Hello, I am keen on making character bento similar to the picture above but I am allergic to seaweed. I know some other bento makers use ham, cheese and sauces to make faces as well but I am looking for an alternative that is darker in colour, can anyone recommend any other suitable options that do not contain fish or ocean products? Thank you (u‿ฺu✿ฺ)
by Capable-Diet-4834
8 Comments
Eggplant might work but I don’t know how it would stick.
Sometimes black sesame seeds can be used for certain features (or eyes on very small characters)! You could use black beans, olives, or any vegetable cut to size, too!
What about the peel of a plum? It would be fiddly to get it thin enough but it’s definitely dark enough.
If you want something that can be punched with a cutter, what about kale? There’s also red cabbage which can be fairly dark.
Finely sliced sweet potato? You can get purple sweet potato for a dark colour? Or you could mix with potato starch to make a bit of a dough and roll out like cookie cutter style
Lettuce or cabbages might work since they lay flat. Maybe cucumber peels? You can also “paint” the features with a bit of thick soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.
Depending on the food and character, I’ve used cheese in the past!
Maybe cucumber skin