Bento
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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 lacquerware. While bento 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 be able to prepare an appealing boxed lunch.
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History
The origin of bento can be traced back to the late Kamakura Period (1185 to 1333), when cooked and dried rice called hoshi-ii (糒 or 干し飯, literally "dried meal") was developed. Hoshi-ii can be eaten as is, or can be boiled with water to make cooked rice, and is stored in a small bag. In the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, wooden lacquered boxes like today's 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 spread and became more refined. Travelers and sightseers would carry a simple koshibentō (腰弁当, "waist bento"), consisting of several onigiri wrapped with bamboo leaves or in a woven bamboo box. One of the most popular styles of bento, called makuno-uchi bentō ("between-scene bento"), was first made during this period. People who came to see Noh and Kabuki ate specially prepared bento between maku (scenes). Numerous cookbooks 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 or ekiben (駅弁当 or 駅弁, "train station bento") was sold. There are several records that claim where ekiben was first sold, but it is believed that it was sold on 16 July, 1885, at the Utsunomiya train station, and contained two onigiri and a serving of takuan wrapped in bamboo leaves. As early schools did not provide lunch, students and teachers carried bento, as did many employees. A "European" style bento with sandwiches also went on sale during this period.
In the Taisho period, the aluminum bento box became a luxury item because of its ease of cleaning and its silver-like appearance. Also, a move to abolish the practice of bento in school became a social issue. Disparities in wealth spread during this period, following an export boom during World War I and subsequent crop failures in the Tohoku region. A bento too often reflected a student's wealth, and many wondered if this had an unfavorable influence on children both physically, from lack of adequate diet, and psychologically, from a clumsily made bento or the richness of food. After World War II, the practice of bringing bento to school gradually declined and was replaced by uniform food provided for all students and teachers.
Bento regained its popularity in the 1980s, with the help of the microwave oven and the proliferation of convenience stores. In 2003, airports started offering bento filled with local cuisine, to be eaten while waiting for an airplane or on it.
How to make a bento
A bento is traditionally made in a 4:3:2:1 ratio: 4 parts of rice, 3 parts of the main dish, 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 steam from the rice will condense inside the bento and make the food soggy.
Types of bento
- Chuka bentō (中華弁当) are filled with Chinese food. The Chinese do not eat food that has become cold; this was invented in Japan.
- Kamameshi bentō (釜飯弁当) are sold at train stations in the 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) is a classic style of bento with rice, ume (pickled plum), a slice of broiled salmon, a rolled egg, etc.
- Noriben (海苔弁) is the simplest bento, with nori dipped in soy sauce covering cooked rice.
- Sake bentō (鮭弁当) is a simple bento with a slice of broiled salmon (鮭, sake) as the main dish.
- Shidashi bentō (仕出し弁当) is made in a restaurant and delivered during lunch. This bento is often eaten at a gathering like a funeral or a party. It is usually packed with traditional Japanese foods like tempura, rice and pickled vegetables. A shidashi bento packed with European-style food is also available.
- Sushizume (鮨詰め) literally means "packed sushi", and is a bento filled with sushi.
Other
- Hayaben (早弁), literally "quick bento", is eating a bento before lunch, and having another lunch afterward.
- Hokaben (ホカ弁) is any kind of bento bought at a bento franchise called "Hoka-Hoka Tei".
- Reitō mikan (冷凍ミカン) is a frozen mandarin orange often sold at a train station alongside ekiben. It was one of the earliest desserts sold onboard a train.
- Hinomaru bento (日の丸) was the name for a bento consisting of plain white rice with a pickled plum (umeboshi) or slices of pickled plum in the centre. The Hinormaru bento takes its name from the Hinomaru, the Japanese flag, which has a white background with a red cirlce in the centre. These bento were common in during the second World War, both because of the scarcity of food and the desire to and necessity of avoiding displays of excess.