A classic winter comfort dish in Japan, Oden is a one-pot dish with an assortment of fish balls, fish cakes, deep-fried tofu, hard-boiled eggs, konnyaku and some vegetables simmered in soy sauce-based dashi broth. It tastes even better the second day!
This week has been really cold in the San Francisco Bay Area and I was thinking what would be the best recipe that represents winter food in Japan. Although there are regional favorites in each area of Japan, I thought Oden (おでん) or Japanese fish cake stew would be a wonderful dish to introduce.
What is Oden?
Oden is a one-pot dish, which is a little bit different from stew or hot pot. It’s more like a simmered dish: assorted fish balls, fish cakes, Atsuage (deep-fried tofu), hard-boiled eggs, konnyaku, and some vegetables are simmered in soy sauce-based broth.
Although the fish cakes are mostly brown and may not look as appetizing to you, once you eat this dish, it’ll be your new winter comfort dish! In my house, I usually serve Oden with Onigiri (rice ball) after my good friend served her oden with onigiri.
I usually make Oden a day before so that all the ingredients will absorb the delicious broth and it tastes much better the following day.
Make Oden at Home
If you are familiar with Japanese drama or cartoon, you have probably seen a scene of salarymen eating Oden and drinking sake at a food stand at night with their coworkers. It has been known as a food stall dish during the night time for relaxing after a day of working. Fortunately, this dish can also be enjoyed at home and we can even take out from convenience stores (e.g. Lawsons, Family Mart, 7-Eleven…etc) during the wintertime. This has even spread to other Asian countries. When I was in Taiwan last month, I saw the 7-Elevens sell Oden (關東煮).
Get Your Donabe (Earthenware Pot) Ready!
How To Season Donabe (Earthenware Pot)
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A classic winter comfort dish in Japan, Oden is a one-pot dish with an assortment of fish balls, fish cakes, deep-fried tofu, hard-boiled eggs, konnyaku and some vegetables simmered in soy sauce-based dashi broth.
- 8 cups water (1920 ml)
- Kombu (dried kelp)
- Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- 4 Tbsp usukuchi (light-color) soy sauce (It’s NOT low-sodium soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- ¼ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt)
- 8 inch daikon radish
- 5 large eggs
- Nishime Kombu (dried seaweed)
- 4 oz Octopus Sashimi (4 oz, 113 g)
- 1 pkg konnyaku (konjac)
- 1 Negi (long green onion) (chopped, optional)
- 2 pkg Oden set (Japanese fish cakes and fish balls)
- 1 Aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) (or more)
- 1 kirimochi or homemade mochi (or more)
- 1 inch carrot (cut into Flower Petals, optional)
- Japanese karashi hot mustard (optional)
In a donabe (earthenware pot), make dashi (Japanese soup stock) and add Seasonings.
Slice daikon into 1-inch pieces and remove the skin (you can peel first with a peeler too).
- Remove the corners (Mentori technique) so that there are no sharp edges. This will prevent daikon from breaking into pieces.
If you prepare rice to serve with Oden, preserve the white water from cleaning rice. Put daikon and the white water in a small pot and start cooking until a skewer goes through (do not cover the lid). In Japan, we say the rice water will get rid of bitterness and bad smell from daikon and the water also makes daikon beautiful white color. Make sure to cook daikon from cold water so the center of daikon gets cooked slowly before boiling and that will help cook daikon evenly.
Boil eggs (cook egg from the water, after boiling set timer for 12 minutes, run cold water and peel off shell).
- Cut Nishime Kombu into short pieces and quickly rinse the coating in running water. Make a knot like below.
- Cut and skewer the octopus.
- Cut konnyaku into smaller pieces. Typically triangle shape like below.
- Add the konnyaku in water and bring it to a boil. After boiling, cook for 1 minute and drain. Set aside.
Put water in a big pot and bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add Nerimono (Japanese fish cakes and fish balls) in boiling water to get rid of excess oil from them – just for 15-30 seconds. Drain and set aside. Cut big pieces into halves. Do the second batch if Nerimono didn’t fit in a pot.
Make mochi-filled tofu bags. Quickly run aburaage (fried bean curd) in boiling water to remove excess oil. Drain and cut in half. Cut mochi into half. Open one side of Aburaage so you can put mochi in it. Use a toothpick or kombu to tie the aburaage so the mochi won't fall out during the cooking process.
