They use a partly wooden bento box. Probably like what they use in matchboxes as they are thin. The cover of the box is cardboard. They advertise that they have an environment-friendly bento box design. Hmmm. But they seem to still use a number of plastic bags when delivering. It’s an interesting concept nevertheless.

Taiwan sausage bento meal

Price: 78 Pesos
This has sweet Taiwan sausages which are fried and sliced. I like the sweetness of the sausages but I find it overwhelming. Too much of something is bad, that’s what people say. And I guess it’s true in the case of the Taiwan sausage. Good thing there are veggies and pickles to offset the sweetness. This is what I had last night.

Dang Dee classic bento

Price: 78 Pesos
This is something I haven’t eaten myself but my friends swear by it. It reminds me of asado in Chinese fast food. Especially because of the sauce.

Fried chicken bento

Price: 68 Pesos
Fried chicken wings – Got two pieces of them in the meal. I like the flavor but it’s a bit too oily for me. It’s filling though, that’s for sure. Maybe I’d try ordering again next time and see if it’s really that oily.

So yeah, maybe I really ought to try their Dang Dee classic. After all, they named the fast food after it!

Dang Dee Delivers!

We were being lazy earlier so we had food delivered at the office. Because we’re nearby, we got the food quickly. It took only probably 15 minutes. And they have free delivery XD When I want soemthing really filling on a budget, Dang Dee’s food is pretty good. Much better than buying from Ministop, except, well, if you’re hankering for fried chicken.

Dang Dee’s Fast Food:

Address: 200 Benavidez Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City

Number: 8080643, 8364188

Mobile: 09228080646

I was thinking of bringing lunch to work again but considering that where I am staying right now doesn’t have a stove, I had to find out other ways of cooking. Then I thought of cooking using the microwave! We don’t have a microwave oven at home so I never really had much experience cooking in it. I only searched for recipes online and how they did things then I went to the grocery the other night and got me some ingredients.

For the pasta, I used vegetable pasta. It tends to cook waaaay faster. Even faster than how whole wheat pasta cooks! Anyhow, I put some hot water in a microwavable container then put the amount of pasta I’d consume/fit in the container. I put the microwave on high heat for five minutes and when I took out the microwavable container, the pasta in it was already cooked! And it was the colorful kind of vegetable pasta so I found it really cute.

For the sauce, I put some tuna, oil, spaghetti sauce and mushroom bits in another container. I heated it for around 5 minutes. Then I mixed the pasta and the sauce and put them in my bento! Hooray!

As for the salad, I bought some greens and mixed in some tuna, mushroom bits, tomato slices and I had a small packet of thousand island dressing. It turned out nicely.

I can’t wait to prepare tomorrow’s bento!

Oh and look! I have a new bento bag

As usual, got it from Japan Home in Park Square 1

Veggie pasta with eggs – solo shot

Originally uploaded by happyeclair.
I saw some vegetable pasta in SM Supermarket last night. It was so colorful that I couldn’t resist buying them. Also saw McCormick Pesto mix and Garlic and Herbs. I bought the Garlic and herbs mix and used it with today’s pasta. I was supposed to put tuna instead of crabstick but I had to use the tuna for the rice balls. The crabstick’s taste is too mild. Next time I’d use chicken or tuna for the pasta.

I added egg slices so it wouldn’t look too boring.

Today I brought six riceballs. I put a bit of soy sauce and some tuna there. JP tasted one of them and he said that the taste of tuna was a bit faint so I need to add more.

Check out the riceballs here:

Panda watching over the bento. Or trying to steal it?!

Originally uploaded by happyeclair.
Or maybe he wants to eat it too :p

“Dog” is now the name of the panda plushie JM gave me. He suggested that name so that he’d be like my dog “Panda” – hehe. Confusing eh?

Today’s bento:

• For my sister: Kani sushi, onigiri and tamago sushi. I made a neko onigiri for her. And a triangle onigiri. (No pictures! Sorry! I delivered it to her workplace immediately… But she was happy to see the neko onigiri!)
• For JM: 3 onigiris (2 with panda faces, one smiling face), tamago sushi, kani sushi and cucumber.

  

• For me: 2 yakionigiri, tamagoyaki, kani sushi
  
  

We all had some of the star and bear fishballs. JM liked his bento. It was too little for him. He also ate a Gogo sandwich from KFC.

I like this tip about making your own sushi vinegar:

If you cannot find sushi vinegar, you can make your own. To make sushi vinegar, combine 1/3 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, and a dash of MSG (optional) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve everything and remove from heat.

Nice huh?

From Kitchencow, I got a recipe for korokke, which I should try soon! And in the comments part is a discussion for low carb substitutes and all those healthy tips. Sugoi!

