How to Make Authentic Nagoya Ozoni [Japanese New Year's Mochi Soup] | Sudachi
Today I want to introduce a traditional Japanese New Year's mochi soup called Ozoni.
There's so many regional variations of this dish and in this video I'll be showing you
how to make my local version which is Nagoya style. The first step is frying the chicken
so heat a pan on medium and add one teaspoon of cooking oil. Add about 100 grams of boneless
chicken thigh and season it with a pinch of salt. We're going to fry that until it's cooked through
and a bit golden on the outside. While you wait start boiling a pot of water and cut 100 grams
of Japanese mustard spinach into thirds. This is called Komatsuna but if you can get it bok choy
is a good substitute. Drop that in the boiling water and blanch it for 30 seconds then transfer
it to a bowl of ice water. This technique improves the flavor texture and color of the Komatsuna.
Next we're going to make the soup. Pour 400 milliliters of dashi to a pot and add half
teaspoon of mirin. Next we're adding Kirimochi which is a cut rice cake. This is enough soup
for four portions but I'll cook two now and then cook two more later when I eat the leftovers.
We add the mochi to the dashi before it's boiling so that it doesn't become too soft and mushy
on the outside. Mochi is supposed to bring happiness and good fortune so we commonly
eat it around the new year. This soup is lightly seasoned and relies a lot on the flavor of the
dashi so I recommend using homemade dashi or a high quality dashi packet rather than granules.
Gently simmer over medium heat. The mochi is ready when it's soft on the outside and looks
like this. Next add two teaspoons of soy sauce and the pan-fried chicken thigh from earlier.
If there are chicken juices in the pan add those in too for a deeper flavor.
Simmer for about one minute to warm the chicken through and then we're ready to serve up. I was
born and raised in the Nagoya area so I've always enjoyed Nagoya style Ozoni. Nagoya's Ozoni is
often called the simplest in Japan and I think that's part of what makes it so special.
It's a simple and complicated dish that focuses on purity and quality of its ingredients rather
than being extravagant. It's a bit ironic though because other parts of Japan often see us as bold
and flashy in general. Place the mochi in a soup bowl and add about three pieces of chicken per
portion. I'm also adding kamaboko which is another typical new year's food. Add a small bunch of
and then pour the soup over the top. Garnish with bonito flakes and that's it. Authentic
Nagoya style Ozoni. A light and delicate version of Japanese new year's mochi soup with chicken.
And great news I've launched a free mobile app that makes following along with my recipes even
easier. It's the perfect kitchen companion after watching my videos. You can access step-by-step
instructions right on your phone while you cook. The download link is in the description below.
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I hope you enjoyed this one. If you want the printable recipe you can find it on my blog.
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on your screen right now. Thanks so much for watching and I hope to see you in the next one.
Happy New Year!