BENTO SALAD - JAPANESE
INSPIRED LUNCH BOX
B
efore organic food,
detox water, and lowcarb portions became
trendy, fresh veggies
and fruits were
playing an important role in Asian
cuisine for quite a long time. Inspired
by the Japanese Bento (Lunch Box),
and classic recipes for European
salads, more and more office people
choose to order in salad boxes for
a healthy lunch, especially those
living and working in Hong Kong,
Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Healthy salad recipes are upgraded
with more beans, meat and fish to
comprise a lunch box for busy people.
Italian Caesar Salads are enjoying a
major resurgence in popularity. This
salad keeps things simple with its
romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan
cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Later as people started ordering it
for lunch, instead of as an appetizer,
more ingredients such as hard boiled
eggs, ham, and anchovies have been
added. Niçoise salad is a favorite
“grab & go” box in Asian restaurants
thanks to its delightful flavors
mixed with fresh anchovies, lettuce,
potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, tuna,
hard boiled eggs, and olives, with
vinaigrette dressing. Indonesia offers
an interesting salad box - Gado Gado
- which is a combination of assorted
vegetables, tofu, tomato, eggs, and
plenty of shrimp chips, dressed in
peanut sauce.
Fast food in general, such as a double
cheese burger, fried chicken, fish
& chips, or French fries, are easy to
come by in any city, and people tend
to think of fast food as something
convenient but unhealthy, cheap
but heavy. However, if you happen
to travel to Asia, you will discover a
whole nother world of fast food. “Grab
& go” food can be tasty and nutritious,
inexpensive and a breeze.
TRAVELLIVE
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