Oden (Japanese Simmered Hot Pot)
おでん · Oden
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Oden is Japan's classic cold-weather comfort food: a pot of daikon, root vegetables, fish cakes, fried tofu and konnyaku simmered slowly in a lightly seasoned dashi broth until everything has soaked up the flavor. It is a winter staple in Japanese homes and even sold at convenience store counters once the weather turns cold. This preschool version keeps the seasoning gentle and cuts everything into small, soft pieces that are easy for little mouths, and the potato and pork turn it into a hearty main dish. It is made without egg or milk.
Toddlers to adults. The whole family can eat this exactly as written.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
- 45 gdaikon radish
- 18 gcarrot
- 60 gpotato
- 24 ggobo-ten (fried fish cake with burdock)A Japanese fried fish cake with strips of burdock root mixed in. Substitute: Other Japanese fish cake such as chikuwa or satsuma-age; there is no close Western substitute.
- 36 gatsuage (thick deep-fried tofu)A thick block of tofu deep-fried so the outside is golden while the inside stays soft and creamy. Substitute: Firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried in a little oil until golden.
- 30 gkonnyakuA firm, jelly-like gray block made from konjac yam, nearly calorie-free with a bouncy, chewy texture that soaks up flavor. Substitute: No close substitute - look for it (sometimes labeled konjac cake) at a Japanese or Asian grocery or online, or simply leave it out.
- 36 gthinly sliced pork (komagire)Small, thin offcuts of pork sold in Japan for quick stir-fries and simmered dishes. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin cut into bite-size pieces.
- 240 mldashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 5.1 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 5.1 gsoy sauce
- 0.6 gsalt
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- gobo-ten (fried fish cake with burdock) (ごぼう天)
- A Japanese fried fish cake with strips of burdock root mixed in. Substitute: Other Japanese fish cake such as chikuwa or satsuma-age; there is no close Western substitute.
- atsuage (thick deep-fried tofu) (厚揚げ)
- A thick block of tofu deep-fried so the outside is golden while the inside stays soft and creamy. Substitute: Firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried in a little oil until golden.
- konnyaku (こんにゃく)
- A firm, jelly-like gray block made from konjac yam, nearly calorie-free with a bouncy, chewy texture that soaks up flavor. Substitute: No close substitute - look for it (sometimes labeled konjac cake) at a Japanese or Asian grocery or online, or simply leave it out.
- thinly sliced pork (komagire) (豚こま切れ肉)
- Small, thin offcuts of pork sold in Japan for quick stir-fries and simmered dishes. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin cut into bite-size pieces.
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
Video is in Japanese — the steps below are synced to it, so tap ▶ on a step to jump to that moment.
- 1
Cut the carrot into 1 cm-thick quarter-rounds and the daikon into 1.5 cm-thick quarter-rounds. Place them in a heatproof bowl, add 1 tbsp of water (not included in the ingredient amounts), cover loosely with plastic wrap leaving a gap for steam to escape, and microwave at 1200W for about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes (3 to 5 minutes at 600W). Cut the potato into 2 cm-thick quarter-rounds.
- 2
Pour boiling water over the gobo-ten and atsuage to rinse off excess oil. Cut the gobo-ten into 1 cm-thick rounds. Cut the atsuage lengthwise into 3 strips, then into 1.5 cm-thick pieces. Cut the pork into 2 cm-wide pieces.
- 3
Cut the konnyaku lengthwise into 3 strips, then into 1 cm-thick pieces. Place in a heatproof container, cover loosely with plastic wrap leaving a gap for steam to escape, and microwave at 1200W for about 1 minute (2 minutes at 600W), then rinse under running water to remove its bitterness. (For children of elementary school age and younger, use ito konnyaku, the thin noodle-style konnyaku, instead for safety.)
- 4
Put the vegetables from step 1 in a pot, add enough dashi stock to just cover the ingredients, and bring to a boil. Add the pork and konnyaku and skim off any scum, then add the mirin and half of the soy sauce and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- 5
Add the gobo-ten, atsuage, the remaining soy sauce and the salt, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Let it cool so the flavors soak in. (If the broth reduces too much, top it up with more dashi stock. Letting the pot cool completely and then reheating it helps the flavor soak in well.)
Tips for Best Results
- You can adjust how strongly seasoned the dish tastes by how much broth you leave at the end. Leave more broth if you prefer a milder flavor, less if you like it a little stronger.
- Microwaving the daikon and carrot first means they turn soft even with a short simmering time.
Freezing and Storage
This dish does not freeze well. Keep it in the refrigerator and finish it by the next day.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 216 kcal | 432 kcal | 216 kcal |
| Protein | 17 g | 33.9 g | 17 g |
| Fat | 8.7 g | 17.4 g | 8.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21.5 g | 42.9 g | 21.5 g |
| Fiber | 7.4 g | 14.7 g | 7.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 2.1 g | 4.2 g | 2.1 g |
| Calcium | 136.5 mg | 273 mg | 136.5 mg |
| Iron | 1.8 mg | 3.6 mg | 1.8 mg |
| Potassium | 783 mg | 1566 mg | 783 mg |
| Phosphorus | 240 mg | 480 mg | 240 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | Phosphorus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 216 kcal | 17 g | 8.7 g | 21.5 g | 7.4 g | 2.1 g | 136.5 mg | 1.8 mg | 783 mg | 240 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 432 kcal | 33.9 g | 17.4 g | 42.9 g | 14.7 g | 4.2 g | 273 mg | 3.6 mg | 1566 mg | 480 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
