おぞに O-zoni

The New Year starts with o-zoni for breakfast. Each region of Japan has it's own style of o-zoni, and here, it is made with lots of vegetables, white miso and round o-mochi (rice cakes). New chopsticks in a wrapper with an auspicious/celebratory kanji (Chinese character) are used on the first day of the year.

In our house, spouse always makes the first pot of o-zoni. We use a mix of white and red miso (a paste made from soy beans that is used to flavor soups and other food). We usually include Chinese cabbage, onions, leeks, daikon radish, carrots and shungiku (edible chrysanthemum leaves). The final ingredient in the soup is o-mochi. O-mochi is usually round here in our region. They are made from rice that is pounded into dough, then shaped into small cakes. After they cool, they become very hard, but they soften again after simmering in the soup. Son's preference is for grilled o-mochi, but for New Year's morning, we all enjoy it in our soup!

The post carrier has delivered New Year cards, so off to enjoy reading through them!