ODEN Part ONE (Vegan & Vegetarian Options)

Jan 12, 2021 | Kitchen Culture, Winter, Year-Round

おでん Oden

Various ingredients find their way into the belly-warming stew known as oden. Most versions include myriad sausage-like items made from surimi (fish and seafood ground to a paste). There are, however, lots of options for those who prefer plant-based items only. Vegan and vegetarian Items fall into four categories:

#1 tōfu & soy-foods (tōfu rui豆腐類・daizu seihin大豆製品)

#2 root vegetables (konsai rui 根菜類)

#3 konnyaku (蒟蒻)

#4 other

For those not brought up with Japanese kitchen culture I’ve prepared an illustrated guide to some of the more puzzling items. hope you’ll try your hand at making ODEN in your kitchen.

DOWNLOAD An Illustrated Guide to (vegetarian & vegan) ODEN Items  and a Basic Recipe for Vegan & Vegetarian ODEN

ODEN that features sausage-like items made from surimi (fish and seafood ground to a paste) is the focus of ODEN Part TWO

Seasonal Word Play

Seasonal Word Play

In Japanese, the words for martial spirit (shōbu, 尚武), victory (shōbu, 勝負), and a reed that is a botanical relative of the iris flower (shōbu 菖蒲) make a fortuitous pun. Throughout Japan, during Golden Week, fragrant bunches of shōbu (iris reeds), are sold in...

New Beginings

New Beginings

In Japan, April is the time for new beginnings -- the start of a new school year, a new fiscal year, and changes to many established programs on TV, radio and other media outlets. In tune with this custom, I've made some changes at A Taste of Culture this month. I...

PROJECT Springtime Sweets

PROJECT Springtime Sweets

洋菓子・yōgashiWestern-Style Confectionery Japan's food culture includes ingredients, techniques and dishes that have been adopted and/or adapted from non-Japanese sources.  One large category is confectionery. Earliest influences were from the Portuguese in the 16th...

Celebrating Sakura

Celebrating Sakura

The Japanese take great pleasure in celebrating the seasons and SAKURA (cherry blossoms) are emblematic of spring. From the time buds (tsubomi 蕾) first appear to the official pronouncement of blooming (kaika 開花) it is often less than a week. And from there to...

Recent Posts & Projects