Japanese New Year Cuisine

cupcakechef

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I would venture to say that the biggest holiday celebration here in Japan is the New Years celebrations - and with the celebration comes all the food, too (like any good celebration, am I right?!)

Osechi ryori is what most people in Japan eat at the beginning of the new year.

Osechi ryori was originally a way for housewives (and their families) to survive the first several days of the New Year, when stores throughout Japan were closed. The foods that make up osechi can be prepared in advance and then sit out in a cool area for a few days without spoiling.

Here's some of the things you'll find in the Osechi Ryori boxes...

Kazunoko
(herring roe) - tiny yellow fish eggs. Kazunoko have a bite or crunch to them, however, the eggs are not loose. They are marinated in a broth of dashi, sake and soy sauce.

Kuromame (black beans) are soft and quite sweet, with a bit of soy sauce flavoring.

Gomame - small sardines that have been dried and then finished in a sweet sauce of sugar, mirin, soy sauce and sake. Not a fan of these, myself!

Datemaki looks like the tamago-yaki (egg custard) you often find in a bento box, but here it's made with a fish paste and has a sponge-like texture.

Sweet potatoes and chestnuts are the base of kurikinton, which can look something like yellow mashed potatoes. I listed this recipe a while ago - it's delicious and one of my favorite Japanese sweet treats!

Kamaboko, a dense cake of fish paste, is red and white (these are the traditional New Year's colors). You can often find thin slices of this on your soba noodles.

Another red-and-white food you'll find is called namasu - typically daikon radish and carrots pickled in vinegar.

For veggies, you often see lotus root, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and pea pods included.

For seafood, shrimp (representing long life) and sea bream (for fortune) are most typical.

I love all the traditions and meaning behind the foods here!

osechi-ryori-fae-magazine-com.jpg
 
It does look good and quite nutritious too, with all those colors, but so much fish...wow. There is a Japanese restaurant near here that has delicious food. It is a favored place to eat out.
 
I love the presentation! All the bright, varied colors. It looks really good. I am not a huge fish eater so this doesn't really appeal to me but I have to compliment them on such a wide variety and so many different tastes. Looks great!
 
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