Original: English

Chicken Tsukune Bento

This is a recipe for a freezer-friendly bento box that's ready to eat in minutes with just a microwave. This Chicken Tsukune Bento features flavorful chicken meatballs, scrambled eggs, and stir-fried komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) with shimeji mushrooms, all served over rice. It's a satisfying yet healthy meal, perfect for busy lunches or dinners. A cheap, delicious, and convenient option!

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Divide rice (enough for 3 'gou') into freezer-safe containers. Let it cool down to room temperature. Aim for approximately 180-200g of rice per container.
🕒 00:56
Pat the surface of 150g firm tofu dry with paper towels, then place it in a bowl.
🕒 01:24
Add 250g ground chicken, 2 tbsp potato starch, and 1/4 tsp salt to the bowl. Mash the tofu and mix everything thoroughly.
🕒 01:33
Chill the meat mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use.
🕒 01:45
Trim 1cm from the root of 100g komatsuna and chop it into 1cm pieces.
🕒 01:49
Trim the woody end from 100g shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
🕒 01:57
In a bowl, combine 3 eggs, [C] 1 tsp potato starch, [C] 1 tsp water, [C] 1 tsp sugar, [C] 1 tbsp mayonnaise, and [C] 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk well until combined. (Key Tip!) Mixing the seasonings and potato starch with water into the eggs will result in fluffy and delicious scrambled eggs even after freezing.
🕒 02:04
Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
🕒 02:28
Pour the whisked egg mixture into the hot pan and scramble it by stirring and breaking it up with chopsticks.
🕒 02:38
Cook until the eggs are crumbly, then transfer them to a bowl.
🕒 02:51
Add oil to the same frying pan and heat over medium heat.
🕒 02:57
Add the shimeji mushrooms and the tough stems of the komatsuna and stir-fry.
🕒 03:02
Once they start to soften, add the komatsuna leaves, [B] 1 tsp soy sauce, [B] 1/2 tsp sugar, and [B] 1/2 tsp dashi powder. Stir-fry to combine.
🕒 03:12
Continue to stir-fry until the moisture has evaporated. Season with [B] pinch of salt at the end. (Key Tip!) A slightly stronger seasoning will taste better when combined with rice. Evaporating the moisture prevents the rice from becoming soggy after freezing.
🕒 03:25
Transfer the finished stir-fry to a bowl.
🕒 03:40
Wash the frying pan, add oil, and heat over medium heat.
🕒 03:47
Take the meat mixture out of the refrigerator. Use a spoon to divide it into 15 portions, shape them into flattened circles, and place them in the frying pan.
🕒 03:55
Cook until browned on one side.
🕒 04:10
Flip the patties, cover the pan, and steam-grill over low-medium heat for 2 minutes.
🕒 04:15
After steaming, add [A] 2 tbsp soy sauce, [A] 2 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine), and [A] 1 tbsp sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook while stirring, allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the chicken tsukune.
🕒 04:32
Once the sauce has reduced and coated the tsukune, they are ready.
🕒 04:46
On top of the cooled rice in each container, add one-fifth of the scrambled eggs.
🕒 04:57
Next, add one-fifth of the komatsuna and shimeji mushroom stir-fry to each container.
🕒 05:02
Finally, arrange the chicken tsukune in a single layer on top.
🕒 05:11
Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds (to taste) over the tsukune, and your bento is complete.
🕒 05:16
Cover the containers and freeze. Consume within approximately 3 weeks.
🕒 05:26
To reheat, place the lid diagonally or cover with plastic wrap if it's microwave-safe. Heat in a 600W microwave for 4.5 to 5.5 minutes, or until heated through. (Key Tip!) Frozen rice can become dry when reheated, so be sure to microwave it. (Key Tip!) The safest way to transport and consume this meal to minimize food poisoning risk is to keep it frozen with an ice pack and microwave it just before eating.
🕒 05:33