 lettuce leaves

Karaage (Fried Chicken Thighs)

  • 1 boneless chicken thigh cut into bite-size pieces and excess fat removed
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 ½ tbsp potato starch or corn starch
  • 1 tbsp rice flour or all-purpose flour
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ½ tbsp garlic minced
  • ½ tbsp grated ginger
  • ½ tbsp sesame oil
  • ½ tbsp sesame seeds
  • ½ tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

To make the Broccoli Garden:

  • Cut the florets off of the broccoli stem. Cut the carrot in half and slice about three slices from the thickest part of the carrot. Cut out flower shapes from these slices using a flower-shaped cookie cutter.
  • Remove the pink section of the kamaboko and cut flower shapes out that pink section just like with the carrot.
  • Boil the edamame (soybeans) according to the instructions on the packet, and add the carrots when there are 4 minutes left and the broccoli when there are 2 minutes left on the timer. Once finished boiling, drain the vegetables.
  • Remove the beans from the pod by gently squeezing the sides of the pod, then skewer them onto the bento picks.
  • Place the vegetables in the bento box and arrange to look like a garden. If you have space, feel free to add some fruit as a little dessert if you like.

To make the Turmeric Bunny Rice:

  • Wash the rice and add enough water as directed on your packet of rice. Add the turmeric, ginger and salt directly into the same pot and stir.
  • When ready, fluff the rice with a rice spatula. Divide the rice into two equal portions and wrap them in plastic wrap, shaping them into the head and body of the bunny while squeezing the rice firmly.
  • Place the lettuce in the bento box and arrange the body and head of the bunny within the leaves.
  • Peel the red section from the imitation crab meat, and arrange on the bunny’s neck to make a bow shape. You may need to trim it a little bit.
  • Cut an ovular and a longer ovular shape out the nori to serve as the eye and the inside of the ear of the bunny. Stick them on the rice, and they should absorb some moisture from the rice and stay put. This works much better when the rice is warm.
  • Lastly place the sesame seeds on the bottom of the body to serve as the bunny’s toes.

To make the Karaage:

  • Mix together the salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds and soy sauce. Add the beaten egg.
  • Add this to the chicken and mix, then cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • After the chicken has marinated, coat with the flour mixture. The flour will dissolve into the marinating liquid, and won’t make the chicken have a floury texture.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a pot over medium, and then add the chicken pieces one at a time. Cook until golden brown and cooked inside, about 15 minutes.
  • When fully cooked, drain on a plate covered with paper towel. Then add to bento box.

Video