Ozōni (Clear Soup with Rice Cake)

Method12 steps · about 25 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the shells from both ready-cooked prawns, leaving the heads and tails intact if desired. Keep the peeled cooked prawns ready for the bowls.

   Uses 2 small–medium ready-cooked prawns

2. 2

   Step 2: Cut the raw skinless chicken thigh (25 g) into four small bite-size pieces. Keep it separate from the ready-cooked prawns.

   Uses 25 g raw skinless chicken thigh

3. 3

   Step 3: Remove the shiitake stems and quarter the mushrooms, or halve them if small. Prepare four thin slices of pre-cooked bamboo shoots and four slices of ready-cooked narutomaki; thaw frozen fish cake in the refrigerator beforehand.

   Uses 2 shiitake mushrooms · 4 thin slices pre-cooked bamboo shoots · 4 slices ready-cooked narutomaki fish cake

4. 4

   Step 4: Wash the four mitsuba stems. If they are long enough, take two stems together and tie an overhand knot; repeat with the other two. Keep the prepared mitsuba ready for garnish.

   Uses 4 mitsuba stems

5. 5

   Step 5: Place all four hard mochi rice cakes under the grill. Watch them closely; after about three minutes, when the surface has browned with a few dark patches, turn them over.

   Uses 4 unsweetened Japanese hard mochi rice cakes

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Grill the second side for about three minutes, watching closely, until the mochi puff up and become soft inside. Remove the cooked mochi from the heat.

   Uses All four partly grilled mochi

7. 7

   Step 7: While the mochi grill, put all the dashi stock, salt (¼ tsp) and light soy sauce (½ tsp) in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

   Uses 400 ml prepared bonito dashi stock · ¼ tsp salt · ½ tsp light soy sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: Add all four chicken pieces to the simmering broth and cook for about two minutes. Add the prepared shiitake, bamboo shoots and narutomaki, then simmer for another thirty seconds to one minute. Continue as needed until the mushrooms are tender and the chicken is cooked through to 74°C / 165°F, then turn off the heat.

   Chicken 2 min, then soup solids 30–60 sec · 3 minUses All the seasoned dashi · All four raw chicken pieces · All the prepared mushrooms and slices

9. 9

   Step 9: Put two of the grilled, soft mochi in each of two serving bowls.

   Uses All four cooked mochi

10. 10

    Step 10: Divide the cooked chicken, mushrooms, bamboo and fish cake equally between the two mochi bowls. Leave the broth in the saucepan for the next step.

    Uses Both prepared mochi bowls · All cooked soup solids; retain the broth in the pan

11. 11

    Step 11: Place one prepared cooked prawn in the centre of each bowl, then divide the retained hot broth between them.

    Uses Both filled bowls · All the broth retained after lifting out the solids · Both prepared cooked prawns

12. 12

    Step 12: Garnish each bowl with a prepared pair of mitsuba and serve immediately while the mochi are soft.

    Uses Both finished soup bowls · Both washed pairs of mitsuba