Rice Cooker Oden With Yuzu Essence

One of my top rice cooker recipes is this Oden With Yuzu Essence, made with Daikon radish, Potatoes, Chikuwa, Konnyaku, Ganmodoki, and Eggs, and takes around 1 hour and 25 minutes to prepare and cook, and serves 3-4 people. Serve your Oden Soup with steamed rice, pickled vegetables, green salad, and miso soup.

To make this Oden Soup in your rice cooker, start by preparing the ingredients like daikon, konnyaku, and eggs. Mix the oden soup in the rice cooker, add all ingredients, and cook using the Slow Cook function for 65 minutes, adding yuzu in the last 5 minutes.

With these multipurpose kitchen Rice cookers—Hamilton Beach, Tayama, or Zojirushi—you can always enjoy creating delectable meals like Buckwheat Kasha, Beef Stew, and many more.

What is Oden?

Oden is a traditional Japanese winter dish, typically consisting of various ingredients such as fish cakes, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, radish, konnyaku (a jelly-like food made from konjac yam), and vegetables.

These ingredients are slowly simmered in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth. Oden is known for its comforting warmth and savory flavor, making it a popular choice during the colder months. It’s often sold at convenience stores and food stalls in Japan, but can also be easily prepared at home.

What is Yuzu?

Yuzu is a unique citrus fruit native to East Asia, particularly popular in Japan and Korea. It resembles a small grapefruit with uneven skin and its color ranges from yellow to green. Yuzu is known for its distinctively tart flavor, which is a complex mix of lime, lemon, and grapefruit tastes.

It’s highly aromatic, making it a favored ingredient in various Japanese dishes for adding a fresh, zesty note. Yuzu is used in a variety of forms, including its juice, zest, and as a whole fruit. It’s a key ingredient in many sauces, dressings, marinades, and even in certain desserts and beverages. In Japanese cuisine, yuzu is often used to enhance the flavor of dishes like soups, noodles, and hot pots.

Rice Cooker Oden With Yuzu Essence Ingredients

• 2 Daikon radishes, cut into 1-inch slices
• 2 small Potatoes
• 2 Chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake)
• 1 block of Konnyaku
• 2 Ganmodoki (fried tofu ball)
• 2 medium-sized Eggs
• 2 sticks of Beef tendon
• 4 inches (10 cm) Kombu
• 1 Yuzu (Japanese citrus)

For Oden Soup:

• 3-1/3 cups (800 ml) Dashi (Japanese soup stock)
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) Sake (rice wine)
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) Usukuchi (light) soy sauce
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) Mirin
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Mustard and chopped green onion for flavor

How To Make Rice Cooker Oden With Yuzu Essence

1. Prepare Daikon: Peel the daikon radishes and lightly score them with a knife. Soak the daikon slices in water used for washing rice.
2. Prepare Konnyaku: Sprinkle salt on the konnyaku and squeeze to remove any harsh taste. Make lines on the konnyaku, cut it into triangles, and boil.
3. Prepare Eggs and Gammodoki: Boil the eggs. Pour hot water over the gammodoki to rinse off excess oil.
4. Prepare Chikuwa and Potatoes: Cut the chikuwa in half diagonally. Boil the potatoes with their skin on, then peel them.
5. Prepare Beef Tendon and Kombu: Place the beef tendon in hot water. Moisten the kombu with extra sake, cut it into 1/2-inch wide strips, and tie it into knots.
6. Mix Oden Soup: In the rice cooker’s pot, combine dashi, sake, light soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and salt to create the oden soup.
7. Add Ingredients to Soup: Add the prepared daikon, konnyaku, gammodoki, chikuwa, potatoes, beef tendon, and kombu to the soup in the rice cooker.
8. Cook and Serve: Set your rice cooker to “Slow Cook” and cook for 60 minutes. Then add the yuzu, scoring its surface first, and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve the oden with Japanese mustard and chopped green onion as desired.

Recipe Tips

1. Ingredient Preparation: Properly preparing each ingredient, such as scoring daikon and boiling konnyaku, is crucial for the final texture and flavor.
2. Slow Cooking: Utilize the slow cook function of your rice cooker to allow the flavors to meld together and ingredients to cook thoroughly.
3. Balancing Flavors: Adjust the seasoning of the soup with soy sauce, mirin, and salt to achieve a balanced umami flavor.
4. Adding Yuzu: Add yuzu towards the end of cooking to preserve its delicate aroma and flavor.
5. Serving Temperature: Oden should be served hot, making it a comforting dish, especially during cold weather.
6. Layering Ingredients: Place ingredients that take longer to cook, like daikon and potatoes, at the bottom of the rice cooker.

Recipe Variation

1. Spicy Oden: Add chili peppers or a few drops of chili oil to the broth for a spicy version.
2. Seafood Oden: Include various seafood like shrimp, scallops, or fish cakes for a seafood-rich Oden.
3. Curry Flavored Oden: Mix in some Japanese curry paste for a curry-infused Oden.
4. Korean-Style Oden: Use a Korean broth base with gochujang (Korean chili paste) for a different flavor profile.
5. Miso-Infused Oden: Add a few tablespoons of miso paste to the broth for a deeper umami flavor.
6. Winter Vegetable Oden: Incorporate winter vegetables like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and leeks for a hearty vegetable Oden.

Can I Substitute Any Ingredients in Oden?

Yes, Oden is quite versatile. You can substitute or omit ingredients based on availability or preference. For example, if beef tendon isn’t to your liking, you could use chicken or fish balls instead. Similarly, if daikon radish is not available, turnips can be a good substitute.

How Can I Make a Vegetarian Version of Oden?

For a vegetarian Oden, omit the meat-based ingredients and focus on a variety of vegetables like mushrooms, lotus root, and tofu products. You can also add vegetarian fish cakes available at Asian markets. Use a vegetable-based dashi for the soup.

Is It Possible to Make Oden Without Yuzu?

Yes, while yuzu adds a unique flavor, you can make Oden without it. You can substitute with a bit of lemon or lime zest and juice for a similar citrusy aroma and flavor, though the taste will not be exactly the same.

What To Serve With Oden Soup

A complete and authentic Japanese feast can be achieved by enhancing this Japanese delicacy with side dishes like tart pickled vegetables, crisp green salad, or a warm bowl of miso soup. Oden soup is traditionally enjoyed with steamed rice or udon noodles, making for a filling and satisfying meal.

How To Store Oden Soup

In The Fridge:

When you store Oden Soup in the refrigerator, you should put it in a container with a tight seal. This will keep it fresh for around three to four days. You will find it fascinating how the soup’s flavors evolve and intensify as time passes, creating a tastier and more delightful dish.

In The Freezer:

To freeze your Oden Soup for long-term storage, you should place it in a container that is made for the freezer. This will help keep it fresh and tasty for up to two months. You should make sure to let the soup cool down completely to room temperature before freezing it. This will help keep the soup’s quality and taste intact.

How To Reheat Oden Soup

To gently reheat your Oden Soup, you should warm it slowly in a pot over a medium flame. Be careful not to let it boil, as you want to keep the delicate texture of the ingredients intact. Just heat it until it reaches the temperature you want. If you choose to use a microwave, you should put the soup in a microwave-safe container. Heat it in short bursts, stirring every now and then to make sure it warms up evenly.

Check out More Rice Cooker Recipes:

• Rice Cooker Brussels Sprouts
• Rice Cooker Steamed Salmon
• Split Peas Soup In Rice Cooker