The Bento Lunchbox: Delicious Japanese Box Lunches in 30 Minutes or Less, written by Sachiko Horie, features a vibrant collection of over 125 easy recipes with detailed, step-by-step instructions and variations for every season. A few highlights include Bentos for Young Children, Bentos for Teenagers, Curry Pilaf Bento, Beef Bowl Bento, and Omelet-Wrapped Yakisoba Bento. I will also be sharing her recipe for Mini Pork Cutlets following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Tuttle Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
The Bento Lunchbox was originally published in Japan in 2022 and was translated into English by Makiko Itoh.
Sachiko Horie
Sachiko Horie is a trained nutritionist, food coordinator, culinary artist, and author with a focus on balanced lunches for both kids and adults. She worked at the Yoko Sukenari Culinary Arts School, then started her own business and now regularly appears in the media.
She is also the author of 3 Dishes in 15 Minutes! A Month of Super Shortcut Low-Carb Dinners, Cute Cutouts for Grownups, and more.
The Bento Lunchbox
Sachiko begins The Bento Lunchbox with a short introduction on how to prepare bento and everything you need to get started.
She covers basic tools with portion sizing, ingredient notes, food safety, planning a menu with key elements for balance, preparing items ahead of time for efficiency, and packing it all up with visual guides along the way.
The book is divided into three sections: Main Dishes; Side Dishes; and Rice, Noodles & Bread. There are also smaller chapters based on type of ingredient and even food color. The contents page has a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
The photography is provided by Misa Nakagaki. Every single recipe is paired with at least one photo. There are also a few step-by-step photos demonstrating specific techniques such as stir-frying Ginger Pork, forming a Japanese Rolled Omelet, and wrapping Onigiri.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English. Each recipe has a short headnote with background information, yield (generally one portion, occasionally two or more), serving ideas, calories per serving, cooking time, make ahead options, and storage information.
Mini Pork Cutlets
These Mini Pork Cutlets from the Main Dishes section were such a fun lunch option for the whole family. They also come together in minutes with minimal prep.
Simply cut a thin slice of pork into 4 equal, bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, and corn (or potato) starch. Coat with flour, egg, and panko to form an even breading, then fry in oil until crisp and golden.
I served the Mini Pork Cutlets as a part of a larger bento with rice, shredded cabbage, halved cherry tomatoes, half of a hard-boiled egg (I had it leftover after making the Ramen Bento below), and Tonkatsu sauce.
Sachiko mentions you can prepare the pork cutlets in the breading ahead of time, then freeze until needed. Fry straight from the freezer for a quick and easy meal.
A Few Mini Pork Cutlet Tips
For the pork, I used pre-sliced (about 1/3 inch, 8.5 millimeter) pork loin.
After coating the pork in flour, shake off as much excess as possible. Too much flour will cause the coating to separate completely from the meat.
If doubling or tripling this recipe and frying in batches, remove any leftover pieces of panko in the oil. These will continue to darken and may create a burnt taste for the remaining pieces.
Avoiding pork? This recipe can also be made with chicken to make Chicken Katsu.
Panko (パン粉) are coarse Japanese breadcrumbs. These larger pieces absorb less oil compared to finer breadcrumbs, creating a crisp, light coating for the cutlets. I have been able to find panko in larger grocery stores and markets with Japanese ingredients.
If not available, you can substitute by making your own with a recipe for homemade Panko by Chopstick Chronicles.
More Bento Ideas
I also made Honey Lemon Cherry Tomatoes, Baked Miso-Mayo Shiitake Mushrooms, Miso and Cheese Rice Ball, and Noodles with Miso Dipping Sauce Bento.
The Honey Lemon Cherry Tomatoes were a perfect side to use up some leftover cherry tomatoes we had on hand. They are coated in a light lemon juice and honey coating and just a bit of salt to bring everything together.
The Baked Miso-Mayo Shiitake Mushrooms in the Side Dishes chapter were my personal favorite. Shiitake mushroom caps are coated with miso, topped with mayonnaise, and baked until browned and bubbly.
I also loved the assortment of Onigiri, especially the Miso and Cheese Rice Ball. Freshly cooked rice is formed into a triangle, coated with miso and shredded pizza cheese, then toasted until the cheese is melted.
The kids decided on the Noodles with Miso Dipping Sauce Bento. Ramen noodles are cooked just until tender, tossed with sesame oil, and assembled in a bento with blanched spinach, thinly sliced pork belly, and half of a hard-boiled egg. It is all paired with a seasoned miso broth for dipping.
The Bento Lunchbox is a wonderful pick for those interested in quick and easy make-ahead lunch recipes. Most of the recipes come together in minutes and can be prepared in advance, often using pantry staples. Options range from meat and seafood to vegetables, rice, bread, and noodles.
Many of the ingredients can be found in larger American grocery stores. Having a Japanese or East Asian market nearby will be helpful in locating items such as aonori, chuno sauce, aburaage, various mushrooms, bonito flakes, tarako, beni shoga, daikon radish, konnyaku, komatsuna, sakura ebi, and more.
Mini Pork Cutlets Recipe
Excerpt from The Bento Lunchbox
Mini Pork Cutlets
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (100 grams) thinly sliced pork
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch
- flour for coating
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut the pork into four small pieces.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper and starch in that order.
- Form into four equal patties.
- Coat the patties with flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in that order.
- Heat 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of oil in a small skillet to 355˚F (180˚C).
- Fry the patties until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
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