Little Miss Bento

Traditional Sweets (Wagashi) Bento! Can you recognise these well-known traditional Japanese sweets in this bento? They are all character onigiri rice balls :D

(Clockwise from top) They are Hanami Dango (tri-color mochi dumpling balls on stick), Taiyaki (baked sea bream) and Sakura Mochi (cherry blossom glutinous rice dumpling covered with cherry blossom leaf). 

Don’t know what the real thing looks like? Here are some photos:

I recalled seeing a taiyaki bento some time back made by miyakitchen. And was inspired to create a wagashi theme bento as well. Then I thought, why stop at only making taiyaki? So while I was sketching the bento design last night, I decided on 3 different types of Japanese wagashi for my character bento. 

I shaped the rice freehand using cling wrap to make the wagashi designs. Am quite happy with all 3 of them, especially the sakura mochi, I thought it did  resemble the real thing. 

The side dishes were miso baked salmon, sauteed broccoli, sauteed sweet soy lotus roots with chicken and tofu squares. 

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