Oden

Namiko Hirasawa Chen presents oden as a Japanese winter meal shared from a pot. Her selected preparation combines fish cakes and fish balls with daikon, konnyaku, boiled eggs, fried tofu and kombu.

The daikon is cut into thick rounds, its edges trimmed and its surface scored before pre-cooking and rinsing. Scored konnyaku is cut into triangles and blanched separately.

The assorted fish cakes are briefly blanched to remove excess surface oil. Prepared dashi is mixed with light-coloured soy sauce, sake, mirin and kosher salt to form the simmering broth.

Daikon, konnyaku and eggs cook first, followed by the fish-cake assortment, fried tofu and knotted kombu. Hanpen is added last; the author emphasises a springy texture rather than over-softened fish cakes.

The source serves oden hot, with optional karashi mustard on the side. That mustard is mixed with hot water; this account keeps the optional mochi-filled tofu pockets and other regional additions separate.