Put everything except for Nerimono and mochi bag in the donabe and cook covered over low heat for 2-3 hours minimum. Skim off the scum and fat along the way.
Add Nerimono and mochi bag and cook for 30 minutes (or longer) over low heat.
Cover and reheat when you are ready to serve. I usually let them soak for overnight (after cool down, keep in the fridge) and eat the next day. Oden is often served with Karashi (hot mustard).
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Oh my, odeng (in Korean)!!! I love these! I have been craving them ever since it got chilly here…. I think I am going to pick some up the next time I go to Japanese or Korean stores. I love adding daikons too. They add such a nice flavor.
love the oden sets they sell at the market, so easy to put this dish together!
And Nami, I have the very same clay pot! Did you get it at Daiso’s in Japan Town in SF? I was there not too long ago and got the pot! Only one problem. I wish I had bought 10 of them! 🙂
Sook, I’m glad you found Daiso in Japan Town. 🙂 I got this pot at Nijiya Supermarket… if it’s exactly same I’m afraid I might paid extra… haha.
How much did you pay for it? I paid $2. I should’ve bought more. 🙂
Sook, how big is yours? Mine is a very big one for like 6-8 people… how much did I spend? I think around $20? I am bad at remembering prices…. I assume $2 is a typo for $20, or you got a smaller version…but $2 seems too cheap?! lol.
You’ve got me hungry just thinking about that broth with all those umami flavours. Bliss!
A nice warm winter comfort food is what I would need right now (well, not right now -it’s 9AM-, but today).. it’s freezing out there :S
It really looks like the perfect winter dish! It’s actually quite colourful Nami.
I can see why this is a comforting dish. I like that you make it the day before, this would be perfect to make right before the work week so you can warm it and have a nice meal. I always love your veggie cut outs too, the carrots on top are so cute!
This is really impossible for me to make,but I was successfull in making ramen:)) I so miss oden,miss the karashi spiciness. Brought back nice memories.Thanks
Oh yeah, Oden is one of my favorite winter 1 pot meal. 🙂 Didn’t know I should make it a day ahead for the flavor to develop. Thank you so much for the tips. I’ll make it a day ahead next time.
What a delicious and nutritious looking dish. I would love to try that. I’ve heard that after a very slow start to winter, the cold temps have finally arrived. I guess it had to happen some time! I hope you survive the cold – meals like this are a huge help!
How wonderful – a big pot filled with different flavours, colours and textures. Sounds fantastic and looks delicious Nami 🙂
Dear Nami,
I have never had oden before. It looks like the Japanese version of like a Asian steamboat or Korean hotpot. I always order shabu shabu or sukiyaki in Japanese restaurants if we are looking for something hearty and warming in winter. I love octopus Japanese style, whether raw or cooked and I would love to dip those in something really spicy like fresh red chillies or a chilli sauce.
Hi Nami, the whole pot of this food is more like the Steamboat. Chinese New Year just a few days away, and some of us would be having Steamboat during our reunion dinner!
that sure taste good…i would love to have that during chinese new year.
Namiko-san, Your oden looks 100 times better than any 7/11 oden I have ever seen. So many lovely ingredients. Just to let you know I nominated you for an award on my website. Check it out when you get a minute. Take care, BAM
What a beautiful dish! Very convivial and intriguing.
Cheers,
Rosa
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. I think fish balls is one of my favorite foods in the whole world, so this bowl is like a lot of happiness bubbling over.
The dish sounds delicious, but I’m particularly pleased to read about the preparation of daikon as I grow them (a great winter vegetable for me to grow!) and I’m always looking out for information on them and recipes. Thank you 🙂
This a claypot dish that full of goodies ! Sound so yummy . I saw this when I was in Xiamen China but is Taiwsn version. I was too full and missed the chance to give it a try.
I want to eat at your house!!! : )
I also loved that chowder recipe, Nami. I’ve printed it off, because I have never done clams, and I’ve only had chowder once – it was the main dish I had at my 21st birthday party, kindly made by my now brother-in-law. It took me down memory lane.
Nami, what an incredible dish!!! I love all the different flavors and textures…this is a must try for me…but it might be in a restaurant vs me making it!!! Thanks for sharing another beautiful, delicious recipe!
