Ozoni (Japanese New Year's Mochi Soup)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup daikon (cut into flowers or sticks)
• 1/4 cup carrots (cut into flowers or sticks)
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 4 mochi rice cakes
• a few stalks mitsuba or radish sprouts (optional)
• 4 cups dashi broth
• 1 3×3 inch size kombu
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sake
• pinch of salt (I add about 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt)

Instructions

1. 1

   Put dried shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup water and let sit for 1 hour. Squeeze excess water out of shiitake mushrooms and set aside. Keep the mushroom water for future recipes – it’s delicious in soups and stews!

2. 2

   Thinly slice shiitake mushrooms. This step is optional but it makes eating the soup easier.

3. 3

   Put all the ingredients for the broth in a pot, along with sliced mushrooms, daikon and carrots and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until daikon is tender.

4. 4

   Remove carrots and daikon from the broth and set aside.

5. 5

   Add mochi to the pot and continue cooking on low for 2-3 minutes, until mochi is tender.

6. 6

   Divide the soup and mochi evenly among 4 bowls, top with carrots, daikon, mitsuba or radish sprouts and serve immediately.