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Got the late January blues? In my opinion, nothing chases away the shadows like a big, hot, tropical-flavored meal. That's why I'm making nasi lemak this Saturday night, as part of a Malaysian-themed dinner party (pineapple tarts will also be on the menu).
One of the staple dishes of Malaysian cuisine, nasi lemak is rice steamed with coconut milk and served (usually) with hard-boiled eggs, tiny anchovies, sambal (chili paste), sliced cucumbers and (occasionally) fried chicken. It's often served for breakfast at Malaysian street stalls, or sold cold and wrapped up in banana leaves as a quick on-the-go lunch. Nasi lemak is eaten with your fingers, as is traditional in Malaysia - most restaurants have a tea pot full of cold water and a bucket for pre- and post-meal washing.
The rice is soft and moist and rich with coconut milk, the sambal pungeant with chili and prawn paste. Cucumbers add coolness, peanuts and tiny anchovies (called ikan bilis) add crunch. Check out this recipe, at Rasa Malaysia.
To the beanpole dames in the magazines: You ain't it, Miss Thing! Give me a sister, I can't resist her. Red beans and rice didn't miss her!
The extent of my experience with red beans and rice is relegated to the world of Sir Mix-A-Lot and "Baby Got Back." (And Jonathan Coulton, although Richard Cheese, sadly neglects the red beans and rice part of the tune. Anyhow...) No in-person glimpses. No savory smells. No taste.
But I really think that needs to change, especially after seeing Simply Recipes' new post on Red Beans and Rice. I admit it -- I'm writing this post because Elise's post sent me into a flurry of Mix-A-Lot nostalgia, but I'm also salivating. I've never been so attracted to a plate of beans before. I might just have to brave the below-zero weather and get me some ham shanks tomorrow. And maybe some bigger underwear if this leads me to Sir Mix-A-Lot land.
Are there any red beans and rice recipes you go nuts for?
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
You don't get much simpler than this tri-colored donburi (Japanese stewed meal, served over rice) from Cooking Cute. As the author says, "there is something about the texture of the soft egg, chewy beef and crisp snowpeas, and the combination of salty and sweet...yum!" She's even included a recipe. Looks like more of a dinner bento, in my opinion, but I'm sure it would heat up nicely for lunch.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Here's another great kiddie bento, from Bento Corner. The little girl is made of tomatoes, kamaboko (fish cake), and quail egg with nori details. The rabbit is kamaboko with nori details. Both lay on a bed of rice. On the side is lotus root, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, yam cake and burdock root.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Aelith's Halloween bento includes an onigiri jack-o-lantern with nori face and squash stem stuffed with leftover carne guisado (stewed beef), a jack-o-radish with jarlsberg cheese, a cocoa roll with chocolate "bat" topping, and "fried goat thymus" (actually Korean dumplings).
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today's bento is a masterpiece of vari-colored rices. From Los Dragonnes' Reiko's Bento Lab stream, it features a turtle with a saffron-colored curry rice neck and feet, and a parsley rice shell with broccoli spots. The background is anchovy and salmon in purple potato flakes. On the side is a cupcake liner full of sesame chicken and some tofu mackarel cakes.
Part of the New York Time's Recipes for Health series, this risotto recipe can be made almost entirely with food found in the average American pantry: Canned tuna, chicken or vegetable stock, garlic, parsley, onion, anchovy fillets, canned tomatoes, white wine and frozen peas.
Risotto is one of my favorite weekday dinners. It's simple to make - just saute some onions and garlic, add rice, slowly stir in stock, then toss in whatever vegetables, meats or seafood float your boat. Though it is time-consuming - you have to stand over the stove stirring for about 20 minutes - I find it rather relaxing. My favorite variation involves sauteed button mushrooms and dried porcinis, but I'm going to have to try this tuna variation. I'd skip the peas (not a fan) and toss in some diced green peppers instead.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today's highly edible bento comes from Sugarfreak, who's dressed up a boring old bed of white rice with a happy Pikachu face and three tiny stars, all cut from a sheet of nori. Beneath the rice is a layer of carne asada; on the side is broccoli, a red bean bun, and leftover roasted chicken.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today's bento comes from Reiko's Bento Lab on Los Dragonnes' Flickr photostream. Miffy the Bunny is made from white rice with a nori mouth and black bean eyes. She sits atop a bed of red pepper and onion sauce covering a layer of curried mackarel fried rice. On the side are fish cakes and olives, and a salad of green potatoes and star-cut carrots.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today we've got another Sakurako Kitsa piece, an all-food rendering of a Japanese watercolor picture from the 1930s. A turkey woman with black food dye hair and face wears a kimono of mamenori (soy bean paper) with red food dye on a background of mozzarella. Behind her, mamenori sakura (cherry blossoms) with apple skin leaves drift through a sky of blue food coloring-dyed rice. On the side is a heart-shaped container of cranberries and edamame, a half a boiled egg with paprika, and sakura-shaped kamaboko (fish cake) dyed with pink food coloring.
I'm not sure I'd want to eat this, but I'd love to lacquer it and put it in a museum.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. The boxes can range from austere lacquered trays to multi-tiered Hello Kitty confections of neon pink plastic. The meals themselves are anything from rice and leftovers to elaborate themed affairs of Pikachu-shaped dumplings with sesame seed eyes and carved radish trees. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today's bento, from Mamichan, features three onigiri filled with ume (sour plum) and shiso (AKA Japanese basil). Does it say something about my psyche that all three nori faces look a little evil to me? On the side is some turkey bacon and carrot stir fry, sliced spring rolls, and roasted beet.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. The boxes can range from austere lacquered trays to multi-tiered Hello Kitty confections of neon pink plastic. The meals themselves are anything from rice and leftovers to elaborate themed affairs of Pikachu-shaped dumplings with sesame seed eyes and carved radish trees. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today's bento is super kawaii (cute) - just don't eat the plastic. Created by I Love Egg, it features an egg cat with nori whiskers, a heart-shaped onigiri, crab stick rolls, baby corn, carrots, gyoza, meatball, and homemade mochi (Japanese rice flour pastry, in this case filled with chocolate chips). The koala and turtle are presumably non-edible.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. The boxes can range from austere lacquered trays to multi-tiered Hello Kitty confections of neon pink plastic. The meals themselves are anything from rice and leftovers to elaborate themed affairs of Pikachu-shaped dumplings with sesame seed eyes and carved radish trees. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
Today's lovely bento, from Mimisimos, is a minimalist work of art. There are two onigiri (rice balls) with tuna salad and bits of nori, a line of cherry tomatoes, a nectarine with a blackberry in the center, and some extra tuna salad on lettuce with some sliced cucumbers. Lovely, highly edible, and healthy.
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. The boxes can range from austere lacquered trays to multi-tiered Hello Kitty confections of neon pink plastic. The meals themselves are anything from rice and leftovers to elaborate themed affairs of Pikachu-shaped dumplings with sesame seed eyes and carved radish trees. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
As seems appropriate for the beginning of September, today's bento features two Canada geese, courtesy of the ever-impressive Sakurako Kitsa. One mushroom and nori goose flies in a blue rice sky while the other swims in a dyed pear sauce lake with a couscous shoreline, surrounded by green bean and raw soba reeds. The sun is half of a yellow tomato.
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