I have never had this before it looks quite interesting and I love the broth and seasoning ingredients. I don’t know what negi or atsuage are. Looks really delicious and hearty for the cold nights you are having. Stay warm.
I saw the oden ingredient in one of the Japanese grocery store here, now I can buy one just know what to do =) Nami, I also have the same pot too.
What a fascinating look meal Nami – you always have the most interesting dishes and always so beautifully presented.
🙂 Mandy
When I was working in Shanghai a few years back, there was a Lawsons shop just outside the apartments where I live and I’m always dropping by to get some oden before going home! haha so yes, i love eating these! Beautifully presented as always, Nami!
What a special soup! It looks absolutely stunning. And I don’t care what you say about the colors, I think it looks phenomenal!! Your photography is so breathtaking. I have never had Oden but will have to seek it out next time I am at a Japanese restaurant.
That dish has so many wonderful things in it. I can see why it is a winter comfort food. It would be very filling and delicious to eat!
Oh Nami, I can tell the extra care you put into each and every one of your dishes! I’ve not tasted Oden before, but we grew up drinking fish cake and fish ball soup the Chinese way, just throw everything in one big pot and boil with chicken broth, hahah! I am sure your dish is so much more flavorful than what I am used to though…
Hope you are getting more rest and sticking with your resolution!
Wow..your sauces and ingredients make me wonder if ever I could get my hands over them.
I loooooovvvvee Oden. I’ve had it for years now and I’ve always found it comforting in the winter too. I’m definitely going to try your recipe. Thanks and keep warm!!!
Wow! What an interesting dish! It look amazing and so whimsical. O will have to try it!
I love oden! This hot, comforting dish is exactly what our chilly weather needs. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing.
What a gorgeous and bountiful dish. Funny that it is found in convience stores..I just never think of getting quality food from places like that, however internationally things are different.
Oh, Nami-leave it to you to come up with such an incredibly delicious, and comforting dish. As for me, I would love to try it, as I love all your dishes that you’ve prepared, but for sure this will not be on my list to buy…since I could not even find half the ingredients.
It’s a work of art how you prepare everything so professionally. Thanks for sharing:DDD
I have never heard of this, but it looks warm and comforting! You know I am not a fan of seafood, but I know my husband would love to try this! We have been warm here lately, at least for this are of the country (high 57)! I want to make soup, but it seems to hot out!
Nami, I love the look of this – especially in this cold weather and when you can put everything in the one pot. Most unusual – love it!
What an amazing meal. The combinations of flavours, shapes, and in spite of your comment about it all being brown, colours. I wish I knew someone who made this and would invite me, cause I’d bring the best bottle of sake that I could afford and an appetite and willingness to try it all. 🙂
Nami… what a beautiful dish! Oden is new to me.. but I think it looks amazing. Well done!! Hope your weather warms up! ~ Ramona
Wow, the goodies inside the pot are just amazing! I have heard about oden quite often but have never tried it myself but I can imagine that oden is something which I would love since it’s similar to Chinese hot pot in a way. I love the colours, just beautiful and so festive, Nami:)!!
Wow has it gotten cold! What a beautiful dish this is Nami. It would be perfect for these cold nights.
Isn’t Oden a Viking god too lol? Looks like a fabulous winter hearty soup. I bought fish balls in Chinatown here recently and did not like them but maybe I prepared them wrong. I would be happy to give them another shot is they were served like this.
Chinese fish balls are harder than Japanese ones (usually soft). Most of the items you see here are deep fried tofu items called “Atsuage”. The deep fried tofu has all kinds of veggies in it and it’s quite yummy. Hope you can find these in your Asian/Japanese store nearby.
Wow!! What a feast, Nami! I really want to have this in front of me now since it’s dinner time! 😉
You are such an amazing cook I would love to have your skills and some of your energy. This dish is picture perfect and perfectly crafted. Kudos to you!!!
Nami! This looks outstanding. Japanese food is such an art. I am learning so much with you. So many variety or ingredients, and names that I never heard before. When you put everything together, it looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
Looks incredible, especially the fried bean curd. You’re very talented, Nami!
what a unique one pot dish. i can see this being very comforting given the weather that is upon us and with the rain coming. it need one of those pots!
