There is a dish I start craving when the weather turns cold.

The other day, I saw shiny, fresh daikon radishes on sale at the supermarket, and I thought, “Ah, the season has arrived.” And that means oden!

Oden is a Japanese winter favorite: fish cakes and vegetables slowly simmered in a gentle dashi broth. Daikon radish, boiled eggs, konnyaku (a chewy food made from konjac), and nerimono (fish cakes) soak up the flavor little by little.

It is not a showy dish. There is no glamorous meat or special fresh seafood. Yet this humble lineup is somehow very dear to me. With a little time and care, simple, familiar ingredients become a treasured autumn and winter feast.

Today, you can even enjoy oden at a convenience store, one piece at a time. But I hope you will also taste it while thinking about the time and care of the person who made it.

And here is another charm: every household has its own oden, because each mother seasons it a little differently. That is the real joy of home cooking.

Is there a dish that you crave when the weather turns cold in your country? I would love to hear about it!

寒くなると食べたくなる「おでん」の紹介です。大根、卵、こんにゃく、練り物を、だしでゆっくり煮込む、地味だけれど、いとおしい家庭の味。コンビニでも買えるおでんを、作り手の時間と気持ちも感じながら味わってみてください。ご家庭ごとに味が違うのも、おでんの魅力です。

Vocabulary

• Oden (おでん): a winter dish of fish cakes and vegetables simmered in dashi
• Dashi (だし): Japanese soup stock made from kelp or bonito
• Konnyaku (こんにゃく): a chewy, jelly-like food made from konjac
• Nerimono (練り物): fish cakes; foods made from fish paste
• Nikomu (煮込む): to simmer slowly

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Daily Life, Food Culture & Wisdom