Teriyaki Fishcake and Stewed Konnyaku Bento

I finally got around to trying out some of my new recipes from the cookbooks I purchased over the weekend, so I thought I'd share them with the rest of yinz.  I tried out Bento Boxes by Naomi Kijima, and so far I really like it!  While Naomi gives recipes in suggested whole bentos, I didn't have all of the ingredients for a specific bento, so I did a mix 'n' match, and tried some new things.  I never had konnyaku before, but I bought a cake of it on a whim one day, and I tried it out for the first time.  It's a little funky to me as far as texture goes, although it seems to pick up on whatever flavors you put with it.

photo by Emily

This bento consists of four items:
Teriyaki Fishcake
Stewed Konnyaku
Crunchy Cabbage and Carrots
Rice with Umeboshi

Ingredients:

Teriyaki Fishcake
1/2 stick yaki-chikuwa (broiled fish-cake tube) (see Note)
2 pieces satsuma-age (deep-fried fish-paste cake) (see Note)
1 tsp. cooking oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. each sugar, mirin, and sake
1/3 c. water
sesame seeds
(Note: I didn't have any yaki-chikuwa, so I just used 4 pieces satsuma-age instead)
Stewed Konnyaku
1/4 konnyaku (devil's tongue jelly/yam cake)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. each mirin, sugar, and sake
4 Tbsp. water
Bonito flakes
Crunchy Cabbage and Carrots
2 leaves nappa cabbage
small piece of carrot, julienned
2/3 tsp. salt
Rice with Umeboshi
1/3 c. rice
1/2 c. water
1 umeboshi (pickled plum)

Rinse the rice in cold water until the liquid runs clear.  Bring the rice and measured water to a boil in a pot with a tight-fitting lid, and continue to boil until all the water is absorbed, but not too dry.  Remove from heat, but leave the lid on the pot for at least 10 minutes.

Slice the konnyaku cake into 1/4 inch slices, then cut a slit down the middle and pull one end through the slit for a twist shape.  Parboil and drain.  Cook the konnyaku in the mirin, sugar, sake, soy sauce, and water until all the liquid is absorbed, about 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the bonito flakes and set aside.

This is what the twisted konnyaku should look like.

Cut the fish cake pieces in half, and saute in oil until the pieces are slightly browned.  Add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sake, and water, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well glazed.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Julienne the gren cabbage leaves and the white stalks separately.  Sprinkle the stem strips and the carrots with the salt, and massage gently.  Add the green strips and squeeze out the excess liquid.

To serve, place each component on a plate or pack into a bento box, place the umeboshi into the middle of the rice.