Directions:

1. Put the chicken wings in a bowl with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Let the chicken marinate for 5-10 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, soy sauce, sake, and ginger and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken and then remove it from the heat and add the vinegar. Pour the sauce into a large bowl.

3. Heat a pot filled with enough oil to deep fry the wings to 160 C (320 F).

4. Use paper towels to dry off the chicken and then dust with a very thin coating of potato starch.

5. Fry the wings for 10 minutes.

6. Transfer the wings to a bowl and raise the temperature of the oil to 190 C (375 F).

7. Fry the wings a second time until they are golden brown (about 2-3 minutes).

8. Immediately transfer the wings to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat them evenly with sauce. Sprinkle the tebasaki with sesame seeds and black pepper to taste.

Directions: Tempura

1. Peel and devein the shrimp.
2. Cut off the tip of the tails and use your blade to squeeze out any water.
3. Cut the maitake and asparagus spears into 3 cm lengths.
4. Dust the ingredients with flour (other than specified in the recipe). Lightly mix together the flour and cold water. Heat the oil to 170 degrees Celsius. Dip the ingredients in batter and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Directions: Tenmusu

1. Briefly simmer the 3S sauce to thicken.
2. Drizzle over the drained tempura.
3. Wrap each ingredient with rice to make rice balls. Make sure to have the ingredients slightly stick out.
4. Wrap a strip of nori around the onigiri.
5. Add the eyes and mouth using nori.
5. Use shiso leaves to separate the tenmusu.

Directions:

1. Add the pork to a bowl along with 1 tablespoon Shaoxing, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and the grated ginger. Mix to combine and let this marinate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

2. When the pork is done marinating, heat a pot filled with enough vegetable oil to deep-fry the pork to 170 degrees C. Prepare a cooling rack lined with paper towels.

3. Coat the marinated pork in a thin, even layer of potato starch and deep-fry until the pork is cooked through and the coating is crisp. Transfer to the prepared rack.

4. Flash fry the bell pepper and onions until the peppers are vibrant, and the onions turn translucent, but they should still be crisp. Drain the vegetables on the paper towel line rack.

5. To finish the dish, add the remaining Shaoxing wine, black vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar to a frying pan and bring the mixture to a boil.

6. Add the fried pork and toss in the sauce until it's thick and shiny. Add the vegetables and toss to combine.

Directions:

1. Wrap the tofu in a paper towel and set aside for 10-20 minutes to drain.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and use a food processor to coarsely grind.
3. Cut the carrot into 2cm long matchsticks. Cut the shiitake into thin slices and the shiso into shreds.
4. Put the ground chicken, tofu, grated ginger, carrot, shiitake, edamame, shiso, salt and potato starch into a bowl and knead until sticky.
5. Heat the oil the 170 degrees Celsius, drop and fry the tofu mixture for 3-4 minutes.

Directions: Penguin decoration

Cut the nori (following the shape of the bento box) to create the penguin's face. Use pickled plum to make the beak.

Directions:

1. Put the kabocha squash into a microwave-safe bowl, add 1 tsp of water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2.5 minutes at 600 watts, or until the kabocha is tender.

2. Spread the butter on one side of all four slices of sandwich bread.

3. Add the vegetable oil, onions, garlic and ginger to a frying pan and sauté until the onions are tender and browned.

4. Add the ground beef and crumble using a wooden paddle or spatula until the meat is mostly cooked through.

5. Add the curry powder and soy sauce and sauté until the mixture is very fragrant.

6. Add the cooked kabocha and ketchup and mash the mixture together using a paddle or potato masher.

7. With the buttered side of the bread facing down, add a slice of cheese to 2 pieces of bread.

8. Split the curry mixture between the two slices of buttered bread (for 2 sandwiches) and spread it around leaving a small margin around the edge.

9. Cover the sandwiches with the remaining two slices of bread (this time with the buttered surface facing up).

10. Place each sandwich into a non-stick frying pan and pan-fry over medium-low heat using a plate or small lid to press on the sandwich gently.

11. When the sandwich is browned and crisp on one side, flip it over and brown the second side, using the plate or lid to press on it gently.

12. The sandwich is done when it is browned and crisp on the outside. Repeat with the second sandwich. Let the sandwiches cool completely before packing them into a bento box.

