Oden - Japan's street food

Oden

Here's a one-pot winter warmer from Japan...Oden. While Oden might not be so well known outside of Japan, it is very popular with the Japanese - so much so that there is even a canned version - "oden-can" which is meant to be stored away as earthquake emergency food! Most people associate oden with winter although it is sold all year round - in my childhood, you would find an oden stall outside just about railway station - ideal for grabbing a quick meal on the way home from work at night. Nowadays, people who want to buy readymade oden, will mostly head for a convenience store, many of which have oden simmering away over the months of winter.

But oden is really quite easy to make and there's no right or wrong ingredient - the ingredients I've used in my recipe are typical ones but there's nothing to stop you experimenting! Some of the ingredients, such as chikuwa, look a little unusual but you can buy them at Japanese and Chinese food stores.

The longer you cook oden, the more the flavours from the broth are absorbed into the food - so if you have time, you can keep your oden on the hob from an extra hour at a low heat and it'll get even better! When you've made your oden, simply ladle some into a bowl, squeeze out some "karashi" (Japanese mustard) into the bowl and enjoy with an accompanying bowl of steamed rice. If you fancy trying this recipe at home, you can find the written recipe below. you can find the Youtube tutorial by clicking Oden or by scrolling to the bottom of the page.

Happy cooking! Kurumi XXXX.

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Ingredients: 2 servings

4 mini chikuwa*

4 baby potatoes, peeled

80g carrot, peeled & halved

2 chicken drumsticks

2 boiled eggs

4 fish balls*

4 fried fish balls*

2 fried fish patties*

4 x 1.5cm / 3/4 inch daikon/white radish, peeled

1/4 packet konnyaku*

15 cm / 7 inch piece of dried kelp

for the soup:

1 tbsp japanese cooking sake

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp mirin

750 ml japanese dashi stock**

* you should be able to find fish balls, fish patties and konyaku online or at an Asian food store.  

** you can use instant dashi granules or see my website for how to make a authentic japanese stock

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round the edges of the white radish using a knife or peeler  (this will help the daikon keep its shape once it is cooked)

gently score the top & bottom of the daikon to help it absorb more flavour

cut the konnyaku into 4 slices, then cut a slit inside and turn the pieces inside out

put the daikon and water in a saucepan & bring to the boil

add the konyaku & cook for 3 minutes, then discard the water

put the stock, mirin, soy sauce & cooking sake into a large saucepan or casserole

add the the chicken, bring to the boil & cook for 5 minutes, then skim off any scum from the meat

add the daikon, potatoes, carrot, konyaku & kelp and cook for 5 more minutes

add the rest of the ingredients and simmer over a low-medium heat for 50 - 60minutes

your oden is ready. bring to the table and allow your dinners to select their choice of food from the pot

serve with a bowl of rice

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Oden