Kantō-daki (関東煮, Osaka pale-broth oden)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy pot
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with cloth
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment
• •Small skewers for testing daikon and tendon

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in the cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat. Pull the konbu just before the water boils, when small bubbles climb the pot. Boil it and the stock turns bitter and slick, and this pale broth has no place to hide that mistake.

2. 2

   Steep the flakes

   Bring the water to a gentle boil, add the katsuobushi all at once, and take the pot off the heat. Leave it alone for two or three minutes until the flakes sink. Strain through cloth or a fine strainer and don't squeeze, because squeezing presses harsh, oily flavor into the clear stock.

3. 3

   Clean the tendon

   Put the beef tendon in a pot of fresh water, bring it to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the pieces, and wash the pot. This first boil removes blood and scum so the final broth can stay clean. Return the tendon to the pot with enough fresh water to cover and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until a skewer enters with some resistance.

4. 4

   Prepare the pieces

   Parboil the daikon rounds for 10 minutes, then drain them. This takes away raw sharpness and helps them absorb the broth evenly. Boil the eggs for 8 to 9 minutes, cool, and peel. Score the konnyaku lightly, cut it into triangles, and boil it for 3 minutes to remove its alkaline smell. Pour hot water over the fried fish cakes and ganmodoki to wash away surface oil, which would cloud the broth.

5. 5

   Season the broth

   Combine the strained dashi with the usukuchi shōyu, mirin, sake, and salt in a wide pot. Taste it now. It should be savory and a little firmer than you want the finished broth, because daikon, eggs, and konnyaku will soften it as they drink.

6. 6

   Simmer slowly

   Add the drained tendon, daikon, eggs, konnyaku, and octopus to the seasoned broth. Bring it just to a simmer, then lower the heat until the surface barely moves. Cook uncovered or partly covered for 45 minutes, skimming only when needed. A hard boil toughens the octopus, breaks the daikon edges, and muddies the clear gold you worked for.

7. 7

   Add fish cakes

   Add the ganmodoki, satsuma-age, and chikuwa. Simmer gently for another 20 to 30 minutes. They go in late because fried fish cakes give flavor quickly and can shed oil if they sit too long. Keep the pot quiet. Quiet broth tastes cleaner.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Turn off the heat and let the pot rest for at least 30 minutes, longer if you can. Oden tastes deeper after resting because the pieces cool slightly and pull seasoning inward. Rewarm gently, never boil, then serve a few pieces in each bowl with clear broth and a small dab of karashi mustard on the side.

Chef Tips

• •Buy cooked octopus if you can. It is already tender enough for the oden pot, and the gentle simmer lets it season without turning rubbery.
• •Usukuchi shōyu is not weak soy sauce. It is lighter in color but often saltier, which is exactly why Kansai cooks use it when the broth must stay pale.
• •Don't pile every ingredient into the serving bowl. Three or five pieces with a ladle of broth looks calm and eats better. Leave it room.
• •For a meatless table, make the broth from konbu and dried shiitake and skip the tendon and octopus. Add ganmodoki, daikon, konnyaku, tofu, and vegetables. That is honmono in the temple-kitchen line, not a poor imitation.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Keep it covered so it doesn't pick up stray refrigerator smells.
• •The beef tendon can be parboiled and simmered a day ahead. Chill it in its cooking liquid, then drain before adding it to the oden broth.
• •Kantō-daki is better after resting. Make the pot earlier in the day, let it cool in the broth, and rewarm it gently before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 900g)