Steps

1. Grate 1 clove of ginger.
   🕒 02:34
2. Make shallow cuts on the skin side of the 1/2 large chicken thigh (150g) to help it cook through and absorb flavor easily.
   🕒 02:46
3. In a bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cooking sake (rice wine), and the grated 1 clove of ginger. Mix well by rubbing.
   🕒 03:34
4. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan. Place the chicken skin-side down in the cold pan. Cover and steam-fry.
   🕒 03:57
5. While the chicken is cooking, cut 1 cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice thinly.
   🕒 05:17
6. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the sliced cucumber and rub. Let it sit for a while.
   🕒 05:57
7. Continue to cook the chicken, covered. Key Tip: Steaming with a lid helps prevent oil splatter and speeds up cooking.
   🕒 06:19
8. Line the bento box with your preferred amount of rice. Key Tip: While it's generally best to let bentos cool before packing, we're skipping this step for the 10-minute bento concept.
   🕒 06:51
9. Place torn pieces of 1/2 sheet of roasted seaweed on top of the rice.
   🕒 07:42
10. Once the chicken has a nice golden brown color, cover and cook until the inside is done.
    🕒 08:10
11. Squeeze out the moisture from the salt-cured cucumber firmly.
    🕒 08:53
12. Add 1/2 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tsp white sesame seeds to the squeezed cucumber and mix. (Add 1 tsp vinegar if desired).
    🕒 09:27
13. Arrange the cooked chicken on top of the rice and roasted seaweed in the bento box.
    🕒 10:37
14. Serve the salt-cured cucumber next to the chicken to complete the dish.
    🕒 12:11