Oh my Gosh Nami I’m so excited!!! What is this artistic thing, Its unbelievable, I can recognise only the octopus!!! I love it, it looks so good!!!! I don’t think I can make it though! I wish I could find all these products, I guess I have to go to a Japanese Grocery..
All the different shapes and colors – looks incredible. A gourmet version of hotpot?:)
This is the most beautiful dish I have seen in a long time – nothing about it looks boring to me. It looks very, very delicious, too. I have never eaten Oden, but now I’m eager to try…
What a beautiful and comforting dish Nami….
Seriously, sometime I wish moving close to you…. I will be on your door everyday.
Hi Nami!
I am a new reader to your site and I love it. I enjoy Japanese homestyle cooking and your pictures and recipes are a great inspiration. I’m sorry to say I’ve never made oden but I’m going to now! It’s been so cold here and it sounds delicious and warming.
I love how detailed your instructions always are. This looks amazing–so many different flavors and textures in one dish!
I never try Oden, looks very delicious, not sure if we can have one on a Japanese restaurant here, but I will look for it, when winter comes…
This is so amazing and beautiful! For a girl who is allergic to shell fish (I know, so sad) what would you suggest I substitute? I really want to try this!
Hi Grubarazzi! There’s no shell fish in it so don’t worry! Mainly all kinds of tofu and fish balls/cake. 🙂
I am amazed at all the wonderful ingredients that have gone into this dish. This is my kind of a meal. Looks fabulous!!!
I’ve never had Oden… it’s stunning and looks quite intricate!
I’ve never seen anything like it! It reminds me of an Asian version of Julia Childs Pot-au-Feu! Lovely pictures as always, Nami!
Oden looks very comforting.. Though I am quiet unfamiliar to many of the ingredients used here but this looks very interesting.. I’ll look for this in the Japanese restaurants here!
This one pot dish is similar to the way we cook steamboat:D only the stock is different. Very healthy dish and delicious too!
That’s a pot of perfections!! I don’t think I can ever pull of such delicate and decadent array of ingredients in one pot! It’s looks too good to eat, Nami 😀
Heh, this is what my parents eat when it gets cold, too. Theirs is a blend of Japanese oden, Korean odeng, and Chinese dish cakes! haha!
Nami, your oden looks fantastic! I have seen oden in films, blogs, but have never even tried making it. Thanks to your photos I see it’s not as complicated and scary as it seems! I have no idea why you say colours are boring. Your oden has beautiful colours. Or maybe it’s just your professional presentation? The carrot petals are so cute 🙂
I love these kind of hot pots where there are bits of everything, cooked in a flavourful broth. Yours look so good!!!
Nami I swear you have an instinct about what is going on in my head. I was just thinking about how I used to warm up with a big bowl of oden during Winter in Japan!
This is awesome – I love the step by step tutorial. I did not know about boiling the fish cakes to remove excess oiliness. I need to get to H Mart and get some fish balls ASAP!!!!
I was just thinking that this strangely cold summer weather here in Melbourne is perfect for some oden or shabu shabu! Your version looks so much more festive than the ones I make at home. 😀
japanize Cartoon?! O.o
nami I cant believe! Its Anime! 😉 *bigfan* *grewupwiththatstuff*
Oden sounds so relaxing, comforting and it looks very interessting and cute.
I have noted down the mentori technique for cutting. very useful!
thanks for sharing your gorgeous recipe nami.
have a nice weekend
Love this! And I’ve been inspired to feature your Oden in my Friday Food Fetish roundup and on Pinterest. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next and please let me know if you have any objections…
Its been super cold and snowy here too. Oden looks like a great way to warm up! That’s hysterical that 7-Eleven is picking up on it!
Looks yummy! With the temperature of -20° C here, your Oden is certainly one of the best comfort foods that I would need. Your instructions are clear and easy to follow. Thanks, Nami!
What an extravaganza of flavours! I just love all these fish balls and fish cakes and tofu. I wish I could buy those assortment here. This is dish is so right for here right now as it finally is wintry.
OMG OMG OMG the oden looks fantastic!!! I remember having it when I was in Japanese last and hahaha i love it how the people in the tv series are always eating it!
i never ever thought of making it myself hehe 🙂
Thanks again for the great recipes Nami!
