Cold soba and shrimp fritter bento

Ingredients

• •3 oz dried soba noodles
• •1 tbsp kaeshi
• •1/4 cup dashi
• •6 medium size frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
• •2 green onions, roughly chopped
• •1 pinch salt
• •1/8 tsp ground cayenne (or hot paprika), optional
• •1 Tbsp furikake
• •2 Tbsp tempura mix (or equal parts flour and potato starch)
• •1 Tbsp water
• •3 cherry tomatoes
• •1/2 green onion, chopped

Steps

1. 1Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Rinse very well under cold water until cool and excess starch is removed. Pack into larger compartment of bento.
2. 2Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine the kaeshi and dashi. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes, then let cool.
3. 3To make the shrimp fritters, roughly chop up the frozen shrimp into small pieces. Combine with the green onion, salt, cayenne, and furikake. Add the tempura mix and add just a little water so that everything is coated.
4. 4Place a paper towel on a plate. Heat up a thin layer of olive oil in a frying pan. Drop the fritter mixture onto the hot oil with a tablespoon. Fry until crispy on both sides. Remove to paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt immediately. Drain well and cool completely before packing in bento.
5. 5(Note: you can make these fritters ahead of time and freeze them. Heat and crisp them up in a toaster oven before putting into your bento).
6. 6Pack cooled shrimp fritters, cherry tomatoes, and chopped green onion garnish into separate compartment from the noodles. Place dipping sauce in a leak-proof container.
7. 7To eat, you can either dip the noodles in the sauce or dump sauce over noodles. You can dip the fritters in the sauce, too.