Ozoni (Kanto-style New Year mochi soup)
お雑煮 · Clear dashi with grilled square mochi, chicken and greens
JapaneseOn the morning of 1 January, families across Tokyo and the Kanto plain sit down to ozoni, a clear, delicate soup of bonito-kombu dashi with chicken, komatsuna, carrot and square rice cakes grilled until they puff. Every region has its own version; in Kansai the mochi is round and the soup is white miso, but Kanto keeps it clear and seasoned with soy. A little sake goes into the broth and simmers away (leave it out for an alcohol-free soup). Mochi is very sticky: cut it small for children and older people, take small bites and chew well, as it can cause choking. The common mistake is boiling the mochi in the soup, which makes it dissolve and turn the broth cloudy; grill it separately. Chef's tip: add the yuzu peel only in the bowl, just before serving, so its fragrance is the first thing you smell.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dashi
- 1 litre water
- ⅓ oz kombu
For the soup
- 7 oz boneless chicken thighskinned, in bite-size pieces
- ½ carrotsliced into flowers or rounds
- 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sakeor water for an alcohol-free version
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz komatsuna or spinach
- 8 slices kamaboko fish cake (optional)
- 4 slivers yuzu or lemon peel (optional)
- 4 sprigs mitsuba or flat-leaf parsley (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak ⅓ oz kombu in 1 litre water for 30 minutes, then heat slowly and lift out the kombu just before it boils.
15 minStep 2: Bring to the boil, add ⅔ oz katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), turn off the heat and leave for 3 minutes until the flakes sink. Strain through a cloth-lined sieve.
5 minStep 3: Return the dashi to the pan, add 7 oz boneless chicken thigh and ½ carrot and simmer gently, skimming, until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F and the carrot is tender.
8 minStep 4: Season with 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake and ½ tsp salt; the broth should taste clear and gently savoury.
1 minStep 5: Blanch 3 ½ oz komatsuna or spinach in boiling water for 1 minute, cool in cold water, squeeze and cut into 4 cm lengths.
2 minStep 6: Grill 8 kiri mochi (square rice cakes) under a hot grill or in a dry non-stick pan, turning, until golden and puffed, about 6–8 minutes. Cut into small pieces for children.
8 minStep 7: Put 2 pieces of mochi in each bowl with the greens and 8 slices kamaboko fish cake. Ladle over the hot soup with the chicken and carrot, and top with 4 slivers yuzu or lemon peel and 4 sprigs mitsuba or flat-leaf parsley. Eat slowly and chew the mochi well.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ozoni (Kanto-style New Year mochi soup) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thigh?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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