The food
A bento is based on the Japanese everyday meal. That is, rice bowl in one hand, eating it chopstickful by chopstickful together with bites of many small dishes, served in many small bowls. Each dish is made to taste, look and feel different, while still complementing each other and the rice. The very simplest example is one bowl each of rice, miso soup, grilled vegetables and pickles to eat with the rice. Even though there are a few elements, each can be made very simply (and often appreciating the natural form and flavour of each main ingredient). But, as you may have guessed – there’s a lot of washing up!