It smells so good.

Today on BENTO EXPO, we're joined again by chef and culinary consultant,

Takahashi Yoshiro, or Chef Yoshi.

Hello everyone, I'm glad to be back.

Chef Yoshi is also an athlete who competes in global triathlons.

Today, he's going to show us how to make a citrus teriyaki pork bento

that'll help recharge you after a workout.

We love bento!

(The Global Lunchbox 9-2)

Let's start with a look at a couple of the wonderful bentos

submitted through our website.

First, from Singapore, a 3D rabbit bento that really pops.

Now, I'm going to show you how I make my bento. Stay tuned.

Okay, great!

Shirleen starts by shaping rice into the shape of a donut.

Then, she places the pear-shaped "onigiri,"

and adds on some ears to make... a rabbit!

She packs some veggies along with miso-marinated fish and boiled egg,

and then she fills out the bento with colorful veggies.

Now, back to her rabbit.

We'll put some dark soy sauce, and start painting.

Shirleen avoids painting the eyes to give her rabbit depth.

She also shades the backdrop for even more depth,

and finishes it with some nori for the eyes and nose.

Like the rabbit is going to come out from the cage.

Wow, the rabbit looks like it's popping out of its burrow

into a beautiful forest.

This bento is inspired by my rabbits.

It surely will brighten my girl's day.

Enjoy, Elicia.

How's the food?

Nice.

We love bento!

Next, from Taiwan,

a bento packed with the family's favorite foods.

The bento dishes include kung pao chicken and soy sauce egg fried rice.

Kung pao chicken is a sweet and spicy comfort food in Taiwan.

Ava stir-fries chicken with chili peppers, garlic, and...

Roasted peanuts.

Peanuts are the defining feature of kung pao chicken.

She also adds a sweet and tangy soy sauce-based glaze to coat the chicken.

To finish it off, she adds scallions for a pop of color and flavor.

It looks good!

To go with this, Ava makes some fried rice

that's loaded with egg and veggies.

Then, she finishes it off with a drizzle of soy sauce and stir-fries it.

I started making bento for my family

because I wanted my family to eat healthier.

It's such a flavorful bento.

And today, Ava's made four of them for a family picnic.

So, how is it?

The chicken is very tender.

The fried rice is very delicious.

Yeah, so yummy.

We love bento!

It's time to get started on our bentos.

Okay.

Welcome back, Chef Yoshi.

Hello, everyone! I'm Takahashi Yoshiro.

Chef Yoshi is a culinary consultant

who's known for his easy and delicious recipes.

But, he's also an athlete that competes in global triathlons.

You use lots of energy when you exercise.

I have a bento that will bring your energy levels back up.

- Let's do it.
- Yes.

So, tell me what you've got planned for today.

I'm going to make citrus teriyaki pork bento

that will charge you up.

That sounds great.

Chef Yoshi's bento contrasts tangy pink grapefruit

with rich pork belly and sweet and savory teriyaki sauce

for a refreshing take on classic teriyaki.

He starts by preparing the pork belly.

First, cut the pork into three to four-centimeter slices

and blanch in hot water.

Okay, so you're not going to cook it through all the way.

No, this is to remove the excess fat and make it healthier,

and also to make the slices easy to separate.

This keeps the pork from being overcooked.

Pork fat is tasty, so you just want to remove the excess.

This looks good.

Now let's see how he supremes the grapefruit.

Cut off the peel to the point where you just see the fruit.

It smells so good.

This boosts your appetite even when you feel worn out after exercise.

To get the fruit out,

cut along the membrane to make a V-incision.

Just like this.

I see.

And this refreshing grapefruit is going to go great with the rich pork belly.

Such an easy technique.

Next, he prepares the sauce.

Let's make a special teriyaki sauce.

Great.

I combine soy sauce, mirin, and water

to lighten the color of the sauce.

Then honey and ginger, which go great with the grapefruit.

Then a bit of grated garlic and salt.

And lastly, flour to thicken the sauce.

It smells great, doesn't it?

Yeah, the spice from the ginger and the garlic.

And there you have it, my special teriyaki sauce.

That was easy.

That's it for the prep.

I'm starving, so let's fry them up.

Great, let's do it.

With some olive oil,

stir-fry the blanched pork and sliced onion until the onion softens.

I bet those onions are going to add a really natural sweetness to this.

Exactly.

Let's add the grapefruit.

Wow, look at that color.

It makes the dish look delicious.

Then, add our special teriyaki sauce.

It smells so good!

I love it.

It's so simple.

And because you've blanched that pork belly,

it cooks through super quickly.

And once the sauce thickens...

My citrus teriyaki pork is done.

Great.

To go with this, he makes a mixed rice

with canned tuna, edamame and walnuts

for a colorful and protein-packed onigiri.

Chef Yoshi packs his teriyaki pork with a boiled egg,

and a colorful variety of fruits and veggies.

Marc, here is my bento.

Wow, that's stunning.

I love the contrast of colors. It looks delicious.

Thank you. Try it.

That pork belly is savory, flavorful and rich.

