Making Oden at Home
On a cold night, there is nothing quite like pulling a warm piece of daikon from a pot of oden. It is a patient meal, built on the clarity of good dashi and the slow alchemy of ingredients mingling in the pot.
Consistency is your main ingredient.
Do not rush the simmer. If the liquid boils, the fish cakes will toughen and the broth will turn cloudy.
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- drop lid or parchment paper circle
- fine mesh strainer
What goes in.
- 1.5 litersdashi broth
- 4 tbsplight soy sauce
- 2 tbspmirin
- 1 largedaikon radish, cut into 1-inch thick rounds
- 4hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- 8assorted fish cakes (chikuwa, satsuma-age)
- 2 blockskonnyaku, cut into triangles
Low and Slow
Keep the heat at the absolute minimum to maintain a gentle shimmer. Using a drop lid helps distribute the heat evenly and prevents the fish cakes from breaking apart.
The method.
Prepare the daikon
Boil the daikon rounds in plain water for 15 minutes until a skewer slides through with zero resistance. Drain and set aside.
Season the broth
Combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in your pot. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat.
Add the base
Place the daikon, konnyaku, and hard-boiled eggs into the broth. Cover with a drop lid and let simmer for at least 60 minutes.
Add the fish cakes
Add the fish cakes during the final 30 minutes. Over-simmering them makes them lose their texture.
Rest
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit for 30 minutes before serving. This pause allows the flavors to deepen significantly.
Other turns to take.
Meat-focused
Add beef tendon that has been blanched and skewered for a richer broth.
Leafy green
Add fresh watercress or chrysanthemum greens in the final minute of cooking for freshness.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Score the surface of the konnyaku with a knife to allow it to absorb more broth.
Blanch your fish cakes in boiling water for 30 seconds before adding to the main pot to remove excess surface oil.
Serve with a small dollop of Japanese hot mustard on the side of each bowl.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I reheat oden the next day?
Yes. Oden tastes better the next day after the ingredients have spent the night soaking in the broth.
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