Ozoni – Japanese Soup with Mochi
Traditions are so valuable, creating closeness and strengthening the connection between family members. My mother-in-law recognized the importance of family traditions early on. The traditions she established decades ago are still practiced today and it’s the glue that keeps their family tightly knit.
One of my favorite traditions is partaking in the new year’s ozoni. Every year on January 1st, all family members would assemble for their first meal of the year: a bowl of steaming hot ozoni. Mom-in-law says that drinking the soup ensures a good upcoming year for the partaker. Good luck or not, the soup is just plain delicious!
I posted the recipe for mom-in-law’s “easy ozoni” in 2008 and made a video in 2007 which I have embedded below. I must apologize for the shaky camera work (was trying to hold the camera in one hand and cook with the other).
This year, I didn’t get a chance to buy the very expensive (~$15/can) hokkigai clams, so I made it with chicken instead. It wasn’t as tasty, but still quite good. Ryan Ozawa mentioned using steamer clams from Costco. When I inquired about the clams, here’s what he said:
The steamer clams box, from the Costco freezer section, had three trays of about a 1/3 lb. for $14. The clams were fully cooked and still in shell. Jen just pulled the meat out of the clams and threw it in the ozoni, rather than nuking the clams in the tray with the butter as designed.
I am definitely going to try this. Unfortunately, venturing out to Costco on New Year’s Eve is probably a bad idea if I wish to keep my sanity — so I’ll make a run early next week.
What traditions have you established for your family? Do you have ozoni on new year’s day? Or perhaps another traditional/ethnic dish? Care to share your recipe?
I am a terrible Japanese and probably an even more terrible son, because I’ve never developed an affinity for ozoni. Thankfully I tolerated it when I lived with my parents and nowadays it is not a required tradition.
A self imposed tradition I have is to wish my parents a Happy New Year at 12:00am January 1 HST no matter where I am…Honolulu, NYC, Solvang, etc. I love this because it pleases my parents immensely!
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I don’t really have a tradition that I grew up with or setup for the Bambino and me. The only thing close to a tradition is that I’ve spent my New Years in a different place each year since I graduated from college; Norway, New York, Boston, etc. I’m pretty excited to see what a Hawaii New Years is like.
New Years day we’ll be enjoying some Japanese food – hopefully some Ozoni!
Happy New Years to you and the family!!!!!!!!!
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First, I’d like to say the letterhead part of your blog is really nice and it’s nice how you change it once in a while to keep it fresh.
Second, my Mom uses the little Japanese clams in that little can in her ozoni (sorry, can’t remember the brand or name). I just look for the can in the Japanese canned goods aisle.
Third, Mom says when she was young growing up in Hawaii her Mother packed those hokkigai in her school lunches becasue they were cheaper than tuna. Can you believe that?
Happy New Year to you and your family. Baby C gets cuter every time you put her photo up in your blog.
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Good recipe and easy prep for sure. But… Truth be told, I’m not big on ozoni.
My Mom used to make a very bland version with very little saltiness to it – maybe that’s why. I used to do the Joy Luck Club thing – “All it needs is a little soy sauce.” Like the movie, it didn’t go over well with my Mom, lol! I do make kinako mochi for us on New Year’s day though.
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I know someone who serves ozoni at midnight New Years Eve & prepares noodles for breakfast the next day. This is backwards to me but the only reference I have are what my family does every year so I’m not sure what to think.
Do you know what the “official” tradition “rules” are by any chance? It would help me to feel that I am here or there! =)
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[...] Ozoni looks good too. January 2nd, 2010 | Category: [...]
[...] small bag (360g). I picked up two bags, figuring I would make another make another batch of ozoni (new year’s mochi soup) and enjoy some pan-fried mochi at the same [...]
[...] gets swept up and discarded. Then, in some families, like mine, we go in and have a hot bowl of ozoni, a traditional Japanese new year food featuring a savory chicken broth, mizuna (a bitter green [...]