And when you bite into the grapefruit,

you get that burst of juice that's tangy and refreshing.

It's such a good combination. I love this.

Thank you.

Try some onigiri.

It's super rich in protein and carbs.

It's got so much flavor from the tuna,

but I also love how you've added textures there

with the walnut, and the edamame.

When you're worn out after exercise,

this will charge you right up.

Yeah, it's a great recovery bento.

It's easy to make and packed with textures and nutrients to charge you back up.

So Marc, what do you plan to make for us?

Well, I'm going to be using pork belly too,

but I'm going to be combining it with kimchi

and garlic chives to make pork kimchi "don"

that's packed with vitamins and protein.

I love pork kimchi don.

Oh, great.

Pork and kimchi stir-fry is easy to make and loaded with flavor,

which makes it perfect for serving as a rice bowl, or packing into bento.

I'm using "nappa" cabbage kimchi today.

And to prepare it, I start by squeezing out the juices.

It smells good.

Yeah, it does, doesn't it?

Kimchi is a lacto-fermented pickle that's savory, spicy and a little bit tangy.

It's a great way to perk up your appetite when you're feeling tired.

I can't wait.

Be sure to save the juices because we're going to use it later.

Now, chop the garlic chives into three to four-centimeter strips.

We're also going to season the pork belly with soy sauce and sake

before coating it with potato starch to help it stay tender and juicy.

- It's time to stir-fry.
- Yeah, let's do it!

Yup, and I'm going to go in with my marinated pork belly.

I see the fat melting.

Exactly, so now we're going to go ahead and add our squeezed kimchi in here.

And because we've squeezed out the juices,

this kimchi is going to brown up really nicely on the outside.

The kimchi is infused with pork fat,

so I bet it's extra tasty.

Such a good combination.

Add the garlic chives and toss them in.

All right. And then we're going to go in with our kimchi juice.

The great thing about kimchi is that it's got so much flavor,

you don't really need to add any other seasoning.

- Super versatile.
- Exactly.

And as soon as that sauce has thickened up, our kimchi pork is done.

Wow!

I pack this over rice with boiled egg for extra protein.

So, what do you think?

Perfect.

The red color stimulates the appetite.

And it's packed with protein and other nutrients

that will definitely charge you up.

- Oh, great.
- Itadakimasu.

It goes great with rice!

A perfect fusion of kimchi and pork fat.

You could eat a lot, even if you're worn out.

What a great bento.

I love it.

I'm glad you liked it.

I packed a separate box with fruit for a sweet treat at the end.

It's a bento that'll kick start your appetite,

and put a smile on your face.

Today, Chef Yoshi and I made easy and delicious bentos using pork

to help your body recover after a workout.

So, we hope you'll... give them a try!

Bento Topics.

Today, from Thailand, where canals and waterways

have played a major role in daily lives since long ago.

About 80 kilometers from the capital Bangkok,

is a traditional floating market.

Vendors offer everything from locally grown tropical fruits,

to mouthwatering dishes of food prepared on board.

The one-of-a-kind shopping experience attracts tourists from all over.

Smile!

One of the most popular dishes is this local specialty.

Rice topped with chicken, blood curd, shrimp and more.

Delicious!

It's based on a traditional recipe. A specialty for over 30 years.

Ton rows his boat at this market.

He's been rowing boats for tourists for the past 16 years.

My customers speak different languages.

It's fun meeting people from other cultures.

Ton's house is right by the river.

He's lived in this house his whole life.

He lives with ten family members, and his pet dog.

His wife and mother always prepare a bento for him to take to work.

His mother's specialty is "nam phrik."

Nam phrik is a spicy sauce that's a staple in Thai cuisine.

It's made by pounding and grinding dried chili,

shrimp paste, lemongrass and other spices in a stone mill.

My parents taught me how to make nam phrik.

The recipe is being handed down to Ton's wife.

She grinds the ingredients for 15 minutes to bring out the aroma.

It's made of stone, so it's hard work.

It's heavy.

It's worth it to form the taste of home.

Smells good.

Now, it's time for a stir-fry.

They add nam phrik, homemade coconut sugar,

pork and green beans for a fragrant combination.

The sweet and spicy dish boosts the appetite even in hot weather.

Delicious!

Next, they stir-fry boiled eggs and pork with soy sauce.

This is then simmered in a soup seasoned with Chinese five spice.

The sweet and spicy soup goes great over rice.

A hearty bento for a hardworking man.

These are all my husband's favorite dishes.

Nothing beats the taste of homemade food.

Ton looks forward to his bento break.

Looks delicious.

I grew up eating this, so of course I love it.

An energy boost after a hard morning's work.

We love bento!

Bye-bye.

Chef Yoshi, thank you so much for sharing your pork and pink grapefruit bento.

It was so refreshing.

Thank you.

And I really enjoyed your pork kimchi don.

I'm happy to hear it.

We're looking forward to seeing your bento submissions on BENTO EXPO's website,

or come check out some of the great bento ideas.

Well, that's all the time we have for today,

but we hope you'll join us again here soon on BENTO EXPO.

- See you again.
- Bye.