"The Charm of Enjoying Oden in Summer"
2024年07月28日 19:43
Introducing the refreshing taste of oden that can be enjoyed even in summer, along with recommended ingredients.
In Japan, oden is typically considered a cold-weather food, often associated with winter dishes. This preconceived notion makes it seem unusual to enjoy oden in summer. However, summer vegetable stews or room-temperature oden offer their unique charm. While it can be better to cook vegetables separately, our oden restaurant believes in the deliciousness that comes from simmering various vegetables together, just like in oden. Enjoying hot summer oden in an air-conditioned room or savoring it made with seasonal summer ingredients is a luxurious experience. Apart from root vegetables, enjoying them at room temperature is also highly recommended. Although summer dishes tend to be cooling, why not try summer oden that warms your body and soul?
"Recommended Ingredients for Summer Oden"
Turnip
Corn
New potatoes
New onions
Shiitake mushrooms
New lotus root
Winter melon
Kamo eggplant
Zucchini (green, yellow)
Tofu skin
Bell peppers (red, orange)
Grilled eggplant
New ginger
Firm tofu
Tomatoes
Broccoli
"Cooking Tips"
Summer oden incorporates seven special elements to enhance its flavor:
Umami
Saltiness
Sweetness
Oiliness
Texture
Aroma
Stimulus
Compared to winter, summer oden uses less soy sauce in the broth, resulting in a lighter flavor. Additionally, be careful not to let the vegetables turn brown or the flavor become too strong.
Once the oden is cooked, let it cool slowly to allow the flavors to soak in. Rather than simmering for a long time, repeat the process of simmering and cooling twice to help the broth penetrate the ingredients better.
Cover the simmered oden with a paper lid or plastic wrap, then place a drop lid on top to cool. This retains residual heat and reduces broth evaporation.
Start cooking ingredients that are harder to flavor first. Next, add easily breakable ingredients, followed by color-fading ingredients, and finally those that quickly absorb the broth.
Specifically, add and cook in the following order: "New lotus root, winter melon," "turnip, new onions, new potatoes, new ginger," "Kamo eggplant, corn, shiitake mushrooms, firm tofu," "zucchini, tofu skin."
Briefly cook grilled eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli in another pot. By adjusting the cooking method according to the season, you can enjoy different flavors of oden throughout the year!