Japanese Bento with Panko Fried Squid

Method

1. Measure out 160g of rice, wash it well, add 250ml of water and cook it as usual.
2. Rub 1 tablespoon of salt over the whole squid to clean it, rinse it in fresh water, drain it and cut it into rings about half a finger joint thick.
3. Make the sausage egg roll: crack 1 egg into a bowl, add 15ml of unsweetened oat milk and beat well.
4. Set a nonstick pan over medium heat, brush it with oil and pour in a quarter of the egg. Once the layer sets, lay the sausage along one edge and lower the heat.
5. Use a spatula to roll the egg around the sausage, adding more egg and rolling again until it is all used. Leave it about 30 seconds to hold its shape, then turn off the heat. Let it cool slightly and cut it into pieces about a finger joint thick.
6. Fry the squid: put 80g of all purpose flour in a bowl, add 70ml of water, 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and mix until smooth. Tip the panko breadcrumbs onto a separate plate.
7. Set a pan over medium heat with 10 tablespoons of cooking oil and wait for it to heat. Coat the squid in the wet batter, roll it through the panko, then fry the rings over medium heat until golden and lift them out to drain.
8. Wash the lettuce and cherry tomato and drain them. Take about a bowl of rice, wrap it in cling film and shape it into a triangle, then cut strips of seaweed to wrap around it and shape eyes and a nose if you like.
9. Line the box with lettuce, add the rice triangles, cherry tomato, fried squid and the sausage egg roll.

Tips

• Ask the fishmonger to clean the squid to save preparation time.
• The squid must be properly dry before the batter goes on, or nothing will cling.
• Rubbing 1 tablespoon of salt over the whole squid and rinsing it clears the fishy smell.
• Oat milk in the egg keeps the rolled layers soft rather than dry.
• Letting the roll sit for 30 seconds before cutting gives neat slices.
• This eats well with soy sauce, chili sauce or ketchup.