Oden
A gently simmering winter hot pot of daikon, eggs, konjac and fish cakes, all soaking up a soy-and-dashi broth until they turn tender and deeply savoury. Served steaming hot with a dab of sharp karashi mustard.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prep the daikon
Cut the daikon into thick rounds about 3 cm high and bevel the sharp edge of each round with a knife (called ) so the pieces hold together as they simmer for hours. Score a shallow cross into one flat side of each round so the broth soaks in evenly.
- 1 large (about 700 g) daikon radish
✅ Done when: edges are rounded smooth and a shallow cross is scored on each piece
Parboil the daikon
Put the daikon in a large pot (4-5 litres), cover with the water, add the raw rice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, then drain and rinse off the rice.
- 1 large (about 700 g) daikon radish
- 2 tbsp raw white rice
- 1.5 litres water
✅ Done when: a skewer slides into the daikon easily
Prep konjac and eggs
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Make the dashi
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Season and start simmering
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Add the rest
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Serve
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Prep the daikon
Cut the daikon into thick rounds about 3 cm high and bevel the sharp edge of each round with a knife (called ) so the pieces hold together as they simmer for hours. Score a shallow cross into one flat side of each round so the broth soaks in evenly.
- 1 large (about 700 g) daikon radish
✅ Done when: edges are rounded smooth and a shallow cross is scored on each piece
Parboil the daikon
Put the daikon in a large pot (4-5 litres), cover with the water, add the raw rice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, then drain and rinse off the rice.
- 1 large (about 700 g) daikon radish
- 2 tbsp raw white rice
- 1.5 litres water
✅ Done when: a skewer slides into the daikon easily
Prep konjac and eggs
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Make the dashi
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Season and start simmering
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Add the rest
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Oden grew out of simple grilled, miso-topped tofu skewers called dengaku, which street vendors in old Edo eventually began simmering instead of grilling, adding whatever was at hand: daikon, konjac, fish cakes. Over time the dish spread across Japan, each region adding its own broth style and local ingredients.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's the dish of convenience store counters and street stalls on a cold night, a pot that simmers for hours so every ingredient slowly takes on the flavour of the broth, and everyone picks their favourites.
💡 Fun Fact
Japanese convenience stores keep oden pots simmering at the counter all winter, and customers choose their own mix of ingredients straight from the pot.
Edo (old Tokyo)
35.68°N, 139.65°E
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