Oden is a style of eating in which various items are simmered in a soy and fish broth then removed to a plate for eating. Karashi (hot mustard) usually accompanies the dish. Dab a little with each bite. A number of ingredients are perhaps more easily referred to by their original Japanese names. But just what are they? Following is a guide:

• atsuage: Sliced fried bean curd.
• chikuwa: Broiled fish paste. (Formed into the shape of bamboo.)
• daikon: Japanese white radish. (Those huge things!)
• goboten: A slice of burdock root inserted in a form of fish paste.
• hanpen: Steamed fish paste made of fish and yam.
• konnyaku: Made from the starch of the devil's tongue root.
• mirin: Sweet rice wine for cooking.

---

Minami's Family Oden

Main Ingredients:
Daikon, potatoe, konnyaku, goboten, chikuwa, egg, atsuage, hanpen, octopus, meat

Preparation:
1 Put water in a pot. Add the meat.
2 Cut the ingredients into appropriate sizes and add to the pot.
3 Hardboil the eggs, remove shells and add to the pot.
4 Add sugar, soy sauce and salt to taste. Simmer.

---

Yasutomo's Family Oden

Ingredients:
Hardboiled eggs, atsuage, chikuwa, meat, goboten, daikon, potatoe, kinchaku, hanpen, roll cabbage and whatever else you like!

The Broth:

Stock	Soy Sauce	Mirin	Sugar
15	1	1	1

Notes on the stock: When using small dried sardines and dried bonito flake for stock, add the sardines to the boiled water and simmer. Remove them and add the bonito, simmer and remove. Your stock is now ready. (5 dried sardines to 500 g. of dried bonito flake.)

Preparation:
Add ingredients to the broth, simmer.

---

[ Top ]