The day I rolled up shrimp and hanpen
Today is a spring roll bento. Spring rolls sound like a lot of effort, but what I'm actually doing is just “wrapping in a wrapper and rolling it up,” so it's not as difficult as you might think.
Cooking often involves dishes that sound impressive but are actually quite simple, and I think spring rolls fall into that category.
The filling is shrimp and hanpen. I mash the hanpen, chop the shrimp, and mix them together. It turns into a fluffy white mass that looks a bit unreliable.
I get a little anxious every time, wondering if something like this will really become a spring roll filling. But I place a shiso leaf on the wrapper, put a dollop of filling on top, fold it diagonally, fold in both ends, and roll it up.
For some reason, this “rolling” process helps me clear my mind. It's kind of funny to imagine myself in the kitchen, silently rolling them alone. I don't deep-fry them; I pan-fry them. I lightly coat the pan with oil and cook them slowly over low heat. I know from experience that if I use high heat, the wrappers will burn immediately while the inside remains raw, which is a sad outcome.
I always think that low-heat cooking is only for people who can endure waiting. I'm supposed to be an impatient person, but I become strangely patient when it comes to spring rolls.
The cooked spring rolls looked quite beautiful, with the green of the shiso leaf faintly visible through the wrapper. When I broke one open, the shrimp was plump, and it turned out better than I imagined.
The fluffiness of the hanpen and the elasticity of the shrimp are mixed just right. It feels a bit embarrassing to say that something I made myself is “delicious,” but it really is, so I can't help it.
I also added tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) and shishamo grilled with green seaweed. Even though the shishamo is just coated with green seaweed and grilled, it gives the impression of “having put in extra effort,” making it a reliably useful side dish.
I must have made tamagoyaki hundreds of times, yet I still go through emotional ups and downs, thinking, “Today's turned out beautifully” or “Today's is a bit lopsided.” Being able to feel that way after twenty years might be a talent in its own right.
I pack it into the bento box and close the lid. That's good, I think. Spring rolls take up a bit of space, but they are very satisfying to look at. My husband finished it all again today. No comments.
Thank you for reading until the end 😊
🍱 Today's bento notes
• Shrimp and hanpen spring rolls (with shiso, pan-fried)
• Tamagoyaki
• Shishamo grilled with green seaweed
• Rice
#bento #homemadebento #bentorecord #springrolls #essay #daily #cookingdiary #myrecommendeddish