Oden (Japanese winter stew, おでん)
Oden is a very popular stewed dish in Japan. People eat Oden especially in Winter. There are a variety of stews in Japan like Nikujaga, Pumpkin stew, and so on.
Oden is a Japanese comfort food. When I was in Japan, I had Oden a lot with my family on the Kotatsu (A heated Japanese table).
You can also buy Oden at convenience stores in Winter in Japan.
Why do people call this dish “Oden”? The history of “Oden” goes back to the Muromachi period and from “Dengaku” which is a skewered and fried Tofu. At that time, people put “O” in front of “Dengaku” as a polite way to say in Japanese. Then, people started calling this dish “Oden” as an abbreviation of “Odengaku”.
I will introduce Oden to bring family and friends together in Winter and cook it at home easily.
Ingredients (About 4 bowls):
- 226.8g (8 oz) sausage
- 4 eggs
- 1 package Satsuma Age (3 - 4 pcs of Fish cake)
- 1 Konnyaku (255g, 2oz, Taro potato cake)
- 1/4 Japanese daikon (Daikon radish)
- 2 small packages Oden soup base (Powdered Japanese seasoning and soup mix)
- Chikuwa (Fish cake)
- 2000ml (8.45 US cups) water
- Rice for 4 people
- Mustard (as you like)
-> See picture A.
Cooking equipment: Electric skillet or pot with lid. -> See picture B.
Here is how to make it at home. Cooking time is about 30 - 40 minutes.
- Cook rice. Meanwhile, boil eggs in a small pot. -> See picture C.
2. Put Japanese Oden soup base and water in the electric skillet and mix thoroughly in medium heat. -> See pictures D and E.
3. Cut Daikon into small-medium pieces and simmer them in the skillet with low heat -> See pictures F and G.
4. Slice Konnyaku into thin and cut center diagonally as shown in the pictures. -> See pictures H & I.
5. Put a sliced Konnyaku on hand and put the top of Konnyaku into the center cut hole and pull as shown in the pictures. -> See pictures J, K, L & M.
6. Add Konnyaku into the skillet and simmer for 1-2 minutes. -> See picture N.
7. After the eggs from step 1 are boiled, turn off the heat, put them in a strainer basket and water, and remove the skin. Add boiled eggs in the skillet. -> See pictures O & P.
8. Make cut sausages diagonally as shown in the picture and add them in the skillet. -> See pictures Q & R.
9. Cut Chikuwa in half and diagonally as shown in the picture and add them in the skillet. -> See pictures S & T.
10. Cut Satsuma Age in half and diagonally as shown in the picture and add them in the skillet. Simmer with lid on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. -> See pictures U, V, and W. (*Cooking tips: You can check the taste and add water or soup base powder as you like before simmering.)
11. Serve Oden on plates, pour soup over it, add Japanese Karashi (mustard) or any mustard on the side if you like and serve cooked rice.