I cant believe I never heard of Oden before.. because this dish looks absolutely amazing and not to mention delicious. I also love the flavors within this dish. Amazing post
Believe me, this looks terrific ! I am not familiar with Oden, but the looks tell me that it is an awesome dish 🙂 You have just shown me how to make a brown dish look so beautiful !
Sorry for not dropping in for a while Nami. I was too lazy 😉
I’ve had something that looks like this when I lived in Singapore, but I think it was probably Korean… This looks absolutely delicious! I just wish I could get my hands on some of these exotic Japanese ingredients here… I love how the flavors sound! And your dish doesn’t look boring at all – your dishes never do! Love the little carrot flowers 🙂 Oh, how I’ve missed your blog!
Wow, this looks delicious and full of flavor! And you can buy it from a convenient store? There are so many wonderful ingredients that I probably wouldn’t know which one to eat first. Hahaha! I think I would start with the daikon because that is one of my favorite veggies. Have a good weekend, Nami and stay warm!
~ ray ~
That looks so warm and delicious! Thank you for the recipe :).
Hmmmm, now I feel like having some shochu!
It seems like it will be a rainy cold weekend… Keep yourself warm and relax at your home!
Yummy! Looking at my just posted hot pot post and anticipating my next hot pot (which is tomorrow, on the eve of CNY), I must tell you that this looks welcoming!:)
I am starting to love the sound of oden already, and have already made up my mind to try it on my next trip to Japan; even if it’s not really like our version of hot pot, as this just looks simply too good:D
I love coming to your blog Nami, there is always something new to learn and wonderful pictures to enjoy. I have to say that this dish is totally new to me, I have never heard of it before and same goes for most of the ingredients
Hi Nami – on the contrary! The colors, as well as the shapes and textures are fascinating. This post is so interesting.
LL
Nami, I never heard about Oden, but I can see why this is a comforting winter dish. Looks amazing!
As always, such an interesting post with stunning photos! This looks like a perfect dish for a chilly winters day.
I made one of those before but not as pretty and intricate as yours! I love the taste of it and its really good during winter season. Here is my recipe of that http://wp.me/sMp9M-oden
Dear nami-Chan!
Greetings from Shizuoka City!
It’s a pleasure seeing friends introduce oden to the world!
Shizuoka is very famous for Oden and we shall have our annual oden festival next month!
Once again great work!
Best regards,
Robert-Gilles
Nami-san, I feel so bad that I couldn’t visit your blog and others as my computer has some kind of problem. Finally, the computer seems working but not quite well.
Anyway, I missed visiting your blog! Oden is one of my favorite in winter!! Mochi bag is so special. I remembered when I was a kid, my grandmother’s oden always had mochi bags in the pot. She made one per each family member so we couldn’t have any okawari:-( In my area, we don’t put octpus regularly but I do love it in my oden!
Gosh Nami, your oden must be the most beautiful oden I`ve ever seen!! Can I be your third child pleaseee?? :DDD My most favorite items from oden are daikon and boiled eggs. I`ve never thought of eating oden with rice because the oden itself is quite filling for me. Will have it with rice next time for sure. By the way Nami, I just found out about your cutting techniques page and I was speechless looking at how comprehensive you described it. Awesome! Are you sure you won`t publish a cookbook very soon?? :))
looks fabulous. I’ve not heard of Oden before. I must keep my eyes open for it in restaurants to try it. I love you step by step pictures.
This looks very interesting Nami! Love how you organized everything in a pot..looks really good! Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful Sunday!xoxo
Mm, this looks so good Nami! The mochi-aburaage was always my favorite part of oden. ^^
What a cornucopia of textures and tastes. I’d be hard pressed not to dig into that pot again and again. It’s like very scoop holds a different surprise.
This is so new to me – but I could use a heap of comfort food right now and this is stunning – in flavor, texture and warmth. Keep warm – it’s all relative though – remember – I live in Minnesota.
I haven’t had this looks wonderful
Salarymen eating Oden and drinking sake – I remember that very well:) So much fun to enjoy Oden on a winter night!
Who cares about the brown color as long as it’s filled with lots of flavor! This looks lovely Nami 🙂
I have never had Oden but would so love to try it. I wish I could come to your house..your food looks so wonderful!!