Directions: Salmon Tatsuta-age

1. Skin the salmon and cut into bite-size pieces.
2. Add to a food storage bag, along with soy sauce, sesame oil and grated ginger. Marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Pat dry with paper towels.
4. Coat with potato starch and deep-fry for about 4-5 minutes in oil heated to 170 degrees Celsius.

Directions: Sausage flowers and leaves

1. For the flowers, cut the sausages across in half and make a criss-cross incision.
2. For the leaves, cut the sausages diagonally in half and make a lengthwise incision down the center with diagonal slits from the center line.
3. Boil for 30 seconds.
4. Place a kernel of corn in the center of the flowers.

Directions: Acorn Boys

1. Cut the sausage across in half.
2. Boil for 30 seconds along with the shimeji caps.
3. Place the caps on top of the sausages and fasten with toothpicks.
4. Make a face with nori.

Directions:

1. Slice the top and the bottom off of the eggplant so that it will stand up on either end.

2. Use a peeler to remove alternating strips of peel on the eggplant.

3. Slice the eggplant in half so that you have two cylinders of eggplant.

4. Use a small spoon to carve out the center of each eggplant to make cups, but leave about 1.5 cm of flesh on the sides and bottom.

5. In a small bowl, mash together the miso, sake, and sugar to make a smooth sauce.

6. Heat 6cm of vegetable oil to 180 degrees C (360 F) and prepare a paper-towel-lined rack.

7. Fry the eggplant turning it over a few times until the bottom can easily be pierced with a toothpick. When the eggplant is cooked transfer it to the rack and drain upside-down.

8. For the nikumiso, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the frying pan and saute the ginger until fragrant.

9. Add the pork and crumble with a wooden paddle or spatula until it's cooked through.

10. Drain off any excess oil and then add the sauce, stir-frying until most of the liquid is gone and the sauce no longer smells like alcohol.

11. Stuff the nikomiso into the eggplant and then garnish with the scallions.

Directions: Wafu Steak

1. Take the meat out of the fridge and set aside at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
2. Cut the sinews and tenderize with a meat mallet.
3. Marinate overnight in a mixture of grated onion, garlic and ginger.
4. Scrape off the marinade but save it for the wafu sauce.
5. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
6. Mix the marinade and 3S sauce to make the wafu sauce.
7. Pan-fry both sides of the meat.
8. Pour the wafu sauce over the meat in a circular motion and turn up the heat to burn off the alcohol.
9. Remove the meat and cut into bite-size pieces.
10. Place the meat on top of the rice and drizzle with sauce.

Directions: Baby Seal Mushroom

1. Pan-fried a mushroom and let it cool.
2. Decorate the cap with a piece of cheese for the nose and nori for the eyes and whiskers.

Directions:

1. Put the onions in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and microwave for 2 1/2 minutes at 800 watts. Let the onions cool.

2. Add the onions, ground pork, panko, chopped shiitake mushrooms, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, salt, white pepper and egg to a bowl and mix this with your hand until evenly combined.

3. To wrap your gyoza, place about 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of a wrapper, and wet the rim of the wrapper.

4. Fold the wrapper in half, adding 6-8 pleats to the wrapper as you press it shut from one side to the other. If you are right-handed, it's usually easiest to pleat from left to right. If you are left-handed, it's easier to pleat from right to left.

5. To fry the gyoza, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, and add a tablespoon of oil. Swirl to coat the pan and then arrange the gyoza in the pan.

6. With a lid ready to quickly cover the gyoza in one hand, add 1/3 cup of water and immediately cover with the lid. Adding water to the oil will cause it to spatter, so be careful!

7. When the water has evaporated (about 3 minutes), remove the lid and let the gyoza fry until the bottom of the gyoza has browned and crisped.

8. Let the gyoza cool completely before packing into your bento.

Directions: Pastel Korokke

1. Mince the onion and place in a heat resistant dish. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until tender.
2. Reconstitute the mashed potato flakes with hot water and butter.
3. Combine the mashed potatoes, spinach, chopped ham, cheddar cheese and onion and season with salt and pepper.
4. Form into 30-35 g bite-size balls.
5. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg and coat with panko. Deep-fry in oil heated to 170 degrees Celsius.
6. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with white sesame seeds to taste.

Directions: Cucumber Flowers

1. Use a vegetable peeler to cut a lengthwise strip of peel from two opposite sides of the cucumber. Cut the cucumber into 5.5 cm lengths.
2. Sprinkle with salt and set aside to draw out excess moisture
3. Pat dry and cut each piece lengthwise in half.
4. Lay each piece, cut side down, between two toothpicks and make incisions all along the length. The toothpicks will serve as a guide and will prevent you from cutting right through the cucumber.
5. Roll up to form the flower and place a corn kernel of piece of carrot in the center.

