"OSECHI" is the traditional food of Japan for New Year. It is not a dish. it's a combination of dishes we serve for family and guests for the beginning of the year for a few days. Every family has their own dishes to call "OSECHI", every family prepared it for days before New Year's Day.
I usually cook for at least 3 days before New Years. But at the end of last year, I had a very busy week. Therefore I didn't have too much time for making it.
I finally had time to go to "Sunrise Mart (Japanese Grocery Store)" on the 30th.
I had things to do that afternoon. So I had only one day to cook. I had to take short cuts, and I decided to do more Western Flavors not just Japanese Favors.
Somehow using the oven for some dishes seems much easier, and could save cooking time from doing everything on the stove top...
In old days, Japanese kitchens did not have ovens, Japanese cooking was all done on stove tops. "Oven Cooking" is still not a popular way of cooking in Japanese Households. And many "OSECHI" dishes are made with Root Vegetables, which means it takes a long time to prepare. So, I had to think what I can do to make a short cut. At the same time, my friends who I invited for "Osechi Lunch" have been tasting my "OSECHI" for quite some time. Maybe it was a good idea for me to change it a little, so they still could enjoy having "OSECHI" for New Year's Day. I also wanted to serve it differently this year.
No "Imari Plates", No "White Table Cloth" this year.
I always have a few "New Year's Day Parties" to go to. Those parties always have great food. So having "OSECHI" with friends was how I started a very busy tasty day at beginning of The New Year as I do every year....
This is a traditional Oshogatsu Ryori (New Year's Dish).
"Nishime" stewed Mixed Vegetables.
This is the one dish I have to make for "Osechi"
Japanese Deviled Eggs ?
Hard boiled Egg Whites stuffed with
"Masago(Cod Roe)" and "Tobiko(Flying Fish Roe)"
"Kamaboko (Fish Cake)" & "Datemaki (Egg and White Fish Roll)".
Two commercially made traditional foods for "Osechi"
How you cut & serve them makes the plate original.
New Item for this year.
Quick blanched String Beans wrapped with Prosciutto.
Popped in the oven for a few minutes just before I served.
Two items Yuki brought for the New Year's Day.
Those are her favorites for "Osechi"
"Carrots & Daikon Vinaigrette" & "Stewed Black Beans"
Everybody has their own memories,
so I always ask her to make whatever she likes to have on that day.
Another new additional for this year's "Osechi".
Crunchy pre-cooked Lotus Roots stuffed with
Blue Cheese, Miso, Ground-Sesame Mixture.
"Shio Gobo"
Stewed Burdock Root flavored with
Mirin(sweet rice wine), Sake, Sea-Salt and Toasted Sesame Seeds.
"Kuri Kinton" with a short cut.
I roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes in the oven.
Pre-roasted and shelled Chestnuts mixed into the mashed Sweet Potato.
And, I added Pomegranate-Molasses for some fluty kick !
The Meal finished with "Zoni"
It is a soup with roasted "Mochi (Sticky Rice Cake)" and vegetables and other things. Again, every family has their own recipe. My family always makes Soy-Sauce Based Soup with things added to it. Regularly I put Carrots, Scallions, Shitake, Spinach and Mitsuba. But this year I did it with Carrots, Leeks, Whole Shiitake, Pea Shoots, and Mitsuba. And of course some Fish Cakes with red and white design.
"OSECHI" and "ZONI" are all symbolism for wishing to have a great new year.
The Red & White combination has meaning of happiness, so we try to eat many things mixed with red & white in foods for many occasions thought the year. But on New Year's Day we see many of those dishes on the table more than any other days.
"Mochi" is a Steamed Sticky Rice, pounded and made into sheets and cut into individual portions. Usually we eat after roasting them. It gets almost crunchy outside but inside is very sticky and stretchy. "Mochi" has meaning of Strength and Endurance. If you stick with it, eventually it will happen....
Let us hope this New Year will be a Better and Happier Year for everybody !
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