The Spring 2010 Bento Contest

As most of you are aware of, the season of spring has just arrived! The flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, the rivers are flowing and the smell of... spring is here! =) And some of you may need to stock up on your anti-histamines too. [Remember that if you're doing work esp. dealing with vehicles and machineries please always ask for non-sedating ones!]

Anyways, back to my post...

SPRING

BENTOS

SPRING 2010 BENTO CONTEST

I'm very excited to join this contest! I read about it from Just Bento a few days ago and started cracking my head, but never got around telling you this cause I had been so drenched in stress from uni work. I beg you to forgive me *bows 90 degrees*

Anyways, I had always been a fan of bentos! Firstly, IT'S SO FREAKIN' CUTE!!! How could you possibly eat it?!? And it's like a diet? Not in a way of limiting you from eating certain foods, but all in controlling our portions. So, not only it's visually tantalizing, it's also very healthy for you with the balanced nutrients in them... packed so compactly too *squeals*

Honestly, I have never got about making bentos because I'm lazy, I'm not a good planner, I like to procrastinate, I'm just a student staying in a rented place with limited utensils or more like a limited kitchen.... so, I thought I should have a try at this! I mean if you just look at the prizes to be won? It's very very tempting for someone like me. I decided to go with a bento which is healthy and easy to fix for even a poor student with a limited kitchen.

I figured I shall follow the contest details strictly as I'm a lousy planner and decision-making isn't really my forte.

• Theme: Spring! I shall need to create a spring-themed, balanced and healthy bento which thank goodness does not have to be a charaben! Well, a simple-minded person like me could only think of blooming flowers to reflect spring.
  
• Photo:
  

I submitted this photo! The only photo I took with flash... =P *hopes that it's clear*


The many angles I took without flash. =)


Whadcha think? A good photo of it or maybe... the photo just don't do it any justice cause my bento is da bomb! (Hahaha.. excuses I can come up for defending my very first bento)

• Next, I needed to include a description. Let's see... few years ago, I cooked a japanese meal together with my bffs (of course, v and h were present) at my house. It was definitely memorable. I got complimented by v with my latent talent of flipping the egg. We misinterpreted the recipe for 3 cups of uncooked rice instead of 3 cups of rice? Ended up with a LOT of rice. Cause we doubled the recipe too.... yeah yeah laugh all you want =P. IT was my first time cooking omurice (omelette rice) and it was delicious. *blushes* I had great company too. Thus, unforgettable... and it makes me wonder when would be the next time we'll get to do it again? *sighs* Anyways, I suddenly thought of making omurice onigiris! omugiri? omu-omu? Hahahaha can't think of a suitable name for it. Hmmm.. then I could make one fully bloomed flower! Then, as it has to be a healthy bento... a salad is needed! I needed some greens too. Thus, the idea of the egg holding the dipping sauce (mayo) for the vege sticks around my omugiris. I'm really sure it's hard to tell from the photo and it was hard to take a photo of the process too xD So, I made this simplified diagram of the "centre of my flower! I hope it's understandable; I'm bad at drawing diagrams.

Well, I'll need to fix this diagram... i needed to cut the yolk into a flat circle instead... not much mayo could fit.. but hey! It's supposed to be a healthy bento, so say no to too much mayo! ^^

Hmm... is my description too long winded? Here's the summary, I made this bento thinking about my old friends for my lunch break. It's simple and pretty. Anyone can make it. It's yummy too besides being healthy.

[Oh yea, to those who are wondering what's omurice? You need to watch Lunch No Joou (Lunch Queen) It's a great jdorama! I mean look how it drove me and my friends craving badly for omurice and demiglass sauce?]

• Since there is a limit: One entry per contestant, they had advised to take our time choosing our best creation. I really had. Doing this on the same day as the last day is just outrageous!
  

All that's left for me to do now is to put my hands together and pray for the best outcome of it!