Bento

Bentō (弁当, べんとう) is Japanese for a single-portion takeout meal. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquer ware. While bentos are readily available at convenience stores and bento shops (弁当屋, bentō-ya) throughout Japan, it is still considered an essential skill of a Japanese housewife to prepare an appealing boxed lunch.

History

The origin of bento can be traced back to the late Kamakura-era when cooked and dried rice called Hosi-ii (糒 or 干し飯) lit. dried meal was developed. Hosi-ii can be eaten as is, or can be boiled with water to make cooked rice and was stored in a small bag. In the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, wooden lacquered boxes like today were produced and bento would be eaten during a hanami or a tea party.

In the peaceful and prosperous time of the Edo Period, bento culture would spread and be refined. Travelers and sightseers would carry a simple koshibentō (腰弁当) lit. waist bento, consisting of several onigiri and lapped with bamboo leaves or a bamboo woven box. One of the most popular style of bento called Makuno-uchi bentō lit. between scene bento, was first made in this time period. People who came to see Noh and Kabuki ate specially prepared bento between a Maku or a scene. Numbers of cooking books were published detailing how to cook, how to pack, and what to prepare for occasions like Hanami and Hinamatsuri.

In the Meiji Period, the first Ekibentō (駅弁当) or Ekiben (駅弁), lit. train staion bento, was sold. There are several records that claim where Ekiben was first sold, but it is belived that the first Ekiben sold was in the July 16th, 1885 in the Utsunomiya train station and contained two onigiri and a serving of takuan lapped in bamboo leaves. As early schools did not provide lunch, every students and teachers carried bento as well as many people who went to work. An "European" style bento with sandwiches would also begun to be sold in Meiji period.

How to make a bento

A bento is traditionally made in the ratio of 4:3:2:1; 4 parts of rice, 3 parts of the main dish of either meat or fish, 2 parts of vegetables, and 1 part of a serving of pickled vegetables or a dessert. However, basically anything can be used to make a bento.

Several precautions should be taken when making a bento. The most important thing is to avoid food poisoning, especially in summer. Foods should be cooked well and the bento must be stored in a cool, dry location. If sushi is a part of the bento, it should be prepared with more wasabi than normal. Foods covered with sauce should be carefully packed, or avoided altogether, as sauce may spill over on to the other foods. When cooked rice is a part of a bento, it should be cooled by leaving the bento open first. If a bento is closed before it is sufficiently cooled, the water vapor from the rice will condense inside the bento and make the food soggy.

Types of Bento

• Chuka Bento 中華弁当 - A Chuka Bento is a bento filled with Chinese cuisines. Chinese does not eat food that have become cold and this was invented in Japan.

• Kamameshi Bentō 釜飯弁当 - A type of bento sold at train stations in Nagano prefecture. A bento is packed in a clay pot and cooked. This clay pot is a souvenir item.

• Makuno-uchi Bentō 幕の内弁当 -A Makunouchi Bento is a classic style bento with rice, ume (pickled plum), a slice of broiled salmon, a rolled egg, etc.

• Noriben 海苔弁 - A Noriben is a simplest bento with nori dipped in soy sauce covering cooked rice.

• Sake Bentō 鮭弁当 - a simple bento with sake 鮭 or a slice of broiled salmon as the main dish.

• Shidashi Bentō 仕出し弁当 - A Shidashi bento is a bento made in a restaurant and delivered on the lunch time. These bento are often eaten in a gathering like a funeral or a party. A Shidashi bento is usually packed with traditional Japanese foods like tempura, rice and pickled vegetables. A Shidashi packed with European style food is also available.

• Sushizume 鮨詰め - A Sushizume literally means a "packed sushi" and is a bento filled with sushi.

Other

• Hayaben 早弁 - Hayaben lit. quick bento is to eat a bento before lunch and having another lunch afterward.

• Hokaben ホカ弁 - There is a bento franchise called "Hoka-Hoka Tei" and a bento bought there are called regardless of its content, a Hokaben.

• Reitō Mikan 冷凍ミカン - A Reitou Mikan is a frozen mandarin orange often sold at a train station beside Ekiben. It is one of the earliest dessert sold onboard a train.

See also Japanese cuisine.