Oh Bento!

I have been completely overwhelmed by my abundance and busy schedule. I should be GRATEFUL that while so busy, do to upcoming semester exams for junior year, I don't have to worry about food. But no, I get MAD at my parents because I am trying to get some cooking in and they are bringing home Thai and Mexican takeout. What can I say "I don't want the sukiyaki beef to go bad!" too late...I have some bentos that I have been lazy and haven't told you about yet. For relatively good reason, first off, If I don't like the food I cook then you definitely aren't going to like it.

That's why I'm initiating a rating system where I will "grade my performance". From now on My creations' will get a score out of 5 stars...or ice cream cones (whatever I feel like). Almost a disclaimer, but not. The recipes will be revised though so they should be better then the original rating/recipe. I should also probably start pre-writing my posts on Microsoft Word first, as it automatically corrects all the misspelled words (I have to use spell check every other sentence).

Back to the bento. This was my favorite bento of recent as it was deliciously India inspired. What you are seeing is rice covered by two wonderfully spicy coconut and mango chutneys. I give this recipe Five Stars! Whoot!

Mango and Coconut Chutney Bento

By Me! Inspired by.... other recipes. Alton browns chutney + thai mango salsa recipe=My recipe!

Ingredients; For mango chutney

• 1/2 diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons of Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 Mangos cubed 1/2"
• teaspoon ginger (I use paste)
• 1 oz cider vinigar
• 1/2-3/4 cup cubed pinnaple
• Optional: garlic
• salt to taste
  

Saute the red onions in a tablespoon canola oil and a teaspoon of salt until soft and fragrant, mix the rest of the ingredients together and add cooked onion.

Coconut Chutney was a mix of like five obscure Internet recipes

• 1/4 tsp dried chili flake (more to taste if desired)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon curry powder
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp ginger (paste)
• 1 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Small can 14 oz/1 cup Beans or(use what you prefer..I used kidney because...well I wanted too, traditional Indian lentil's are also good choice)
• 1-1/2 cup frozen peas
  

Heat the oil and start cooking the spices, take off the heat add mustard and ginger and mix, immediately add the coconut and mix the "spiced"oil throughout. The coconut should turn yellow, from the curry poweder. Prep the beans/lentils and peas (cook and drain) and mix with the coconut.

This bento is tandori chicken on the right and rice topped with fish cake and furikake.

Don't even bother asking why there is bread in the left compartment...