Oden (おでん)

Oden is Japan's definitive winter comfort dish: a medley of daikon radish, fish cakes, boiled eggs, konnyaku jelly, and tofu slowly simmered in a delicate kelp-and-bonito dashi broth that turns translucent amber and deeply savoury. It improves markedly over two days as the ingredients absorb the broth.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Dashi broth:

• 2 litres (8 cups) cold water
• 20g (3/4 oz) kombu (dried kelp)
• 30g (1 oz) katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 3 tbsp (45ml) soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (30ml) mirin
• 1 tbsp (15ml) sake
• 1 tsp salt

Oden ingredients:

• 500g (1.1 lb) daikon radish, peeled and cut into 4cm (1.5 inch) rounds
• 400g (14 oz) firm tofu, cut into large squares and lightly fried
• 300g (10.5 oz) mixed fish cakes (chikuwa, hanpen, satsuma-age)
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 200g (7 oz) konnyaku (konjac jelly), cut into triangles
• 2 sheets aburaage (fried tofu pouches)
• 6 bone marrow dumplings (gyusuji, optional)

To serve:

• Japanese mustard (karashi)
• Yuzu kosho (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the kombu in 2 litres of cold water for 30 minutes. Bring to just below a boil (about 60°C/140°F) over medium-low heat — do not boil or the broth will become bitter. Remove the kombu.
2. Increase heat to medium. Add the katsuobushi, steep for 3 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve. Season the dashi with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt.
3. Score the daikon rounds with a shallow cross on each cut face. Simmer daikon in plain water for 15 minutes to remove bitterness, then drain.
4. Lightly score the konnyaku with a criss-cross pattern. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain.
5. Arrange the daikon, boiled eggs, konnyaku, aburaage, and fish cakes in a wide, deep pot. Pour the seasoned dashi over to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
6. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, then add the fried tofu. Continue simmering for another 30-40 minutes until the daikon is fully tender and translucent at the edges.
7. Serve directly from the pot into deep bowls with a small dish of karashi mustard on the side. The oden is even better reheated the next day.

Cook's Notes: For the multi-day version, cool completely and refrigerate overnight before reheating — the daikon will turn a beautiful amber colour throughout. Top up broth with additional dashi if it reduces too much.