The Story of Oden

Now that the air has become crisp in the mornings here in Tokyo, I am starting to see the steaming cauldrons of Oden at every konbini (convienience store) I go to. Oden is a very simple stew that Japanese people eat in the fall and winter. It consists of a varied assortment of items that float in a fish broth and stew there for days. The way to eat Oden involved grabbing the floating thingy with chopsticks and dipping in in hot mustard. Oden really refers to the floating things, but there are many many types. Cabbage rolls, fish cakes, sausages, eggs, tofu chunks, fried tofu puffs, konyaku (gelatinized root vegetable), there are literally hundreds of kinds of Oden. My favorite is the cabbage roll one.

So far this year I have made Oden 4 times already. I usually make a fish broth by going to our local fish store (a guy and his elderly parents) who give me bunch of fish heads and scrap pieces for very cheap. I make a broth by cooking those fish parts with onions, soy sauce, mirin (cooking sake), sugar and a dash of sesame oil. After the broth is done, I put in the floaty guys (whichever oden I can get my hands on). Most come pre-made at the supermarket accross the street, but others--like the cabbage rolls and "treasure bags" (tofu pouches stuffed with pork), take some time to make.

Here is my Oden that I made last night!


Most ingredients are available in the States at your local asian food store, especially during this time of year, so I encourage you all to try and make some. Justyna says it reminds her of polish stews, which of course have cabbage rolls that are quite similar. If you would like a tutorial on how to make Oden, check out this amazing online cooking show! Despite what the title may suggest, this is not a show about how to cook dog! The dog is the host of the cooking show!
Check it out!