Monster Brioche Bento

Brioche is a pastry of French origin that is similar to a highly enriched bread, and which high egg and butter content gives it a rich and tender crumb (Wikipedia). I love its sweet, buttery, and soft texture.
For the boys I put ham, cheese, and lettuce fillings. Then I decorated the brioche with cheese and nori for the eyes, and black sesame seeds for the nostrils. As simple as that :)

For the side, I got leftover San Choy Bow for the kids. San Choy Bow is a deliciously flavoured chicken or pork mince wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves and eaten with bare hands. For the boys, I put the salad and lettuce separately.

Here I share you the recipe :

Pork San Choy Bow

Ingredients :
1 iceberg lettuce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon shao hsing wine
1 small read onion, finely sliced
1 x 2cm piece ginger, julienne
400g lean pork mince
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced
Any vegetables like carrots, bean sprouts, capsicum, string beans or even snowpeas.
A handful of coriander or Vietnamese mint, finely chopped 
2 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 spring onions, finely sliced

Method :
1. Discarding the outer leaves, carefully cut the whole leaves from the lettuce head, trim them to form cups.
2. In a bowl, mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, shao hsing wine, set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. 
4. Add mushrooms, garlic, red onion and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 5. Add pork and cook, stir to break up any clumps of meat for 8-10 minutes or until brown and cooked through. 
6. Drain off any excess liquid.
7. Add the vegetables and stir for a few minutes. 
8. Stir oyster sauce mixture, then add to pan and stir to combine. 
9. Allow mixture to cool a little. 
10. Place lettuce leaves on serving plates and divide meat mixture between them. 
11. Drizzle hoisin sauce over meat and sprinkle with spring onions and the herbs.

For my youngest son, I prepared :
1. Ham and cheese monster brioche
2. Corn on the cob
3. San choy bow
4. Kiwi fruit for recess

His brother had the same lunch, but he had apple checker for recess instead.

The lunches were packed with Easy Lunchboxes that you may find here :

Scotch Egg and Sausage Roll Bento

I packed the boys' school lunches in Easy Lunchboxes. These lunchboxes soon become my favourite because it is spacious and very easy to clean. 

I tried the scotch egg recipe from My Kitchen Rules 2015 contestants, Will and Steve and quite enjoy the flavour. Here I share you the recipe :

Scotch Egg with Herb Mayonnaise 
by Will and Steve (My Kitchen Rules 2015 Contestants)

Ingredients :

Salt and pepper, to season
4 eggs, plus 1 extra, lightly beaten
400g pork sausage meat
1 tsp ground fennel
1½ tsp English mustard
15g (¼ cup) fresh breadcrumbs
Plain flour, to dust
90g (1¼ cup) fresh breadcrumbs, plus extra, to coat
Thinly sliced fennel and radish, to serve

HERB MAYONNAISE

3 egg yolks
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
250ml (1 cup) light olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp finely chopped sage
1 tsp finely chopped parley
1 tsp finely chopped dill

Method :
To make mayonnaise, process egg yolks, vinegar and lemon juice in a food processor until well combined. With the motor running, gradually add oil, drop by drop at first, then in a thin, steady stream until thick and emulsified. Stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until required.

Place eggs in a large saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil, then boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove and place in iced water to cool completely. Peel. Combine sausage meat with fennel, mustard and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into four portions.

Using slightly moistened hands, roll one portion into a ball and flatten evenly in the palm of your hand. Place 1 egg in centre and fold in sausage meat, shaping and moulding to form an even layer around egg. Repeat with remaining sausage meat and eggs.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Dust meat-wrapped eggs in flour, dip in extra egg and then coat in breadcrumbs. Dip again in egg and breadcrumbs to form a double layer.
Fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat to 180C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). 

Dust each meat-wrapped egg in four, then dip in extra egg, allow excess to drain off, then coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat to form a double layer. 
Gently drop eggs into the oil and fry, turning halfway, for 2-3 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Add to an oven tray and roast for 8-10 minutes or until extra crisp.
Serve scotch eggs with mayonnaise, fennel and radish.

For my eldest son, I prepared :
1. Scotch Egg with herb mayo
2. Risoles ragout
3. Broccoli and cheese
4. Carrot sticks
5. Green seedless grape for recess

For my youngest son, I prepared :
1. Sausage roll with tomato ketchup
2. Risoles ragout
3. Milk jelly with nata de coco
4. Corn on the cob
5. Carrot sticks
6. Green seedless grape for recess

You may find Easy Lunchbox here :

Cute Monster Bento

I baked my boys' favourite dish which is "pastel tutup" (Mini Stuffed Potato Casserole). For extra cuteness, I put the fun eyes picks with nori and cuts of crab sticks for the monster expression.

You may find the picks here :

The Easy Lunchbox consists of :
1. Cute monster mini casserole
2. Corn on the cob
3. Broccoli and cheese
4. Milk jelly with nata de coco 
5. Grapes on the stick
6. Apple checkered