ODEn

Oden is a Japanese one-pot dish consisting of a variety of ingredients simmered in a soy-flavored dashi broth. It is commonly associated with winter and is enjoyed hot in bowls, from shared pots at stalls or home kitchens, and in convenience stores throughout Japan.

Typical ingredients in oden include daikon radish, boiled eggs, konnyaku (firm jelly made from konjac), chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake), hanpen (soft fish cake), satsuma-age (fried fish cake), tofu and fried tofu products, and occasionally other items such as agar-based plant jelly, mochi or various vegetables. The selection varies by region and season, and ingredients are added gradually as they simmer to absorb the broth’s flavors.

The broth for oden is a dashi-based stock seasoned with soy sauce, and often with mirin and sometimes sake. Regional styles differ: Kanto (Tokyo area) oden tends to be darker and more strongly soy-flavored, while Kansai (Osaka region) oden is typically lighter in color and flavor. The dish is generally served with yellow mustard (karashi) on the side and sometimes with grated ginger or chili for additional heat.

Cultural and culinary notes: oden appears in markets, food stalls, and households during colder months, and has become widely available in convenience stores, where pre-packaged oden is sold year-round in some areas. Its enduring appeal lies in the comforting, communal nature of slow-simmered ingredients shared from a single pot, with each bite offering a different texture and taste experience.

The exact origins are not precisely defined, but oden evolved from traditional nabemono-style cooking in Japan and became a distinct, recognizable dish by the Edo period.