As for making onigiri, I like the tip I found in one of the forums:

As for Onigiri, I usually use any rice, but the problem is you really need to stand some heat from the rice. If you can’t stand the heat of the rice on your hand, you may let the rice cool down first by turning off your rice cooker and let it stand for 15-30 minutes.

The first thing that you need is some seaweed, rice(of course), a bowl of salt water and things that you want to put it (crabstick, umeboshi or maybe some small prawns).

Make sure that you wash your hands before making this (hygiene purposes ^^)

First is to dip your hand on the salt water (Not a lot or else the rice may break), and then take some rice according to how big you want your onigiri to be. Then make a small round lump first. After making the lump, make a depression on the rice by using your thumb and press the lump. Put your things there (crabstick, umeboshi, prawn, etc). After that, cover it up using some rice and then add more and more rice till it is enough for you.

After getting the amount of rice, shape the onigiri slowly and turn it around as you shape it so that the heat won’t burn your palm. If you feel that it is too hot, dip your hand in the salt water and continue doing that again. After that, put some seaweed if you like by sticking it on the rice. Before doing that, put some rice on the seaweed and smash the rice so that it will become a paste form and then stick the seaweed to the rice. Stick as many as you like and then enjoy it with some miso soup.

I never really paid much attention to other sites as to the dipping the hand in salt water part. Actually this is the first time I’ve read it, I think.

Anyway, so the plan later is to make some onigiri, tamagoyaki and fry some of the fishballs that my sister bought from SM. I hope that the bento will turn out fine

PS: Found this link on making onigiri, including yakionigiri or fried onigiri!

For snacks, I brought crackers. There are two flavors of Skyflakes. Garlic and Onion. Both are yummy but the garlic one is more flavorful. My friend Kat brought me Pocky yesterday and I couldn’t resist bringing along a small packet with three pieces of it. Decorer Pocky! San kyu, Ne-chan!

The furoshiki I used for my bento today is also from Kat (a.k.a. Ne-chan, shortened form of Neko-chan). Kawaii ne? I really had to show off the sakura pattern! *giggle*

bento in furoshiki

bento

Tuna pasta and mini sandwiches

Originally uploaded by happyeclair.

For today’s bento, I prepared whole wheat fusili then tuna and mushrooms. Spicy tuna is perfect! Forgot to add cheese but I was in a hurry to look for cheese in the house.

The mini sandwiches consist of whole wheat (!!!) bread, home-made tuna spread and scrambled egg. The mini jelly (from Shopwise) has a hint of strawberry taste.

This is a quickly made bento, all things considered. Not much slicing and all. Not much color either. But it was really yummy!

Salted duck egg, okra and a tuna sandwich

Originally uploaded by happyeclair.

Bento date: April 19, 2007

The combination of okra, salted duck egg and tomato chunks are common in the Philippines. They could be the main viands or just a side dish. In my case, I had them as the main viand.

For dinner, I made a tuna sandwich and included some tomatoes and lettuce on the side. I am trying to be more healthy, you see. That’s why I try to lessen the rice I eat.

Pasta, Bunny Apples and Bread Sticks with Tinapa Pate

Originally uploaded by happyeclair.

This was an experimental bento for me. I made tinapa pasta that was good for five people. The only time I made tinapa pasta, I intended it to be eaten by only two to three people. Anyway, I used whole wheat fusili. It was cooked in boiling water for 7 minutes. (It was said in the pack that cooking time is 7 minutes.) I sauteed some garlic in olive oil, then added the quartered cherry tomatoes (thanks to Chelle!). Prior to all that, I already prepared the tinapa strips (slivers, whatever you call them) from the tinapang bangus I bought from the Salcedo Park bazaar that weekend. A dash of salt and pepper were added – for extra flavor. Besides, I love pepper! I added some tomato sauce too because I realized that I had much pasta to mix…

I attempted to make bunny apples too. I am so glad that a Google search gave me instructions on how to make them. My co-workers were amused with the bunnies!

The bread sticks were yummy. The small packet I got from Shopwise Cubao was just enough to fill my bento box’s lower tier. Tinapa pate was there as dip. Owie loved the tinapa pate. He found it addicting.

Anyhow, this bento was nice. JM loved the tinapa pasta. I think everyone did. I hope to make better tinapa pasta. I really must learn how to add garnish to it.

Bento date: April 16, 2007

Fruits: Ponkan and Apple chunks

Originally uploaded by happyeclair.

Ponkan and apples – a healty snack!

I packed this in my bento box that has an icepack. Someone in the LJ Community bentolunch

The bento box that comes with an icepack is a purchase from Japan Home in Park Square 1. It was just PhP 88.