Sleeping Cat Zzzz....

Today's Baon

• Cat rice ball (The gray part : the rice mixed with ground black sesame.)

• Lunpiang shanghigh 

• Crisp salad of potato and carrot

• Rolled egg

• Boiled okra

This time, the request of Lino was a cat. I really enjoyed and concentrated to make "Cat" while thinking Lino's smile this morning, so I forgot to prepare the Baon for husband!!!! Sorry papa. Hehehe.

In Japan, the bento like this is called "Chara-ben". Chara-ben is a shortened form of character bento, or boxed lunch. Elaborately arranged lunch that features food decorated to look like famous characters from movies and such.

My friend asked me that will you make chara-Ben until what age of your children?

In Japan, the majority of elementary and junior high school provide a school lunch. So, I think that maybe Japanese mums make Chara-ben for the children age of around 6 to 7.

My mother often made for me an interesting lunch when I was kindergarten student, and even if I became a high school student, she made it some times. I remember that it was so fun and delicious!! This memory is a source of passion for making the Chara-Ben for my son. As long as the children request, I want to continue to make the Chara-Ben!!

I will introduce the recipe of "Crisp salad of potato and carrot".

[Ingredients]

• Potato, 1pc

• Carrot, 1/2 pc

• Garlic, 1 clove

• Rosemary. a little

• Salt and Pepper. a little

• Olive oil, 1 tbsp

[Procedure]

1. Cut the potato and carrot into thin strips.

2. Boil it 1min. (Check the color of potato! The potato is white at first and it becomes transparent. When the potato becomes transparent, it is a sign of  being boiled. If you boil more than 2 minutes, the crisp of potato is disappeared.) After boil, wash with running water immediately.

3. Sauté garlic with Olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Mix it with potato and carrot. It is good taste also to use bacon or anchovy.