Name: Oden (Japanese One Pot Simmered Dish)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 small daikon ((about 1 lb/450g)); 1 packet konnyaku ((yam cake) (9 oz/255g)); 4 small potatoes ((peeled) (about 8 oz/225g)); 1 packet oden set ((9.6 oz/ 272g)); 4 shitake mushrooms ((soaked for 30 minutes in hot water, drained and stems removed)); 4 kombu knots ((wipe with damp towel) (optional)); 4 Napa cabbage leaves; 4 oz spinach ((washed and drained) (115g)); 3 cups second dashi stock; 2 tbsp soy sauce; ¼ cup mirin ((60ml)); ¾ tsp salt

Oden is the quintessential Japanese one pot simmered dish consisting of daikon radish, konnyaku, and fish cakes stewed in a light soy flavored dashi broth.

Oden (Japanese One Pot Simmered Dish) is the quintessential Japanese comfort food. It is a kind of hot pot or stew consisting mainly of daikon radish, konnyaku, and fish cakes stewed in a light soy flavored dashi broth. Other ingredients may include cubes of tofu, kinchaku tofu pouches filled with mochi (rice cakes) and vegetables, and boiled eggs. It is often served with karashi (hot mustard). We just mix a little Coleman’s mustard.

Oden is very popular and can be found in convenience stores across Japan where it is sold throughout the day. You can pick and choose your favorite ingredients from the stainless steel segmented container where the oden is simmering away. Once you have made your selection, a little broth is usually added to the takeaway. We enjoyed it very much and ate it at least once the few times we got to visit Japan.

It is not difficult to make Oden at home if ready made fish cakes are used. These can be found at the frozen section of many Asian grocery stores. They usually come in a pre-packaged set with a variety of fish cakes and soup base. Some sets even come with the kinchaku tofu pouches.

Oden (Japanese One Pot Simmered Dish)

Oden is the quintessential Japanese one pot simmered dish consisting of daikon radish, konnyaku, and fish cakes stewed in a light soy flavored dashi broth.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Linda Ooi

INGREDIENTS

1 small daikon (about 1 lb/450g)
1 packet konnyaku (yam cake) (9 oz/255g)
4 small potatoes (peeled) (about 8 oz/225g)
1 packet oden set (9.6 oz/ 272g)
4 shitake mushrooms (soaked for 30 minutes in hot water, drained and stems removed)
4 kombu knots (wipe with damp towel) (optional)
4 Napa cabbage leaves
4 oz spinach (washed and drained) (115g)

Soup

3 cups second dashi stock (720ml) or 3 cups (720ml) water and 1 tsp instant dashi (Please see below for instructions on making dashi stock)
2 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup mirin (60ml)
¾ tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel daikon and cut into cylinders about ½ inch thick. Slightly shave the edges of each daikon cylinder. Cut konnyaku into 2 halves and then cut each half diagonally into triangles.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add daikon, konnyaku, and potatoes for 2 minutes. Remove with a strainer.
Add assorted fish cakes from oden set to the boiling water. Drain and set aside.
Combine dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and salt in a casserole pot. Bring it to a boil. Add daikon, konnyaku, potatoes, and mushrooms. Reduce heat and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes, skimming when necessary.
In the meantime, scald Napa cabbage in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Do the same for spinach, about 30 seconds. Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible from vegetables.
Place cabbage leaves on work surface. Divide spinach into 4 and fold into neat bundles. Place each bundle on each cabbage leaf. Roll up cabbage leaves.
Place 2 cabbage rolls side by side and poke 2 bamboo skewers into the two cabbage rolls. Repeat with the other two cabbage rolls.
Cut cabbage rolls into half between the two skewers. Trim off edges.
Now, add assorted fish cakes, kombu knots, and skewered cabbage rolls to the oden. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
Remove and serve immediately.

NUTRITION

Calories: 342kcal

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Oden tastes even more delicious the next day when allowed to sit overnight in the refrigerator. This never ever happen at our house unless it is by design. Do give it a try. It really is comfort food especially for this time of the year.

One of the key ingredients in oden is dashi (soup stock) which can be easily be made in your kitchen. Only two ingredients are required – kombu (dried kelp) and katsuo-bushi (shaved dried skipjack tuna/bonito flakes). These ingredients are not difficult to find but they can be a little costly. Although purist will frown upon it, instant dashi can be used as a quick fix. I have done it both ways.

For more information on making dashi from scratch, check out No Recipes and Just Hungry.

Dashi Stock

Japanese soup stock made with kombu (dried kelp) and katsuo-bushi (shaved dried skipjack tuna/bonito flakes)

(Makes 3 cups (720ml) first dashi stock and 3 cups (720ml) second dashi stock)

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Calories: 4kcal

Author: Linda Ooi