Directions:

1. Make the sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and salt.

2. Beat the eggs together with a pinch of salt until it's uniform in color.

3. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat until it's moderately hot, and then turn down the heat to low. Wipe the pan with a vegetable oil-saturated paper towel.

4. Pour half the egg mixture into the pan and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan evenly. Let this cook until the edge starts to dry out and is easily separated from the pan.

5. Flip the egg over and cook for a few seconds. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining egg.

6. When both sheets of egg are done, stack them up, roll them together, and slice into thin strips.

7. Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water until the noodles are no longer warm.

8. Drain the noodles well, and then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Toss to coat the noodles evenly with the oil.

9. To assemble the bento, split the noodles between two bento boxes.

10. Top with the eggs, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and ham, and garnish with sesame seeds. Pack the sauce in a separate container that has a tight sealing lid.

Directions: Chicken Chashu

1. Cut the chicken thighs into two 180 g pieces.
2. Use a meat mallet to pound and flatten.
3. Pierce the skin with a fork.
4. Place in a food storage bag, add 3S sauce, grated garlic and ginger, and marinate overnight.
5. Pat dry and place on a sheet of plastic wrap to roll up.
6. Place the rolls on a plate, cover lightly with plastic wrap and microwave (500 W) for 5 minutes.
7. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the wrap and brown the rolls in a frying pan.
8. Add 3S sauce and bring to a gentle boil, then turn down the heat and simmer at low heat to thicken the sauce. Bring the heat up again to glaze just before removing the rolls from the pan.
9. Allow the rolls to cool slightly and then cut into easy-to-eat slices.

Directions: Quail egg decoration for kids bento

1. Cut a straw lengthwise in half so that the tip forms a semicircle.
2. Use this to make incisions around the boiled egg and separate into two halves.
3. Use a piece of red bell pepper for the beak and sesame seeds for the eyes.
4. Place the remaining half of the egg on top like a hat.

Directions:

1. Put the onions in a microwave-safe container with a lid and microwave at 800 watts for 4 minutes. Let the onions cool enough to handle.

2. In a large bowl, add the beef, panko, milk, soy sauce, and cooked onions and season with black pepper. Knead the mixture together with your hands until well combined, and then divide and shape the meat into 4 oval patties.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the patties. Fry on one side until browned, and then flip and brown the other side. Transfer the patties to a plate.

4. Add the mushrooms and onions and sauté until they're well browned.

5. While the mushrooms are frying, mix the chicken stock, milk, potato starch, and soy sauce together in a bowl until combined (you can prepare this mixture before you start cooking).

6. When the mushrooms are nice and caramelized, return the hamburger patties to the pan, and add the chicken stock mixture.

7. Turn up the heat and boil the mixture, flipping the patties around to coat evenly until the sauce is very thick.

8. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Serve over rice, with a boiled egg.

Directions: Cucumber Sushi Rolls

1. Fold the rice vinegar and sesame seeds into the rice to avoid crushing the grains.
2. Divide into two portions.
3. Spread one portion of rice over a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with nori.
4. Spread another portion of rice over the nori and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and turn over.
6. Peel off the wrap and place one of the cucumber decorations on top. (*see the next section for the details of the decorations)
7. Roll up by bringing the underlying wrap around the roll, and squeeze gently to shape.
8. Repeat the above process to form another roll.
9. Cut each roll into appropriate lengths to fit into your bento box. When doing so, it helps to wet the blade and to cut using a sawing motion.

Cucumber decoration for adults: Flower

1.Quarter one cucumber lengthwise and cut the carrot into matchsticks.
2. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for a while to soften and then squeeze out the excess moisture. Lay the cucumbers and carrots (leave some for the kid’s roll) across the nori to form the center of the roll.

Cucumber decoration for kids: Frog

Cut the other cucumber lengthwise in half and sprinkle with salt. Lay the remaining carrots along the length of one half and cover with the other half to form a sandwich.

Directions: Egg Roll

1. Make a thin egg omelette.
2. Sprinkle the pork with potato starch, sauté and season with 3S sauce.
3. Cut the cucumber into matchsticks and rub with a pinch of salt to squeeze out the excess moisture.
4. Lay the lettuce, cucumbers and pork across the omelette.
5. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the pickled red cabbage and lay alongside the other ingredients.
6. Roll up and cut into appropriate lengths to fit inside your bento box.