I have only visited Japan in the warm summer months so maybe that is why it is not familiar. I so want to try this, minus the taki, but I will have to wait till I get to Denver and go to the Japanese Market there as our Asian food store was sold and there is hardly anything there now.
Love! Perfect food for a windy cold weather!
Nami this looks so good and warming and comforting! Its so pretty too. I would love to eat this one night (minus the octopus-I told you once before I was scared as a child-thought it would get stuck on my throat!!) BUT everything else about this looks perfect.
What a beautiful comforting dish. I have never had oden before, it looks amazing. Every step seem to be prepared with such care. Nami I am learning so much from you! 🙂 I love the clay pot too ($20.00 seems like a good price for such a pretty and useful dish).
Wow! What a stunning dish! My fiance and I were just reading each ingredient in awe at all the flavors in this dish. Wow! And congratulations on being Foodista’s blog of the day, well deserved Nami! I just made my fiance into a fan of your blog too lol Have a wonderful weekend and congratulations again! =]
This is a really unique dish to me. I have not seen anything quite like it. I love that your meals come with such history and culture. Another gorgeous meal Nami. Love it.
If I ever make it to the west coast I am coming over for a meal. We don’t have a lot of options when it comes to Asian cuisine and most of them a very low key ‘Chinese take out’ places. Your recipes always make me want to try new things, look so comforting, and to top it off, your explanations are fascinating! Please make me some oden some day!
That looks great! I love Oden, it was one of my favorite dishes when I was in Japan. Especially the fishcake. Unfortunately it is very difficult to get japanese nerimono here in Germany – or very expensive. It would be great to get a recipe for homemade nerimono/satsumaage/chikuwa or something like that.
I read many recipes online for oden, and this one is by far my favorite! My bf wanted to make this for the holidays, and while he insisted on sticking to his mother’s recipe, we did include some extras such as the mochi in aburaage from your recipe. Also, he slices the konnyaku into strips, puts a slit down the middle, and twists it inside out – I believe its just for presentation because it looks very pretty. We were curious if you know what the name of this technique is (if it has a name).
Happy New Year!
Hi Bribri! Thank you for your compliment. 🙂 The Konnyaku you are talking about is called Tazuna Konnyaku (https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to/cutting-techniques/tazuna-konnyaku/).
Happy New Year!
Hi Nami,
I have a pot of oden bubbling on the stove right now and can’t wait to dive in and eat! It smells amazing.
It’s beyond the point now, but for future reference, I want to ask you about the 2-3 hours of simmering that happens to everything but the fish cakes. Is that covered, or uncovered? I decided to partially cover, since I wasn’t too sure =)
Wish I could have made this last night and let it sit in the fridge overnight, but I imagine it just means that leftovers will be especially delicious.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Janice! I just updated my recipe with cook “covered”. Partially covered is fine too. That way, the cooking water will not overflow. 🙂 Hope you enjoyed the oden, and yes, next day is even better!
Thanks Nami! My husband and I enjoyed your recipe so much that I decided to make it for my parents when I visited them yesterday. They had never eaten oden before and as it was cooking, my dad kept popping into the kitchen to look into the pot and comment how good it smelled while asking lots of questions about the “interesting” things in there. They both were excited to try something new and each ate generous portions with lots of hot mustard. It really made my night to see how happy they were and how much they loved the oden =) Thank you again!
Hi Janice! So happy to hear your parents enjoyed this. 🙂 It’s one of our favorite meal in winter (I serve with onigiri). 🙂 One of enjoyment to cook for others is that feeling you received. Seeing how much people enjoy your food… it’s such a great feeling. (and I’m thankful for you to share such joy with me!)
What is the difference in cooking it in a clay pot, as opposed to a regular pot?
Hi Joanne! You can use regular pot. Like cast iron pot, claypot will keep the food much longer than regular pot and food will nicely cook with remaining heat while the heat is off. So if you eat at the table with portable cook top, it’s nice to turn off the heat but the food stays warm for a long time. 🙂
This pot looks so filling, and I believe you when you say it tastes exquisite……the flavors seem to be jumping out. So yumm!!
This is the perfect weather for oden. I haven’t had it in years, and looking at yours, I wish I could have some now. Oden is hard to do for just one or two people–it’s more worth the effort when you have a bigger group, and more fun too 🙂
Hi Nami I’d like to try making the oden. But can I check how much water do I need to start off with in the claypot? Thanks in advance!
