July 1: Chicken with Ume & Shiso Bento

by HIKIFUNEKIRIO

When I first started living alone, the hardest part was figuring out lunch. Eating out was expensive, and convenience store meals got boring fast. That’s when I began making bento just for myself.

At first, it felt like such a hassle. But one day, I made chicken with ume (pickled plum) and shiso, and it turned out unexpectedly delicious. I remember thinking, “A bento can change my mood this much?”

It’s the kind of refreshing dish that’s perfect for a humid July morning. Even when you don’t have much of an appetite, it naturally makes you want to reach for your chopsticks. Today’s recipe captures that small discovery.

Bento Menu

Main Chicken with Ume & Shiso
Side 1 Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese rolled omelet)
Side 2 Stir-fried Bell Pepper with Dried Whitebait
Rice Plain white rice with yukari (perilla sprinkles), or shiso-mixed rice

📝 Ingredients (for 1 serving)

Main: Chicken with Ume & Shiso

  • 100–120g chicken thigh

  • 1 large umeboshi (pickled plum)

  • 2 shiso (perilla) leaves

  • 1 tsp soy sauce

  • 1 tsp mirin

  • A dash of sesame oil

Side 1: Dashimaki Tamago

  • 1 egg

  • 1 tsp white dashi

  • 1 tsp water

  • A little salad oil

Side 2: Stir-fried Bell Pepper with Whitebait

  • 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

  • 1 tbsp chirimen-jako (dried baby sardines)

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

  • White sesame seeds, to taste

  • A few drops of soy sauce

🔪 Directions

Main: Chicken with Ume & Shiso

  1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Remove the pit from the umeboshi and mash into a paste.

  2. In a bowl, mix chicken with ume paste, soy sauce, and mirin. Massage well and let sit for about 5 minutes.

  3. Julienne the shiso leaves. Heat sesame oil in a pan and cook the chicken until golden.

  4. Add the shiso just before finishing, let the aroma release, then remove from heat.

Side 1: Dashimaki Tamago

  1. Beat the egg, add white dashi and water, and mix.

  2. Cook in layers in a small frying pan, rolling into an omelet. Shape while warm.

Side 2: Stir-fried Bell Pepper with Whitebait

  1. Heat sesame oil in a pan and sauté the bell pepper.

  2. Add whitebait and lightly stir-fry, finishing with a dash of soy sauce.

  3. Sprinkle sesame seeds before serving.

🍚 Bento Assembly Tips

  • Sprinkle rice with yukari (perilla seasoning) or shiso furikake for both color and freshness.

  • Place chicken and omelet on opposite sides, with the stir-fried side dish in the middle for a balanced look.

📌 Cooking Notes

  • Ume and shiso add a refreshing touch, stimulate appetite, and even help preserve the food in hot weather.

  • Bell pepper with whitebait brings extra calcium and iron.

  • Marinate the chicken the night before for an easier morning.

Back to Bento, Lunch Box