Oden Winter Simmered Assortment Kanto Style

Ingredients

• For the dashi broth
• 20 g kombu, wiped clean with a damp cloth
• 30 g katsuobushi, loosely packed
• 1.5 litres water
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, light-style preferred
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• For the oden assortment
• 400 g daikon, peeled, cut into 3 cm rounds, corners bevelled
• 500 ml rice-washing water (kome no togi-jiru), first or second rinse water from washing Japanese short-grain rice
• 200 g konnyaku, scored with a decorative cross-hatch on both flat faces, cut into triangles
• 4 kobu-maki, pre-made kelp rolls, tied with kampyō
• 200 g tsumire, fish cake balls, store-bought or made; handled gently
• 2 chikuwa, bamboo-shaped fish paste tubes, halved on the diagonal
• 2 ganmodoki, fried tofu fritters, blanched briefly in boiling water to remove excess oil
• 150 g hanpen, fluffy white fish cake, cut into triangles; added last
• 4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
• To serve
• 1 tsp karashi, Japanese hot mustard, prepared from powder; served alongside

Method

1. 1
   Prepare the dashi. Combine the kombu and cold water in a wide, heavy pot. Bring slowly to approximately 60°C over medium-low heat — this takes roughly 20 minutes. Remove the kombu just before the water reaches a simmer. Raise the heat briefly, add the katsuobushi, and remove from heat immediately. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine cloth. The dashi is ready when it is pale gold, clear, and carries a clean oceanic fragrance.
2. 2
   Pre-cook the daikon in rice-washing water (kome no togi-jiru). Place the daikon rounds in a separate saucepan, cover with the rice-washing water, and simmer over medium heat for 15–20 minutes. The daikon is ready when a skewer passes through without resistance and the rounds have lost their raw, pungent bite — taste a small piece to confirm the harsh bitterness has departed.
3. 3
   Season the strained dashi. Return it to the pot and stir in the soy sauce, mirin, and sake over low heat. Do not allow the broth to boil. The broth should read as gently savoury, delicate, and barely sweet — not sharp. Establish and maintain the temperature at 80–85°C throughout all subsequent steps: this is where the dish lives or dies, as aggressive boiling will shatter the delicate fish cakes, cloud the broth, and introduce bitterness that cannot be corrected.
4. 4
   Add the pre-cooked daikon and the konnyaku to the seasoned broth. The cross-hatched surface of the konnyaku should face upward initially so the broth works into the cuts. Maintain the bare simmer at 80–85°C for a minimum of 2 hours. The daikon is progressing correctly when it is translucent at the edges and has taken on a faint amber tint from the broth.
5. 5
   After 1 hour of simmering, add the kobu-maki and ganmodoki. Monitor the broth level; top up with freshly made dashi as needed to keep all items submerged. The broth must remain clear and golden throughout — skim any foam that rises to the surface with a fine ladle.
6. 6
   In the final hour, add the tsumire and chikuwa. Lower the heat further if any motion in the pot approaches a boil. The tsumire are ready when they hold their shape cleanly, have lost their raw interior grey, and bob with a gentle resilience when nudged with a spoon.
7. 7
   In the final 30 minutes, add the hard-boiled peeled eggs. In the last 10 minutes, add the hanpen triangles. Hanpen is extremely delicate; it should swell slightly and become pillowy. Remove it the moment it is heated through — it will begin to dissolve if left too long. Test by pressing lightly with a fingertip: it should yield with an even, cloud-like softness.
8. 8
   Ladle the broth and a considered arrangement of all components into wide, deep bowls — one piece of each variety per portion. Serve the karashi mustard on the side. The broth should be clear and amber-golden; each ingredient should retain its distinct texture while carrying the gentle mellow flavour of the dashi within.