Hi Mox! Thank you so much for noticing the error. It’s 8 cups of water. I updated the recipe. Thanks once again! Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Hi Nami, thanks so much. Just wanted to say I’ve made a few dishes using your recipes posted and my hubby really loved them. Looking forward to more inspiration from you 🙂
Hi Mox! Aww thank you so much for letting me know! I hope you enjoy cooking dishes from my site. xo 🙂
I love Oden, I got hooked on it in Japanese convini while visiting friends in Okinawa. Its the perfect thing to eat after free-diving all day.
Hi Rebecca! Oh yes it’s nice and warm after diving! 🙂
Why don’t you use potatos?
OMG, that’s right!! That’s my dad’s favorite and I forgot to add in!
What size donabe bowl are you using ? Where can we purchase a donable bowl ? Is it best to have one bowl per person? Please answer my question using my email.
Thank You for your help.
Hi Alexandria! I purchased in Nijiya – a local Japanese grocery store, but you can purchase it on Amazon, too! I have 3 donabe sizes, 5-6, 3-4, and 1 serving. It depends on how many people you want to feed. If you are making for 1-2, then individual small donabe is good size. 🙂 Otherwise, it’s a lot of work to heat individual donabe. 🙂
Thank you for this oden recipe ^o^
You’re welcome, Rin! Hope you enjoy!
Hi Rin! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
What size Donabe would be best for making this recipe? Mine is a bit over 10 inches in diameter, and about 5.5 inches deep.
Hi Mike! I just went to measure… The one I use is 9.8 inches/25 cm (I measured the lid, good for 3-4), and the other one I have is 11 inches/28 cm (good for family of 4-5). Hope this helps!
Thank you so much Nami! I will try making this this weekend!
Hi Mike! Hope you enjoy(ed) this recipe! 🙂
I haven’t had oden in years, so I’m excited to try your recipe. However, I am not a fan of tako or konnyaku. Can I add chicken or fish instead of the tako? Is there any other flavor substitute for konnyaku or can I just omit it? Thanks!
Hi Diane! Tako and konnyaku are not necessary, so you can definitely skip. Both chicken and fish are a bit weird in oden (at least for Japanese). Konnyaku doesn’t have much flavor, so you don’t have to worry about it. Tako adds more flavor, however, I don’t always include it in my regular oden. You can skip both and you won’t be missing out much. 🙂
I just got an instant pot. Is it possible to make this in one?
Hi Wilda! Yeah, I’ve been using it, too! I think slow cooker tastes better, but I haven’t tried side-by-side comparison yet. With slow cooker, you can put more until Max line, but with pressure cooker, you cannot put more than 2/3 of the pot. 🙂
Hi Nami san! I would also like to try this oden recipe in my instant pot. How long should it cook for in slow cooker/pressure cooker mode, & can I put all ingredients in at once after prep work? Thank you!
Hi Marina! After trying a few times, I feel slow cook works better for oden (more time to absorb flavors), although cooking in a short time is always tempting. I usually pressure cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on what you put in though.
Which ingredients are the nerimono? They are not identified except for the mochi bag.
Hi Eileen! Nerimono = all fish cake stuff shown in the two packages below ingredient list. 🙂
The water after cooking daikon, do we use them for stock or throw?
Hi Denise! We usually throw. 🙂
Would be too different to make this in a normal pot?
Hi Parastoo! Don’t worry you can make it in a regular pot. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Your recipe is amazing! I had to purchase the kindle version of your cookbook right away because I enjoyed it so much.
I have a question and I am hoping you will be able to help me. In Taiwan, whenever I buy oden from 7-11, I always grab a few packets of “oden sauce”. It taste so good as dipping sauce for fish cakes in oden.
Do you happen to know how to make the oden dipping sauce? It seemed like it is miso based with sweetness to it.
Thank you so much!
Hi Tiffany! Thank you for your kind words and thanks for purchasing my e-book! I was going to say that it might be a Taiwanese thing (I go to Taiwan once a year but never purchased oden in 7-11 there), as Taiwanese love sauces, BUT I found out that different parts of Japan eats oden differently. I thought we only eat with Karashi mustard (Note: majority of Japan use karashi).
