Shumai Bento – Particular bento field with shumai

Within the numerous culinary panorama of Japan, the place conventional and fashionable flavors seamlessly mix, the Shumai Bento stands out as a pleasant merger of comfort and style. This single-portion meal-in-a-box elevates the standard shumai—steamed dumplings usually crammed with a savory combination of pork and seasonings—right into a balanced, aesthetically pleasing eating expertise excellent for these on the go. Suppose you’ve questioned how a staple from dim sum tables has discovered a comfy house in Japanese bento containers. In that case, you’ll wish to preserve studying to unwrap the scrumptious particulars.

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What’s Shumai bento?

A “Shumai Bento” can be a bento field (a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal widespread in Japanese delicacies) that options shumai as one in all its most important gadgets. A typical Shumai Bento contains a number of items of shumai, rice, pickled greens, and different aspect dishes like tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) or some type of protein like grilled fish or hen. It has 8 bowl-shaped rice, 5 shumai, and 9 sorts of aspect dishes corresponding to fried hen and pickled tuna. 

Shumai (or “shao mai” in Chinese language) is a conventional Chinese language dumpling widespread in different elements of East Asia, together with Japan. In Japan, locals usually made shiumai with floor pork and minced onion filling, seasoned with soy sauce and different spices, and wrapped in a skinny, spherical dough sheet. Japanese shumai is often steamed and served with soy sauce and mustard for dipping.

Shumai bento Historical past

Shumai Bento was born in 1954, the yr after the novel grew to become a film. The historical past of shumai in Japan is intently tied to Kiyoken, an organization based in 1888 in Yokohama, which is famend for popularizing one of these dumpling within the nation. Whereas shumai initially hails from China, it grew to become a beloved meals merchandise in Japan, particularly after Kiyoken launched its model of shumai. This occurred within the early Twentieth century when Yokohama was a big port metropolis bustling with worldwide commerce, together with heavy interactions with China.

Kiyoken’s recipe for shumai was developed to swimsuit Japanese palates. It grew to become particularly widespread as a memento or “ekiben” for vacationers, cementing the concept of shumai being a key part in bento containers in Japan. The recognition of Kiyoken’s shumai bento took off, significantly within the mid-Twentieth century, and it has maintained its place as a culinary icon in Yokohama and all through Japan.

Kiyoken’s model of the shiumai bento usually contains shumai dumplings paired with different elements like rice, pickled greens, and extra proteins. Over time, Kiyoken has additionally launched variations of the traditional shumai recipe. Nonetheless, its unique shumai continues to be a beloved selection. The introduction of shiumai into bento tradition by Kiyoken was a game-changer, making it a preferred, handy choice for vacationers and busy individuals alike.

What’s Kiyoken?

“Kiyoken Co., Ltd.” is an organization that manufactures and sells station lunches and operates eating places, with its head workplace positioned in Nishi-ku, Yokohama Metropolis, Kanagawa Prefecture. Kiyoken’s most well-known ekiben is the Shiumai Bento, one of many best-selling in Japan. It’s no exaggeration to say that everybody within the Yokohama space is aware of about this bento, with shumai as the primary aspect dish and aspect dishes corresponding to fried hen, tamagoyaki, boiled kamaboko, and bamboo shoots.

Altering of contents of the shumai bento

As followers who’ve been consuming it for a very long time may have observed, the contents of the shumai bento have modified fairly a bit over the previous 50 years. Let’s decide up the details. 1974 Shiumai, the main characters, elevated from 4 to 5. This yr, the fried meals that began with fried shrimp has modified to fried scallops, and shiitake mushrooms have been added. The age of shiitake mushrooms was surprisingly brief, and from 1988 to 1997, locals included fried lotus roots. The grilled fish, yellowtail teriyaki on the time of sale, modified to tuna teriyaki round 1963 and remains to be getting used in the present day. Deep-fried hen, an ordinary dish, appeared in 1992 (Heisei 4). However, Fukujinzuke, indispensable at its launch, disappeared in 1981 (Showa 56).
That is the lineup of “Shiumai Bento” presently on sale. 5 items of “conventional shumai,” fried hen, teriyaki tuna, omelet, kamaboko, boiled bamboo shoots, reduce kelp and shredded ginger, apricots, and rice (with black sesame and koume). Locals made the Shiumai bento containers utilizing paper shavings since they offered them. Locals used it in lots of ekiben previously, however now you’d have not often seen them.

The Secret of Kiyoken Shumai Bento

When you look intently on the shiumai bento, you get the impression that almost all aspect dishes apart from shumai are old school and plain. It doesn’t look beautiful at first look, however why is it promoting the perfect in Japan?

Chewy rice

Chilly rice tends to be dry, however the rice in Shumai Bento is surprisingly chewy even when chilly. It’s because locals cooked the rice within the shiumai bento utilizing steamed rice.

Lunch field

Locals use a skinny wood board, “Kyogi,” for the field of Shiumai bento. Though it prices greater than plastic or paper containers, Kiyoken is strongly dedicated to utilizing wooden. That’s as a result of the traits of the wooden are the important thing to its deliciousness. Because the wooden is breathable, it absorbs extra moisture from the rice, stopping water droplets from falling on the rice if you open the lid.

Ceramic soy sauce container “Hyo-chan”

“Hyo-chan” is a soy sauce container with a face enclosed in Shumai merchandise. In Yokohama, Tokyo, Hyo-chan is all the time within the kitchen of each family.

Shumai bento FAQ

Is Shumai Bento accessible outdoors of Yokohama or Japan?

Kiyoken’s genuine Shumai Bento is primarily accessible in Yokohama, Tokyo, and sure elements of Japan, significantly prepare stations, airports, and specialty shops. Its reputation as an “ekiben” (station bento) makes it particularly widespread in locations frequented by vacationers. Nevertheless, its distribution outdoors Japan is usually restricted on account of components like the necessity for recent substances and particular storage situations.

How ought to I eat Shumai Bento for the perfect expertise?

For the Shiumai Bento expertise, devour the meal when recent or at room temperature to understand the chewy rice and flavorful shumai greatest. Start with lighter fare like pickles to cleanse your palate, then transfer on to the primary gadgets, utilizing soy sauce and mustard sparingly in order to not overpower the shumai. Savor the distinctive aroma that wafts out upon opening the wood “Kyogi” field, and think about pairing the meal with inexperienced tea or gentle beer. 

Shumai bento Recipe

The place to purchase Shumai bento?

Kiyoken (崎陽軒)

Kiyoken is a widely known meals firm in Japan, significantly well-known for its Shumai Bento—a boxed lunch that includes shiumai dumplings alongside different aspect dishes and rice. The model takes nice care in getting ready its meals gadgets, from the steam-cooked chewy rice to the selection of a wood “Kyogi” field for packing the bento. Total, Kiyoken is a trademark of Japanese culinary custom, significantly in terms of bento tradition.

Deal with: 1 Chome−9−1 B1F Marunouchi, Chiyoda Metropolis, Tokyo, Japan
Telephone quantity: 033-2174-155
Hours open: 10:00-20:00
Web site: http://www.kiyoken.com/store/tokyo.html

Last Ideas

Shumai Bento is greater than only a boxed lunch; it’s a beloved a part of Japanese tradition that showcases the nation’s consideration to element, high quality, and custom. We hope you’ve realized one thing new about this particular dish and possibly even really feel impressed to attempt it your self. Whether or not you’re in Japan or discover a model nearer to house, experiencing a Shiumai Bento is like having fun with slightly piece of Japanese artwork and historical past, all wrapped up in a single tasty bundle.

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