Ozoni Recipe (Japanese New Year Mochi Soup)
This ozoni recipe is the first thing we eat every year as it’s a cherished part of Japanese New Year celebrations, believed to bring good luck, and good fortune and symbolize a fresh start. This hearty soup is a beautiful blend of chewy rice cakes, tender root vegetables, and nourishing leafy greens, perfect for welcoming the year ahead.
Servings 2 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 large carrot peeled
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 scallions
- 2-3 inch piece of kombu (dried kelp)
- 5 shiitake mushrooms dried
- 2 shiitake mushrooms fresh, optional for garnish
- 2 tbsp yondu or other veggie soup base seasoning
- 2-3 pieces of mochi toasted
- 3/4 cup napa cabbage chopped
Instructions
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In a pot, combine kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms and let steep for about 15 minutes (the longer the better). Meanwhile, cut carrots on the bias, reserving a few coin shaped slices for garnish and cut the scallion into thirds. Add the white stem of the scallion (reserving green tops for garnish) and the carrots to the pot (reserving the coins for later). Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Strain out the ingredients.
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To make carrot flowers, use a flower shaped food cutter or mini cookie cutter and punch them out of the coin shaped slices. Slice 3 shiitake mushrooms thinly and reserve the remaining 2 for garnish. Use a small knife to gently make shallow cuts out of the top of the mushroom to create a star like shape.
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Add the carrot flowers and mushrooms to the pot along with cabbage and mochi to cook for a few minutes, until everything is tender. Turn off the heat, stir in the miso paste until dissolved and season soup to taste with yondu or other seasoning of choice. Slice reserved green scallion tops for garnish and enjoy.
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Notes
- Prepare your clear dashi broth ahead of time for deeper flavours. Letting the kombu and shiitake steep overnight in cold water creates an incredibly rich umami base without extra effort.
- Simmer your ingredients gently on medium heat and remove them once they’re tender. Overcooking vegetables or mochi can result in a loss of texture or excess mushiness.
- Â Add a few sprigs of Japanese parsley (mitsuba) on top of the soup for a bright, herbal finish that complements the umami flavours.
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