I think southern part of Japan has similar taste to Taiwan (according to my experience) than Tokyo area, for example. I found this article in Japanese, but you can translate to English in Google chrome. It’s interesting how different parts of Japan use different dipping sauce!
I think the miso you’re talking about is similar to Miso Dengaku (https://www.justonecookbook.com/miso-dengaku/). If you can’t get Hatcho Miso you can use red miso, but lacks bold flavor. Hope this helps!
I only have low sodium Kikkoman soy sauce. Is the lighter colored soy sauce purely for aesthetics? I don’t mind a dark oden if it still tastes right.
Hi Heather! Yes, it is for the light color broth so that some dishes look pretty in lighter color broth – not dark and can’t see what’s in there.
In your case (in my case too for home use!), you can use low sodium soy sauce. 🙂
If making this in slow cooker, would 3 hour in low setting be good enough? Also probably I could dump the oden fishcake the next day when I’m about to eat them? So the fishcake won’t be get too mushy? Any thoughts?
Hi Jos! I have a slow cook Oden recipe here:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/oxtail-oden/
Hope that is helpful. 🙂
Nami,
I make your oden all the time when I want something healthy but filling, だいすき です! レシピありがとうございます！:)
Hi Caroline! You do!!! うゎー本当に？ありがとう！嬉しかったです。私も久しぶりに食べたいなぁ。:)
How have you been? Hope all is well with you!!!
本当! When I miss Japan I make oden and watch Japanese TV! I might be going to Fukuoka and Tokyo in September for a month (visit family), let me know if you are going to be there, we can meet for うに イクラ パスタ, my favorite! 🙂
Ah so nice you could visit in September… We’ll be spending the summer in Japan (yes crazy hot summer time)… we’re traveling Kyushu next month. I wish I could have a meal together!! One day, let’s do it!!! Maybe SF, NYC, or in Japan. 🙂
Yes! Let me know when you are in NYC for sure! My mother lives in Fukuoka, it’s one of my favorite places in Japan, about 1 hour from Tenjin. Mentaiko ga saiko desu! Have fun and I look forward to watching your fun videos xxx
We loved visiting Fukuoka 2 summers ago. It’s so nice your home is in Fukuoka. Food is great and cheaper than Tokyo area. Mr. JOC now loves Kyushu more than Kyoto (which was his favorite for years). Yes, I will ping you when I am in NYC!
hii
do I need the usukichi? I have regular maggi soy sauce lol but we have mirin/sake/..
thank you!
Hello Angela! No, you don’t have to. Japanese people are used to the light-color oden broth. It’s the mixture of dashi and Usukuchi (light color soy sauce) and it is light brown color so you can see the ingredients of oden. If you use regular soy sauce, the broth is darker. I highly recommend using Japanese soy sauce at least (if you don’t want to get Usukuchi soy sauce). 🙂
Delicious! Thanks for teaching us how to make tasty Japanese food. Made this already 2-3 times, but wish there were some short cuts, as it involves many separate boiling steps.
Hi Vee! Yeah… IF you are bothered by the factory oil on fish cakes (in general), you can cook straight. In Japan, we try to remove the excess oil from factory deep-frying process. So that’s why we blanch them first. 🙂
Dear Nami!
Planning to cook it in 2 days and deadly stressed, because oden sets are super pricy in my area and it took me like 3 weeks to collect everything with no damage to budget.
I have never eat any of those fishcakes, besides chikuwa.
My questions are:
1. How to add soft ingredients, like hanpen? Won’t it fall apart, when stored in liquid? I got extra pack of hanpen and shrimp balls (just to get familiar with taste).
2. For how long can it be stored in fridge, if it tastes better next day? I usually cook dinners for 2 days.
(My previous situation with non spicy doubajan resolved: our store had heart to refill shelves. There is only 1 manufacturer, can you imagine? Probably, they got short on beans this year)
Thank you very much for wonderful opportunity to learn!
Hi Asa! I apologize for my late response. I’m currently very behind in responding to comments. 🙁
1) Hanpen and soft ingredients won’t break apart. After absorbing more moisture, it will likely to break if you pick up with chopsticks etc.
2) Oh yes, it tastes better the next day. Maybe keep for 3-4 days? It lasts for several days.
I’m so glad you can still buy Doubanjiang! Yay!!!