Ten-Minute Bento [ペーパーバック]

When I saw that a good looking new English bento book was released, and from a Japanese author, I had to have it right away. This is only the second English bento book I have. If you are interested in bento making and can't read Japanese, I say get this book RIGHT NOW. You should have no hesitations whatsoever.

If you can read Japanese, you probably wouldn't be looking at this book anyway, but just in case: I highly advise you to skip on this book because there is nothing new in it that you won't find from much better books. A few recommendations are つくりおきおかずで朝つめるだけ！and おべんとうつくりの正解.

That being said, let's get to the actual review of it as a cookbook:

I found the recipes authentic yet very simple. There are decidedly Japanese bentos (ex. Rolled omelet and boiled hijiki bento) and very non-Japanese bentos (ex. French toast salad bento) included in the book to satisfy every palate. However, quite a few of the recipes include Japanese items that may not be easily found in your regular grocery store. I believe this is because the book is just a translation from its Japanese counterpart. Things like seven-spice powder, yukari, konjac, wakame, hijiki; I definitely do not have in any grocery stores near me. I would not even know what some of these items were if it wasn't for my Japanese bento books. But at least half of the recipes use only common ingredients (assuming you have access to things like mirin, sake, rice vinegar, miso). If you have an Asian store near you, no problem. I personally make bentos every day of the workweek and prefer to use ingredients I can obtain easily.

One thing that should be noted is that this book is based on bentos that have the sides on top of the rice. That is the case for every bento in the book that has rice, and the ingredients and toppings are selected to be appropriate for that purpose.

Compared to my other bento books I found this book rather thin, empty, and void of content in general. I read the entire book in less than half an hour. (Yes I did read an entire cookbook, to get an idea of all of the recipes) I do like the presentation and organization of the book, though. Most probably it looks so empty because all of the recipes are as concise as they can possibly be, but the book just left me wishing there was more in it. For example, in the Just Bento Cookbook, most recipes come with variations and in depth explanations of what works, what doesn't work, and why. But it still did have some nice ideas I hadn't thought of before, such as the easy ham katsu, and quail egg topping.

If you are an absolute beginner in bento-making, I don't think you can jump in and begin making these recipes right away. The explanation of recipes are very short. Even for simple things like tamagoyaki or teriyaki, I think one needs a thorough introduction when they first begin making them. So for a beginner, I would recommend The Just Bento Cookbook as a first step, and this book as a second step.

Since this didn't have a search inside feature, I didn't know what to expect. I was very pleasantly and happily surprised with this book. It contains quick to prep, single portion sized recipes to be served atop rice, pasta, bread or noodles with very nice pictures of the finished product. Recipes such as mushroom-stuffed hamburger, pork cutlet and ramen salad bento are just a few listed. There's even a small section on freezable mini desserts like brownies and sesame dumplings.

Most of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked grocery, although some items may only be available at an asian market (i.e. sake, bonito flakes, etc). The last page does contain a short list of common ingredients used in japanese cooking (with substitutions for some of them) and a list of online resources.

This is not a bento book that shows you how to make cute designs and characters, rather, it provides relatively simple and quick recipes to prepare for your bento meal. All in all, I am very pleased with this book and can't wait to start making some of the recipes.

If you don't know what bento lunches are, they are packed box lunches made to be attractive and healthy with a good variety of foods. Frequently packed in boxes specifically made for bentos, they can also be packed in other boxes like plastic refrigerator food storage boxes. That's just a very quick definition, because they can be complex and are absolutely an art form.

10 Minute Bento was originally written in Japanese by Megumi Fuji and translated to English. It's paperback and printed in full color with lots of photographs of the finished food and great serving ideas. Instead of cute characters, these are bento lunches that are attractive without being carefully planned out to create images.

You'll start with steamed rice, then add in the main course and vegetables. The recipes are written with cooking for one in mind. The recipes can be doubled if you're cooking for more than one. Instructions are clearly written and understandable, and measurements are by weight. The rice steamed ahead of time and the meat topping and vegetable sides are the 10 minute part of the cooking, that includes prep time.If you're doubling the recipe it may take longer for cutting and prepping. The portions are smaller than a lot of people are used to, but perfect for healthy lunches on the go.

For people who rarely eat or cook Japanese food, there are some recipes that will be familiar enough to be comfortable. These are just a few of my favorite examples. There are several more.

Mushroom Stuffed Hamburgers
Sliced Pork Cutlet
French Toast- It's a cheesy, non-sweet toast to serve with a salad
Avocado and Cucumber Salad which gets it's protein from surumi (imitation crab meat)
For people who love Japanese food, there are lots of quick to cook recipes that will make them happy for lunch. Here are a few examples:
Miso Salmon and Veggies
Soba and Daikon Salad
Shrimp Edamame Stir-Fry
There are also pages with quick veggie sides ideas, and a lot of the recipes have vegetables in them as well. Some of these may become favorite ways to serve vegetables for their flavors.

At the end of the book is an overview of things you can pack bento lunches in for yourself or your loved ones, as well as a list of possible substitutions and explanations of some of the ingredients. I'm fortunate enough to have a few well stocked grocers in my area. While some of the recipes do call for hard to find ingredients, most of them call for things that can be found fairly easily.

I like making easy bento lunches for my family. It's healthier and less expensive then getting fast food. It's also tastes better and fresher. There are so many great recipes in here to add a lot of variety to lunches. Since the recipes are small, they are also a good option for people who are cooking for one.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my craft blog- Don't Eat the Paste. My reviews are always my honest opinion]