Ozoni (That only kinda sucks....)

"You're not going to make me eat ozoni again, are you....'cause your ozoni sucks..."

So sayeth the Missus, when I told Her of my plans for New Years breakfast. And I wouldn't blame Her for feeling that way, my previous attempts at Ozoni did indeed "suck". Though I did have ozoni every New Years breakfast growing up, it was one of those things that I never really tried making until I moved to the mainland. My previous attempts at what I thought my Mom made were pathetic, and after searching out recipes, became even more confused and pathetic over the years. For it seems, there as many different ways for making ozoni as there are stars in the heaven....chicken stock, dashi, ginger, no chicken stock, no dashi, no ginger, bamboo shoots, kamaboko, shoyu(soy sauce), no bamboo shoots, no kamaboko, no shoyu....the only common thread is mochi! So after being spun around, and confused, I stopped making it all together. Until I received an email from a FOY(friend of yoso), AlanN who inquired as to why I've never posted on Ozoni...it being such an important New Year's dish....to which I had to reply, tail between my legs, "because, ahem, my Ozoni sucks...."

At which time I became obsessed with making ozoni "that only kinda sucks." Driving my 2 existing braincells into overdrive, I worked trying to remember the flavors of Mom's. The only thing I really remembered was chicken broth, well at least I thought it was chicken broth.....but I also remembered the broth being very clear.....which the canned stuff is surely not. So a few days before New Years, I made a nice clear chicken stock from some carcasses I had in the freezer.....and I was off. While putting everything together, it hit me...this wasn't one of those Chicken stock OR dashi versions....it was a chicken stock AND dashi version. Which is what I made. When the Missus tasted the Ozoni She told me, "not bad, this only kinda sucks......." After so many really terrible versions, I'll take what I can get!

Ozoni(That only kinda sucks...)

8 Cups Clear Chicken Stock
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Dashi no Moto
6 Mochi
Slices of Kamaboko (fish cake)
Mizuna, Shungiku, or Horenso(spinach)
Thinly Sliced Daikon and Carrots (optional)

1-Combine first 3 ingredients and bring to a boil, remove from heat, add dashi no moto, combine well, and strain.If you really want to be like my Mom strain through a coffee filter - I didn't do this.
2-Bring broth back to a simmer and add daikon and carrots(do not boil).
3-Broil Mochi.
4-Place mochi in a bowl, and poke holes into mochi to allow for saturation.
5-Add kamaboko, and greens to bowl, and pour soup over ingredients.

This past New Years eve was a bit different for us, for the first time in eons, we actually went to a party. And after stuffing ourselves silly, we decided to keep our New Years days meal, "light(er)".

So for once, nothing fried, and no rice on New Years...that's a first!

Comments

[Carol]

I love ozoni but it's just one of those things that I don't want to attempt. Yours look very good and hearty. Nothing beats homemade broth. Your story reminds me of when I tried to make "Mom's" mushu pork but failed miserably. :-(

[Kat]

one of the many dishes we didn't have this year. yours looks delicious!

[Reid]

Kirk,

It's interesting that you chose ozoni for New Years. I haven't had it in ages, and come to think of it, this dish doesn't have too much of a history in my family.

Your version looks good. Maybe I'll try to make this next New Years.

Hope you and the missus had a great New Years!

[Alan]

Glad to see your post. Your comments about many different types of Ozoni are correct....like stars in the heaven. Had Ozoni on New Year's day in Vegas -- some friends had Aloha Specialties make it and it was pretty simple, but they had to use spinach since the Mizuna they brought had become rotten from staying in the frig too long. So I came home from Vegas and made my mother's "farmer style" Ozoni this past weekend. Boiled chicken thighs and used the stock and stripped the meat. Put in gobo, hasu, kamaboko, carrots, shiitake, and takenoko -- all slivered up and very hearty with all the stuff in it. Then I added Ah-Choi at the end, since I couldn't get mizuna here is Phoenix. Some good -- just like Mom used to make (but of course, the "low class" version of the Japanese traditional New Year's soup).

[Keoki323]

Ozoni is like miso soup, varied and different by region and mom :). I read an article about a blindfold experiment where every child was able to successfully identify their mom's miso soup. My mom uses the broth made from simmering dried shitake mushrooms and ika in her Ozoni. She also used Araimo and wakame. However it turns out (said with a grin - - good, bad or indifferent, it's one of those good luck for New Year "things". Also required eating (separate dishes) are kuromame and soba. I've noticed a New Year's theme in other cultures that involve beans for some reason. Anyway, great post. Omedeto Gozaimasu, Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

[Kirk]

Hi Carol - I don't think Ozoni is hard per se.....but getting it to fit your "food memory" can be an effort.

