Japanese Ozōni Soup with Mochi

A grilled mochi cake, puffed and browned at the edges, sits in a clear broth with tender chicken and thin rounds of carrot. Komatsuna keeps a little bite, while kombu and bonito lend the broth a clean, savoury depth, seasoned with soy and mirin.

Instructions

1. Steep the kombu

   Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth, leaving its pale surface coating intact. Put it in a saucepan with the water and steep for 30 minutes. Warm gently until the first small bubbles appear, then lift out the kombu before the water boils.

2. Infuse and strain the dashi

   Add the bonito flakes to the hot liquid. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and steep for 2 minutes. Strain without pressing the flakes; the dashi should remain clear.

3. Cut and blanch the vegetables

   Cut the chicken into small pieces, the carrot into thin rounds and the kamaboko into slices. Blanch the komatsuna in boiling water just until it softens, then cool it immediately in cold water. Drain and cut into short lengths.

4. Simmer the chicken in the broth

   Return the strained dashi to the saucepan. Add the chicken and carrot and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the soy sauce, mirin and salt.

5. Grill the mochi and assemble the bowls

   Grill the mochi until puffed and browned on the surface. Divide among four bowls with the komatsuna and kamaboko. Ladle over the hot broth, chicken and carrot, then serve at once.

Chef's tips

• Lift out the kombu as soon as the first bubbles appear; a prolonged boil can make the dashi slippery and bitter.
• Do not press the bonito flakes when straining. Fine particles cloud the broth and sharpen its bitterness.
• Grill the mochi at the last minute and ladle in the broth just before serving so they puff without dissolving.

Storage

Store the broth and garnishes separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the broth gently and grill the mochi just before serving; once assembled, the mochi soften quickly.