OzōniJapanese New Year mochi soup

• 1 l4 1/4 cups water, for the dashi
• 10 g4-in square kombu (dried kelp)
• 20 g2 loosely packed cups katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), or 800 ml (3 1/3 cups) ready dashi and skip step 1
• 200 g7 oz boneless chicken thigh, excess fat trimmed, cut in bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp sake, for the chicken
• 1/2 small carrot, peeled, sliced 5 mm (1/4 in) thick, cut into plum-blossom shapes if you like
• 4 small fresh shiitake, stems removed, a cross cut into the caps
• 1/2 bunch komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) or spinach, about 120 g (4 oz)
• 8 slices kamaboko (fish cake), sliced 5 mm (1/4 in) thick
• 4-8 kirimochi (square cut rice cakes), one or two per person
• 1 1/2 tbsp usukuchi (light-coloured) soy sauce
• 1 tsp mirin
• salt, to taste
• mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley) and thin strips of yuzu peel, to garnish; lemon peel can replace yuzu

Method

1. 1

   1. Make the dashi: soak the kombu in the water for 30 minutes, then heat slowly and lift it out just before the water boils. Add the katsuobushi, bring back to the boil, turn off the heat and let it steep for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve without pressing.

2. 2

   2. Toss the chicken with the sake and a pinch of salt and leave it for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   3. Blanch the komatsuna in salted boiling water for 1 minute, cool it in cold water, squeeze it dry and cut it into 3 cm (1 1/4 in) lengths.

4. 4

   4. Bring the dashi to a simmer in a pot. Add the chicken, carrot and shiitake and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, skimming off any foam and fat, until the chicken is cooked through and the carrot is tender.

5. 5

   5. Season with the soy sauce, mirin and a little salt. The broth should be clear, pale and lightly seasoned. Keep it hot.

6. 6

   6. Grill the mochi under a hot grill, in a toaster oven or on a rack over a gas flame for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until they puff up and turn golden in patches.

7. 7

   7. Put the grilled mochi in the bowls and arrange the chicken, carrot, shiitake, kamaboko and komatsuna around them.

8. 8

   8. Ladle the hot broth into the bowls, top with mitsuba and a curl of yuzu peel, and serve straight away while the mochi is soft.