Many ekiben that use conger eel are baked, but the one we received this time was boiled conger eel. The volume and fluffy texture of the anago make it a highly satisfying bento for anago lovers.
The anago sauce is sweet and can be served with or without the accompanying powdered sansho (Japanese pepper), but in this case, I thought the simple combination of boiled anago and sauce alone was more tasty and brought out the anago’s natural flavor.
The rice is a well-seasoned brown rice covered with seaweed and egg, and like the cooked conger eel, the brown rice has a decent presence. The rice is well seasoned with nori and egg, and like the cooked conger eel, the chahan has a strong presence. The pickled red turnip served with the rice is sweet and sour and adds a nice accent to the dish.
Incidentally, the “Anago bento” we purchased this time is from Nihonbashi Daimasu, which produces many ekiben in Tokyo. Ekiben in which anago (conger eel) plays a leading role can be found not only in Tokyo, but also in the Seto Inland Sea coastal areas of Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures, as well as in Shikoku on the other side of Japan.
© Source travel watch