This week Chi Chi made a bento box with Vienna sausage, cut out in the shape of a a crab (referred to as “Kani-san” or “Mr. Crab”). Our daughter is not a big fan of meat (like her mamma) so, Chi Chi finds ways to make it fun.

Crab shaped Vienna sausages are fun and easy to make for bento boxes

Making crab shaped Vienna sausage is actually pretty easy. You simply slice the sausage length wise, then make two little cuts on each end to make the legs. When the sausage is frying in the pan, the little legs curl up into the shape of a crab legs. Another shape Chi Chi likes to make out of Vienna sausage is octopus (“Tako-san” or “Mr. Octopus”). For that one, you cut the sausage down the middle, then make four snips on each end. I’ve posted a YouTube video in the comments if you want watch how to do this.

What’s in the box? We want to know what’s in the bento box!

When my kids were in preschool, they would do circle time show and tell. All of the items were hidden in a big box, and everyone would chant with much excitement and anticipation”what’s in the box? We want to know, what’s in the box! We have to oooopen!” Before I peek into Chi Chi’s bento boxes each week, I have this chant running through my mind. Now. do you want to know what’s in the box? We’ll here it its:

Bento boxes are packed with nutrition and fun

In our house, we live by the maxim that its good to have a little bit of everything in small quantities. One cannot live on broccoli alone, just as one cannot live on candy alone. This bento box embodies this concept perfectly. We have eggs, which some say are healthy (others disagree) with natto, which is full of gut healthy probiotics, fiber, b vitamins and plant based protein. This bento is also packed with healthy yaki soba with veggies like carrot, cabbage and green onion while also having . . . Vienna sausage. So, yes, processed meat but also veggies. Yin and yang.

Bento boxes are often made with ingredients that are pre-made

Bento boxes can appear very elaborate, as if it took hours to make. But, in reality it’s just about putting several small portions of things we already had in our refrigerator into the box. Sometimes these are dishes that are made ahead of time like in Chi Chi’s bento box with spinach gomaae and aspara-maki. Other times, he uses store-bought items like yaki soba which can be made in a few minutes. This box took just a few minutes to make.

Yaki Soba With Vienna Sausages

Recipe by Chi ChiCourse: Bento Boxes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• Yaki Soba

• 1 pre-packaged yaki soba noodle serving

• 1/4 sliced carrot

• 1 green onion

• 1/4 cup cabbage chopped

• 1 Vienna sausage

• 1 tbsp oil

• Natto Egg

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp natto

• 1 tsp oil

Directions

• To make the yaki soba, heat frying pan with oil, toss in carrot, onion, and cabbage. Pan fry for about 3 minutes, then add 1 yaki soba seasoning packet along with 1/4 cup of water. Stir until seasoning is mixed then add 1 packet of yaki soba noodles. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes then set aside in a bowl to cool down.
• To make the Kani-san (Mr. Crab) Vienna sausage, slice the sausage length wise, then make two little cuts on each end to make the legs (see video from Japan Culture posted in the comments for a quick tutorial). Then, add more oil to the same frying pan you made the yaki soba with, and pan fry sausage, about 2 minutes on each side.
• To make the natto egg, crack egg into a bowl, add natto and then whisk the egg and natto until the natto is throughly mixed into the egg. The natto is very sticky and clumps together. It will loosen up and mix into the egg after a bit of whisking. Heat a small frying pan with oil (I like to use a six inch cast iron skillet). Make sure the oil and the pan are hot, then add the natto egg mixture. Flip the egg once the top is bubbling and the sides are cooked (careful not to burn it). Remove natto egg from frying pan and cut into slices.
• Cool all of the ingredients down to about room temperature then add to bento box, strategically placing Kani-san on top of the Yaki-soba. Try to wait until lunch time to eat 🙂

Notes

• To watch how to make Vienna sausages into different shapes check out this video from Japan Culture