Friday 16 March 2012

{Lunchbox} Aglio e Olio and Homemade Teriyaki Chicken

Since this week is the March School Holiday break, I have more control over the timing and presentation while preparing our lunch menu. Here we have something different from our usual school day lunch where I spent an extra 15 minutes plating up the dish in cute lunchbox with appealing decorations.

I think most of the kids might not like green vegetables, sweetcorn or even root vegetables such as carrot or onion. So in order to get kid's enjoy their meal, as a parent we can make something appealing for their eyes using simple tools and decorations. With a flower food cutter and cute food picks I managed to come out with this quick and simple lunchbox which I am sure even the adults can't resists having some for themselves too.


Sometime back I have received these awesome Bento Accessories from Charlene's(missuchewy) mum whom bought them as a gift for my boy. Indeed these accessories comes in handy as well add bonus to my bento accessories collections too (read more HERE). Just for your information, you can get these cute items in Singapore Daiso depending on their outlet(s) and availability.


AGLIO E OLIO AND TERIYAKI CHICKEN


This is my quick and easy Aglio e Olio(kid's version) ready in less than 15 minutes time. I have hidden the blanched bok choy underneath the spaghetti to diverse the kid's attention on having greens in their meal, instead I decorate it with carrot flowers and a little knot of bok choy at the side.


Chinese version of this post and recipe is available at "宝贝的假日便当" link HERE.

(Serve: 1 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
1 Serving of Spaghetti
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Parsley, optional
6 Thin Slices of Carrot
1 Stalk of Bok Choy, trim into leaflet
1/4 Portion of Sweetcorn, optional
1 Boneless Chicken Maryland
1.5 Tablespoons of Mizkan Teriyaki Sauce


Method:-
1. Cook carrot and sweetcorn in boiling water(with pinch of salt and some oil) for about 5 minutes. Remove carrot after 2 minutes, rinse with water before using a flower shape cookie/food cutter to cut out the shapes.

2. Next use a drinking straw to stamp out small round shapes in the middle of the carrot slices in order to stuff in the corn kernel to resemble flowers.

3. Using the same boiling water blanched bok choy(I reserve the middle portion of the bok choy to act as a decoration instead of trimming all into leaflets)  for about 30 seconds, remove, rinse with cold water, drain well and arrange it at the base of the bento box.

4.With a new fresh pot of boiling water, add in pinch of salt and cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions till soften.

5. Meanwhile heat up another frying pan with 1 teaspoon of oil, saute the prepared chicken(marinate chicken with 1 teaspoon of cornflour, cooking wine, ground black pepper and dash of light soy sauce for at least 5 minutes) with skin-side down for about 5 minutes on medium low heat or till skin became golden brown.

6. Flip over and cook for another 3 - 4 minutes until meat is cooked through. Add in teriyaki sauce and simmer over low heat for another 1 minutes before removing pan from heat.

7. Rinse the pan, clean dry. Heat up 1/2 tablespoon of oil and saute minced garlic and parsley till slightly brown and fragrant. Stir in the cooked spaghetti, season with salt(optional) and toss till combined.


8. Lastly plate up the spaghetti and chicken into the bento box, decorate it with the prepared carrot flowers and serve immediately.


If too much fried food became one of your concern for your kid's diet, perhaps you could try this pan-fry/grilled Teriyaki Chicken which taste great with it's tender and juicy meat and it also makes a great combination with the bok choy underneath as well as the kid's version Aglio e Olio.

5 comments:

  1. charlene's mom is so sweet! and this looks good and easy to make, which is a plus!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cute bento and love Teriyaki chicken!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow so many Japanese bento products! I'll be making bento from this fall and I have to say I'm super nervous!!!! This is such a cute bento - I need all inspiration from you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wowow! Nami can't wait to see your bento! I bet they will be super cute and super creative :) More to learn from you too!

      Delete

Dear All,

Thanks for leaving down your comments. I do value each and every of your suggestion(s) or comment(s) so if you are signing off as Anonymous, please kindly leave your Name so that I could address you. Thanks

Lastly, please DO NOT SPAM as Spam comments will be deleted immediately.

Regards
Ellena (Cuisine Paradise)

ShareThis