Mochi ball soup, a traditional Japanese dish served during the New Year, is a comforting and flavorful dish that symbolizes good luck and prosperity. With its soft, chewy mochi balls, savory broth, and colorful array of vegetables, this soup is a delight for both the eyes and the taste buds. In this article, we will explore the origins of mochi ball soup, delve into the significance it holds in Japanese culture, and provide a detailed recipe to guide you in recreating this heartwarming dish in your own kitchen.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
OZONI (MOCHI SOUP)
People in Japan and the Japanese diaspora hold mochi-making parties in late December, taking turns swinging an enormous mallet, pounding sticky rice in a hollowed-out stump until smooth and stretchy, then shaping it into balls or disks. Some of the mochi is eaten fresh with sweet or savory toppings, and some is offered plain to the spirits. (Stores sell it for anyone too busy to make it.) On New Year's Day, hardened mochi pieces are reheated and used in ozoni soup. In Kyoto, round vegetables and mochi bob around in a pale miso soup; in Tokyo, rectangular mochi is served in shoyu broth; in Kanazawa, people add multicolored mochi and sweet shrimp to clear dashi; and in Fukui, it's red miso soup with mochi and nothing else. This recipe, from Corinne Nakagawa Gooden, originates in Hiroshima, and came to Seattle with her grandmother Hisaye Sasaki in the early 1900s.
Provided by Hannah Kirshner
Categories soups and stews, appetizer, main course
Time 1h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Make the chicken stock: Rinse the chicken parts. In a pot, bring the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 quarts water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to prevent a full boil (which would cloud the broth).
- Strain the broth and discard the chicken or reserve the meat for another use. Add the mirin to the broth and set aside.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the satoimo and blanch until the skin is soft enough to slip off easily, about 3 minutes. Drain the satoimo, then use a spoon to scrape off the skin. Slice the satoimo into ¼-inch-thick rounds, then transfer them to a small saucepan. Add enough of the chicken broth to cover. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to simmer until soft, about 15 minutes.
- In lacquerware soup bowls or other small bowls, neatly arrange mizuna, satoimo and 1 or 2 slices of Naruto. Peel one or two long strips from the yuzu, then cut the strips very thinly crosswise. In a medium saucepan, reheat the chicken stock. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- To serve, heat the mochi until puffy and soft, for a few minutes in a toaster oven or under the broiler, or 30 seconds on high in a microwave, and add it to the bowls. Immediately ladle about 1/2 cup hot broth into each bowl - before the mochi hardens - and garnish with a pinch of yuzu peel.
MOCHI BALL SOUP - A TRADITIONAL NEW YEAR'S JAPANESE DISH
My grandma and mom used to make this soup mostly during New Year's Eve. There are many variations to this soup. This is the way that I prepare it, so let your imagination fly with this. I can't find a nice photo for this dish, so I just took a photo of my japanese kokeshi doll. I will post a photo when I do make this dish for...
Provided by Jo Anne Sugimoto
Categories Other Soups
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- 1. In a medium pot combine water, shrimp, salt, bouillon and daikon. Boil until bouillon cubes are dissolved. Turn down to simmer.
- 2. In a medium bowl, combine mochiko, ham, salt and pepper, mix together. Gradually add the chicken broth to make dough. Form 1/2 inch dough balls, use mochiko on your hands so the dough does not stick and make a mess.
- 3. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients to make 1/2 inch pork ball. Slightly dampen your hands with water so the pork does not stick.
- 4. Turn your soup stock heat back up and add all the mochi balls and pork balls. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, and until the mochi balls start floating to the top.
- 5. Variations and options: you can add vegetables, such as carrots, watercress, spinach, chinese cabbage, chinese squash, mustard cabbage, etc.
- 6. Serve hot in soup bowls, garnish with fish cake, green onions, chinese parsley.
EASY MOCHI
A lovely Chinese New Year's snack; soft, slightly sweet, and chewy, this is a wonderful traditional dessert. Ready in only minutes. Serve with steaming hot tea!
Provided by Katrina
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Japanese
Time 3h35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Wrap red bean paste in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Mix sweet rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Stir in water, then sugar. Mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
- Cook the rice flour mixture in the microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Meanwhile, remove red bean paste from the freezer and divide paste into 8 equal balls. Set aside. Stir rice flour mixture and heat for another 15 to 30 seconds.
- Dust work surface with cornstarch. While the mochi is still hot from the microwave, begin rolling balls the size of about 2 tablespoons. Flatten the mochi ball and place 1 frozen red bean paste ball in the center. Pinch the mochi over the red bean paste until the paste is completely covered. Sprinkle with additional cornstarch and place mochi seam side down in a paper muffin liner to prevent sticking. Repeat until all the mochi and red bean paste is used.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 213.2 calories, Carbohydrate 49.8 g, Fat 0.2 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 2.8 g, Sodium 82.3 mg, Sugar 6.4 g
OZONI (JAPANESE NEW YEAR MOCHI SOUP - KANTO STYLE)
Ozoni (Japanese New Year Mochi Soup) is one of the popular Osechi Ryori dishes. This clear dashi based mochi soup with chicken and seasonal vegetables is enjoyed in Kanto region (Eastern Japan).
Provided by Namiko Chen
Categories Soup
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and put them in a small bowl, add ¼ tsp kosher salt.
- Add 1 Tbsp sake and mix well with hands. Let the chicken marinated for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blanch the komatsuna or spinach in boiling water and cook until tender (do not overcook). Soak in iced water after removing from pot to stop cooking further.
- Squeeze the water out and cut the komatsuna into 1 ½ inch (3 cm) length.
- Make a knot with each mitsuba's stem. Peel the yuzu skin.
- If there is too much pith (the white fuzzy thing) was removed along with yuzu's skin, trim with knife. Julienne the yuzu peel very thinly.
- Add 4 cups (960 ml) dashi in a large saucepan or pot and bring it to boil. Once boiling, add the chicken pieces.
- Once all the chicken is added, cover to cook for 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of chicken.
- Once the chicken is cooked, skim the foam and fat on the surface.
- Add 1 Tbsp sake, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Mix well and keep it on simmer.
- When everything else is ready, start toasting mochi in a toaster oven. Optionally you can do this on a frying pan or oven as well.
- Serve the chicken and soup, add the mochi and komatsuna, and finally topped with mitsuba and yuzu. Enjoy immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 216 kcal, Carbohydrate 28 g, Protein 9 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 39 mg, Sodium 563 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 26 g, UnsaturatedFat 4 g, ServingSize 1 serving
Tips:
- To make the mochi balls, soak the glutinous rice overnight. This will help to soften the rice and make it easier to work with.
- When cooking the mochi balls, be sure to add them to boiling water. This will help to prevent the mochi balls from sticking to the pot.
- Cook the mochi balls until they float to the top of the water. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Once the mochi balls are cooked, remove them from the water and rinse them with cold water. This will help to prevent the mochi balls from sticking to each other.
- The mochi balls can be served in a variety of ways. They can be added to soups, stews, or hot pots. They can also be grilled, fried, or baked.
Conclusion:
Mochi ball soup is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. The mochi balls are soft and chewy, and they add a unique flavor and texture to the soup. The soup is also very easy to make, and it can be tailored to your own preferences. Whether you like your soup mild or spicy, vegetarian or meat-based, there is a mochi ball soup recipe out there for you. So next time you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give mochi ball soup a try.
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