Directions: Miso-butter

1. Add the butter, miso, and sugar to a bowl and let the ingredients come up to room temperature so the butter softens.

2. Whisk the ingredients together to combine.

Directions: Miso-butter Chicken

1. Slice the potato into 1-cm thick slices and use heart and star shaped cutters to cut shapes out of the slices potatoes. Parboil the potatoes for 1 minute.

2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and spread it around evenly.

4. Add the chicken skin-side down and fry until browned on one side. Flip the chicken over and brown on the other side.

5. Add the potatoes and baby corn and pan-fry until the corn and potatoes start to brown.

6. Use a paper towel to remove any excess oil from the pan, and then add the green peppers and miso butter.

7. Toss to coat everything with the miso butter. When everything is well coated with the butter, it's done.

Directions: Deep-fried Shrimp

1. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Make an incision along the back and devein. Cut off the tip of the tails and, with your knife, gently squeeze out the water.
2. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper. Form little balls and fold the shrimp around them. Fasten with pasta.
4. Dredge in flour, dip into the beaten egg and bread with panko. Repeat the process to double bread.
5. Preheat the oil to 170 degrees Celsius and double fry.

Directions: Onigiri Rice Balls

Make three rice balls, sprinkle each with a pinch of salt and decorate.
Penguin: Cut the nori sheet in an “M” shape and wrap the onigiri. Cut out the eyes from the remaining nori. Skewer the corn kernel with pasta and stick into the onigiri to make a nose.
Seal: Cut out the eyes, nose and whiskers from the nori.
Star: Cut the carrot into a star shape using a vegetable cutter.

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the pork belly, and cook for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the pork pork belly, discard the liquid and wash the outside of the pork to remove any scum.

3. Cut the pork belly into 2-inch cubes.

4. Wash out the pot and add the pork belly back in, along with the water, sake, soy sauce, sugar, salt, ginger, garlic and niboshi.

5. Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the pork is very tender (about 1 1/2 hours).

6. Let the pork cool completely in the stock and transfer to a sealable bag.

7. Skim off any excess oil and then strain the stock into the bag with the pork.

8. Peel the boiled eggs and drop them in the bag, along with the pork and then seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible.

9. Refrigerate overnight.

Directions: Turmeric Rice

1. Cook the ingredients as you would for white rice.

Directions: Curry Soboro

1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and ground meat.
2. When the onion is translucent, mix in the curry powder, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Curry-flavored Grilled Onigiri

1. Chop up 1 1/2 slices of cheese and mix together with Turmeric Rice and Curry Soboro.
2. Make three 80 g rice balls for the adult’s bento and two 60 g rice balls for the kid’s bento.
3. Grill (dry fry) in a pan.

Directions: Sauteed Mushrooms and Sausages with Lemon

1. Stir-fry the mushrooms and sausages and drizzle with lemon juice.

Directions: Sausage bunny decoration for kid’s bento

1. Cut the sausages into bite-size pieces.
2. Make a crisscross incision in each piece.
3. Skewer two pieces on a toothpick and use almond slices for the ears and nori for the eyes.

Directions

1. Add the 3S sauce and soy sauce to a frying pan that has a lid.

2. Bring the sauce to a boil and then add the beef, a few sheets at a time, cooking until it's just cooked through. Do not overcook or it will become tough.

3. Transfer the beef to a plate as it's done cooking. When you've cooked all the beef, return any collected juices back into the pan.

4. Add the napa cabbage, carrots, tofu, and shirataki noodles, cover with a lid and steam the vegetables until cooked though. Flip everything over once to ensure they're seasoned evenly.

5. When the vegetables are cooked, add the spinach, cover again and continue cooking until it's bright green and wilted.

Directions: Soy sauce-butter Pork

1. Dust the sliced pork with flour.
2. Melt some butter in a pan and sauté the pork until both sides are brown.
3. Drizzle soy sauce over the pork.

Directions: Wafu Sandwich

1. Cut the sliced bread in half.
2. Make an incision in each half to form a pocket.
3. Spread mayonnaise inside the pockets.
4. Stuff with lettuce, soy sauce-butter pork and other vegetables.

Directions: Pumpkin puppy decoration for kid’s bento

1. Parboil slices of pumpkin and cut into puppy faces.
2. Use nori for the nose and mouth.