Hi Kat - Too bad, I know satoshi was away during this past New Year....I'm sure the next one will be fabulous.

Hi Reid - We used to have Ozoni every New Years day....but I'd kinda gotten away from making it the past few.....at least I've retired from Nishime making.

Hi Alan - Thanks for inspiring me to try this out again. You had quite a grand tour for your holiday season!

Hi Keoki - Happy New Year. In our household we had soba on New Years eve.....had to be consumed before midnight, and kuromame was part of our Osechi Ryori on New Years day

[milgwimper]

Well your ozoni looks pretty good! HUGZ Happy New Years! :)

[nhbilly]

Looks and sounds so simple....Easier said I guess.

[ed (from yuma)]

Looks good. Did you make your own mochi?

A couple different lucky New Years meals from other cultures that I have run into: 1. black eyed peas - I think it's a Southern thing (one of those bean dishes that Keoki323 mentions); 2. In Columbus, it was always said that cooking pork in sauerkraut brought good luck. I got real good at making the dish, but had some unlucky years, so never again. But of course, I am NOT superstitious!

[Kathy]

Hehe, that title for the recipe would be just dandy in a cookbook "Ozoni(That only kinda sucks...)"! :)

[Kirk]

Hey Mills - Happy New Year! Hope all is well!

Hi Billy - It is simple, but getting the flavor right.......

Hi Ed - Funny! ;o) And no, I didn't make my own mochi....maybe next century......

Hi Kathy - LOL! I can write that cookbook...."Recipes that only kinda suck!" I love it.....

[yummieyummy]

I don't know how to make Ozoni, but your version looks wonderful. I would like to share with everyone my Mom's trick to make the chicken broth super clear. She puts it in the freezer to freeze up the fat and then she takes all the fat out. She also puts a jumbo white onion in the broth to take away the "meaty" smell =)

[foodhoe]

Hmmm, I've never had much success making ozoni either, but I love it. Unfortunately no one in my family knows exactly how to make it. I had some at my aunts house this year and it tasted really sweet to me, but she is from a different part of japan than my family is from. The ingredients for your soup look delicious, how could it only kinda suck? Can the missus help out with any feedback? I guess I'm just hoping to find a good recipe...

[Kirk]

Hi YY - Another key factor is to keep the broth at a light simmer, so the collagen and the meat don't break down....I put the broth in the frig for one night and skim all the solids off the next morning....than if you're like my Mom, you'd filter it through a coffee filter....talk about overkill!

Hi FH - To tell you the truth, I think the Missus just doesn't like ozoni, but refuses to admit it!

[lance]

Belated Happy New Year Kirk and Family. Been that you like to experiment, maybe you'd like to try experimenting with a ozoni recipe my mom has been making for years. She first washes the dashi konbu to get off the salt. Boil the dashi konbu for awhile. Adds the can of Hokigai (sp) clams with juice. She said it really makes a difference in flavor which brand of Hokigai clams used. She insist on the $14 can from Marukai and not the $5 can. Sorry I don't know the brand name. It has a Usui in the name, if that helps any. Then she adds two small pkg dashi, Hawaiian salt and a dash of shoyu. Last the mochi and mizuna leaves. If you do try it, I hope you like it.

[Kirk]

Hi Lance - Happy New Year to you as well! I haven't heard from you in a while, hope all is well. From reading your comment it seems that your family goes more for the "dashi style" ozoni...sounds ono. My only question is; if your Mom is already using dashi kombu, why doesn't she make ichiban dashi by just adding katsuobushi...that way, no need dashi no moto? I'll make sure to save this recipe and hopefully try it out next New Year.

[Miki]

It looks good!
I made one on new years too!!
your poke looks soo good too! I miss pake with kukui sesame!
IIt's cool to fid you blog. I live in SD now but I used to live in Oahu and the big island.
Are you Okinawan?

[Kirk]

Hi Miki - Howszit, and welcome! I'm sure my ozoni probably pales to the one you made! I'm glad you enjoy our humble little blog. I'm Sansei...third generation AJA.

[lance]

You know, I never saw my mom every use katsuobushi. I used to see the piece of dried brick of fish at my grandparents house that they shaved themselves. So you'd thing, she knows the difference in flavors, but I always see her using the package dashi for everything, even though, nowadays, you can buy the katsuobushi shavings packages in the store. She says it's more convenient and easy. Oh well....to each their own.

[Kirk]

Hey Lance - Well if it works, it works....don't want to mess with success!