How to make Ozoni (Japanese New Year Mochi Soup)

In Japan, Ozoni is typically the first thing eaten on New Year’s Day as it represents longevity and prosperous life for the New Year. This post will not only give you the tastiest recipe on how to make Ozoni or Japanese New Year Mochi Soup, but will also show you an easy way on how to make mochi for a prosperous year ahead!

My family’s Ozoni – Kanto style

Since my mom is from Tokyo, we grew up eating the Kanto style soy sauce base Ozoni with dashi made from kombu (dried sea kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). The main ingredients in our Ozoni were: chicken, kamaboko (fish cakes), spinach, and kirimochi. Waking up to a warm bowl of Ozoni on New Year’s Day was my favorite part of the celebration. It still is my favorite part… I just have to wake up and make it myself now 🙂

This year, I wanted to change things up a bit and made my own mochi using mochiko. But typically, the rectangular mochi called kirimochi is most commonly used and is what I grew up eating in Ozoni.

Be careful when eating mochi!

My mom ALWAYS incorporated spinach in Ozoni not only for its vibrant color but also as a preventative measure from choking on mochi. She always reminded us to eat our mochi together with spinach so the mochi doesn’t get stuck in our throats. Mochi is really sticky and difficult to eat especially for older adults and younger kids, so PLEASE be careful when eating mochi!

Many variations of Ozoni

There are many different types of Ozoni depending on what region or area of Japan your family is from and recipes can also vary from one household to the next. Though I personally love the Kanto style Ozoni, another popular style is the Kansai region soup base which is made from white miso and kombu dashi. Some of the common ingredients in Kansai style Ozoni are: mochi, satoimo (taro root), carrot, and daikon radish. In comparison, there is a significant difference between the Kanto and Kansai style Ozoni. However, the beauty of Ozoni is that it is customizable based on your preference and there is no right or wrong way to enjoy this tradition. This is a tradition that I look forward to every year and hope to pass onto my future family as well.

What is dashi?

Dashi is Japanese soup stock made from steeping several ingredients in hot and cold water. It is used in many soups such as miso soup, clear soup (such as this one), or in noodle soups. It is also used in adding flavor or umami to certain dishes such as nimono (simmered vegetables), takoyaki (octopus balls), oyako donburi (chicken and egg rice bowl), and many more.

Tips on how to make dashi for Ozoni:

To make dashi for Ozoni, you will need: kombu (dried sea kelp), katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), and water. First, you will need to rehydrate the kombu in cold water. You should do this overnight or several hours in advance to get the most flavor out of it. However, if you forget or are in a rush (this is the case for me many times), steep it in cold water for no less than 30 minutes before putting it on the heat. Once the kombu is rehydrated, place the kombu and water in a pot on low heat. You should see teeny tiny bubbles on the bottom but NEVER let it boil. If it starts to boil, kombu can get slimy and we wouldn’t want slimy soup. After 15 minutes, turn off heat and add in katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Let it steep for additional 10 minutes. Remove kombu and katsuobushi using a strainer or cheese cloth. Dashi is ready to use!

Places you can find these ingredients:

• Japanese Grocery market (Mitsuwa, Nijiya, Tokyo Central)
• Asian Grocery markets (H-Mart, 99 Ranch)
• Asian isle at your local grocery market
• Amazon (links to some of my favorites below)

You DO NOT have to make your own dashi or mochi. Here are some options:

Dashi – Dashi is SO commonly used in many Japanese dishes. However, making the dashi can be one of the most time-consuming part of any recipe. You can definitely make dashi in batches ahead of time and store it for later use, BUT if you do not want to make your own dashi, do not fret. There are so many good options for quick and easy dashi you can buy. Here is the link to my favorite dashi powder you can find on Amazon.

Mochi – My family and I LOVE kirimochi. Satou no Kirimochi is the most popular brand and is a family favorite as well. This kirimochi is what I grew up eating in our Ozoni.

OZONI INGREDIENTS

SOUP 

• 4 cups Water
• 2 pieces Kombu (dried sea kelp)
• 1/2 cup Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• 3 tbsp Soy Sauce 
• 2 Chicken thighs (cut in bite size pieces)

MOCHI

• 1 cup Mochiko
• 1/2 cup Water

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

• Kamaboko (Japanese fish cake)
• Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley)

INSTRUCTIONS

SOUP 

• Pour 4 cup cold water to pot 
• Rehydrate kombu or dried sea kelp in water for no less than 30 minutes (preferably overnight or several hours in advance)
• Place water and kombu in a pot and bring to a low simmer for 15 minutes
• Turn off heat and add katsuobushi or dried bonito flakes 
• Let it steep for 10 minutes
• After 10 minutes, remove kombu and katsuobushi from water. This is the dashi stock for the soup.
• Turn on heat and add in soy sauce and chicken thighs 
• Cook chicken in soup for about 5 – 10 minutes (depending on size of chicken)

MOCHI

• While the chicken is cooking, combine mochiko and water in a bowl
• Mix until combined. It should feel like soft play dough. If it is too dry, add in a dash of water. If it is too wet, sprinkle in more mochiko. 
• Shape in indivual bite sized pieces. About 1in in diameter and 1/2in in thickness. 
• Add mochi to soup
• Simmer until mochi floats to the top and simmer for additional 2 minutes
• Serve in bowls and enjoy!

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