‘Oden’ is a Japanese hot pot dish of several ingredients simmered in the seasoned dashi stock. The essential ingredients are Fishcakes such as Chikuwa and Fish Balls. I always add Daikon, Potato, Boiled Eggs, Konnyaku (Konjac) and Beef Tendon skewers. Beef Tendon is hard to find where I live, I often use Ossobuco (Veal Shanks) meat. ‘Oden’ is a perfect dish for dinner on a cold winter day.

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Makes

4 to 5 Servings

Ingredients

Soup
6 cups (1500ml) Water
3 teaspoons Dashi Powder *I used Kombu Dashi & Katsuo (Bonito) Dashi
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Mirin

Suggested Ingredients
*Note: Prepare 4-5 servings of every ingredient
Beef Shank Meat *OR Beef Tendon, cooked with Ginger and Spring Onion
4-5 Boiled Eggs
1/2 to 1 Daikon (White Radish)
1 Konnyaku (Konjac)
2 Potatoes *peeled and cut into chunky pieces
Fish Cakes *e.g. Chikuwa, Fish Balls, etc.

Method

1. Boil Beef Shank Meat with a few sliced Ginger and 1 Spring Onion until soft. Cut into bite-size peaces and skewer. *Note: If you use Beef Tendon, it would take much longer time. Pressure cooker is a good method to cook it.
   
2. Prepare Boiled Eggs. Peel Daikon and cut into chunky pieces, and boil until soft. Cut Konnyaku (Konjac) into the size that is easy to eat, and blanch for a few minutes.
   
   
3. Place the all Soup ingredients in a large pot and heat over high heat. Add Daikon, Konnyaku (Konjac), Shank Meat Skewers, and Potato pieces. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes.
4. When Potato is almost soft, add Fish Cakes and Boiled Eggs, bring back to the simmer, and simmer until Fish Cakes are soft.
5. *Note: You can set it aside at this stage, and warm it up just before serve. ‘Oden’ tastes nicer this way, but Boiled Eggs can’t be kept softly cooked.