Bento Recipes: How to Make a Shogayaki Ginger Pork Bento

Shogayaki (生姜焼き) is a classic, quick Japanese dish made from thin slices of meat, usually pork, cooked in a tantalizing, gingery sauce. The name comes from shoga (生姜) meaning ginger and yaki（焼き) meaning grill. The ginger in the sauce neutralizes any gamey flavor from meat and adds a delicious kick of flavor that will stimulate your appetite!

In Japan, pork is popular, not only for its flavor but also because it contains vitamin B which helps combat exhaustion. With the addition of the satisfying, gingery sauce, Shogayaki is a good choice when you’re tired and need a easy and delicious meal to revive your body and spirit!

For this bento, we’ve combined it with a tasty Okinawan dish that has become popular recently in Japan called ShiriShiri Ninjin (Carrot and Egg Stir Fry) and some Sautéed Turnips. Thanks to our Triple Pan we were able to cook these separate dishes simultaneously, saving time and energy!

Ingredients:

Shogayaki Ginger Pork 

• 150 grams pork slices cut into bite size pieces
  (we recommended pork belly or pork loin slices that are 3-5mm thick)
• 1 Tbsp Ginger paste
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sake
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil

Side Dishes
ShiriShiri Ninjin (Carrot and Egg Stirfry)

• 1/2 Carrot
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp sake
• 2 tsp Soy Sauce
• 2 tsp Mirin
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  

Sautéed Turnips

• 1 turnip
• ½ Tbsp oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to make Shogayaki

1. Coat pork slices with flour (this is easy to do if you place pork slices in a disposable bag, sprinkle flour on the pork, close the bag and shake. The flour prevents the meat from drying out when cooking and helps absorb the flavors of the yummy sauce).
   
   
2. Heat pan on medium-high heat, and add sesame oil
3. Pan fry the pork slices and brown slightly on both sides.
4. Add sauce and let simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the pork slices are coated with the sauce. 
5. Remove from heat.
   

How to make ShiriShiri Ninjin

1. Cut carrots into julienne strips. Here we used our Thick Julienne Peeler to speed things up!
   
   
2. Beat egg in a bowl and set aside. 
3. Heat pan to medium-high 
4. Add sesame oil to pan and pan fry julienne carrots until slightly tender
5. Add sake, soy sauce and mirin and simmer.
6. Add beaten egg and stir with carrots until egg is cooked through
7. Remove from pan.
   

How to make Sautéed Turnips

1. Peel turnip and remove top.
   
2. Cut turnip into wedges.
   
   
   
3. Heat pan to medium-high and add oil.
4. Add turnips and brown on both sides.
   
5. Add butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from pan.
   

Assemble Bento

1. Add a bed of rice to bento and add pork.
   
2. In the next tier, add ShiriShiri carrots, steamed broccoli, sautéed turnips, cherry tomatoes with picks, and apple slices.
3. 
Top rice with furikake.
   
4. 
Pack your bento to take with you and enjoy later!
   

Products Featured:

Karakusa Bento Box ($32 USD)
Black Bento Carry Bag ($10 USD)
Happa Picks ($4 USD)
Furikake Omusubi Yama | Shake Wakame ($2.50 USD)
Thick Julienne Peeler ($19 USD)
Triple Pan ($46 USD)
Stainless Steel Katakuchi Bowl ($43 USD)
Cooking Hashi ($3 USD)