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Ozoni: Traditional Japanese New Year mochi soup is packed with umami flavor and stuffed with tender chicken, sticky mochi, and a mix of veggies. Making this soup perfect for the chilly weather this New Years.

Ozoni dates back thousands of years ago and is thought to have originated in the samurai society of Japan. Today there are tons of variations of this soup depending on what region of Japan you are in.

The Kanto region uses clear dashi stock flavored with bonito and/or kombu, and shoyu. Whereas the Kansai region uses a miso based soup.

Another variation depending on where you are from is the shape of the mochi. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake. The Kanto region uses square grilled pieces of mohi and the Kansai region uses round, boiled pieces of mochi.

If you like mochi you’ve got to try these other mochi recipes:

• Mochi brownies
• Red velvet mochi waffles
• Mochi pancakes
• Ube mochi waffles
• Ube mochi
• Mochi waffles
• Classic mochi
• Butter mochi
• Poi mochi

The recipe below follows the Kanto region way of making ozoni.

There are also a ton of different variations of adds in that you can add to the soup. Many families have their traditional recipe.

What does ozoni mean?

Ozoni contains two kanji symbols which mean “mixed boil”.

When to eat ozoni?

Ozoni is most commonly eaten for the Japanese New Year.

What does ozoni symbolize?

This mochi soup is said to symbolize prosperity, health, and happiness.

What do I need to make ozoni soup?

• Mizuna (Japanese mustard green). You can also use komatsuna.
• Kiri mochi (unsweetened, shelf stable, square pieces of mochi.
• Dashi. There are four common ingredients used to flavor dashi: katsuoboshi (dried, fermented, smoked skipjack tuna), kombu (dried kelp), niboshi (dried sardines), and shiitake (dried mushrooms). You can also use a combination of these flavors.

• Chicken thigh or breast
• Shoyu (soy sauce)
• Sake (alcoholic fermented rice drink)
• Carrot
• Daikon (radish)

How to make ozoni Japanese mochi soup?

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Blanch mizuna until just wilted. Remove from pot and quickly place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Remove mizuna from the ice water and squeeze out the extra water. Cut in to 1 inch strips and set aside.

Set toaster oven to 350F.

In another medium pot add dashi and bring to a boil. Add chicken. Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes. While boiling use a strainer to skim off the excess fat that floats to the top of the soup. This can be discarded.

While the soup is boiling add kiri mochi to the toaster oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mochi puffs up and lightly golden. Remove and set aside.

Add shoyu, sake, carrots, daikon. Continue to boil for 3-5 minutes. Then add mizuna and boil for another 1-2 minutes.

Place a piece of kiri mochi in a bowl and pour in soup. Serve hot. Enjoy!

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