Oden

Oden is a popular wintertime stew. So popular, in fact, that convenience stores have open pots during the cold months and my friends and I often go there for a warm bowl when we get hungry. There are many ingredients in oden: eggs, daikon, potato, konnyaku, tofu fish cake, meat ball, chicken, pork, and beef.  Each family has its own special recipe, so it is fun to try at your friend's house.

Yield: 4 servings
Time: 1 hour

 Ingredients

• 1/2 lb thinly sliced chicken, cut into bite-sizes
  
• 2 eggs (boiled)
  
• 2 potatoes (quartered)
  
• 1/2 lb daikon, 1/4" slices
  
• 1/2 lb konnyaku (cut into 8 triangles)
  
• 1/2 lb atsuage (cut into 8 triangles)
• 1/4 lb chikuwa (cut in half)
  

Spices 

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
  
• 2 tbsp sake
  
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 8g hondashi
  

Preparation

1. Put daikon and potato in 5 cups water in a pot
   
2. When the water boils, add konnyaku and chicken and cook for 10 mins on high
   
3. Skim the scum
   
4. Add atsuage, boiled egg, chikuwa and boil for 10 mins over medium heat
   
5. Add soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and hondashi, then heat for 20 mins on low
6. Serve and enjoy!