A Happy New Year!
Everything is ready for my lazy new year’s weekend! I will just stay home and be unproductive, that’s all I want for new year. lol.
Fujiya (the oldest Japanese Supermarket in Vancouver) was packed as I expected. Many people are waiting for sushi and buying osechi – Japanese bento box for new year. Usually it should be in a square box, but as I live by myself and did not have jubako – Japanese special bento box, I decided to simplify and pack only my favourites.
Each ingredients have a certain reason why we have to eat in new year. Let me introduce what I have in my osechi box.
| # | Name | Description | Meaning |
| 1 | Datemaki | Sweet egg omelette with fish paste | Education, Innovation, Culture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kamaboko | Fish cake | Red means amulet, white means purity (Some interpret as Japan rising sun | 3 | Shirimp | Boiled or broiled shrimp | Longevity |
| 4 | Namasu | Marinated radish and carrot | Celebratory, festive |
| 5 | Kuri Kinton | Sweet chestnuts | Gold coins, affluence |
| 6 | Ikura | Salmon roe | Fertility |
| 7 | Konbumaki | Rolled seaweed | Joy and bond |
| 8 | Kuromame | Sweet black beans | Health |
Another reason why Japanese people pack this is people are not supposed to use oven in new year. There is a god of fire in the kitchen and we are supposed to refrain from using fire as well as give a break for wives (or someone who is responsible for cooking). In other words, this is a great invention to go lazy!
However, osechi will not be enough to celebrate new year. Usually people cook ozouni – soup with rice cake. This dish is quite interesting because it is different from region.
This is the one I cooked for this year. We live in the central region, but my mom is from the other region, so I am not sure if this is a typical one in the central region. In fact, my family usually put Chinese cabbage, not spinach and don’t bake rice cake beforehand. One of the things I love about my family recipe is putting a lot of fish powder and oven roasted seaweed on the top!
I am too excited to enjoy this lazy weekend and I feel like I ended up becoming active and busy!
A Happy New Year to everyone!
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