Chikuwa Flowers

• 1 Chikuwa
• 1 slice Shiso leaf
• 1 dash Shibazuke (pickled eggplant with red shiso leaf) - or umeboshi, mentaiko (spicy salted cod roe), etc.
• 5 to 6 A toothpick or bento pick

1. Cut the chikuwa open lengthwise.
2. Hold it flat and make evenly spaced crisscross cuts all along the inside.
3. (Be careful not to cut too deep.)
4. Flip the cut chikuwa piece over, line with a shiso leaf, and put on the filling of your choice close to the edge near you.
5. Roll it up.
6. (The edges will bend the other way so hold them down while rolling evenly.)
7. Secure the rolled up end with 5 to 6 toothpicks or bento picks spaced evenly.
8. Cut in between the picks.
9. You have rolled up colorful chikuwa flowers.
10. You can easily make 5 to 6 flowers out of 1 chikuwa stick.
11. Watch out for your salt intake though.
12. I put them in my oldest son's school outing bento.

chikuwa, leaf, bento

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/170642-chikuwa-flowers (may not work)