Rengoku's bento: beef and onion over rice with simmered tofu, charred scallion and soft-boiled egg

Wrap the tofu in a couple of layers of paper towel and weigh it down with a cast iron pan for about 30 minutes to press out water.

Cut the large scallions into thick spears on a heavy diagonal bias; slice the onions.

Cook two cups of short grain rice in a rice cooker.

Cut the pressed tofu into strips; pan fry in a little oil over medium-high heat until golden brown, drain on paper towel.

In the same pan char the scallion spears with a little salt until coloured and cooked through; remove.

In the same pan combine half a cup each of soy sauce, mirin and sake with a quarter cup of brown sugar; bring to a simmer.

Add the tofu to soak up the sauce until coloured through; remove. Add the onions and simmer a couple of minutes until broken down.

Soft boil two eggs in boiling water for about seven minutes, then plunge into an ice bath.

Add one cup of water to the sauce, then the sliced beef; cook until barely done and take off the heat.

Pack rice about 60% of the way up the bento box and stuff in as much of the beef mixture as fits.

Reduce the remaining sauce to a syrup or glaze consistency.

Lay tofu slices lengthwise, arrange the grilled scallion spears on top, then the peeled, halved soft-boiled egg. Spoon the glaze over the beef and garnish with pickled ginger.