 | |
| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Main ingredients | mochi rice cakes |
Zōni (雑煮 or ぞうに), often with thehonorific "o-" aso-zōni, is a Japanesesoup containingmochi rice cakes.[1] The dish is strongly associated with theJapanese New Year and its tradition ofosechi ceremonial foods. The preparation of zōni varies both by household and region.[1]
Zōni is written in theJapanese language using twokanji characters. Since the first,雑 means "miscellaneous" or "mixed", and the second,煮, means "simmer" or "boil", it is thought that the word is derived from the fact that zōni consists of many miscellaneous items of food (such asmochi,vegetables andseafood) being boiled together. Formerly, amongst samurai society, the dish was referred to as "烹雑" (Hōzō) with烹 also being an archaic term for "to simmer" or "to boil".[2]
It is said thatzōni finds its roots insamurai society cuisine. It is thought to be a meal that was cooked on field battles, boiled together withmochi,vegetables anddried foods, among other ingredients. It is also generally believed that this original meal, at first exclusive to samurai, eventually became astaple food of the common people. Zōni was first served as part of a full-course dinner (honzen ryōri), and thus is thought to have been a considerably important meal to samurai.
The tradition of eatingzōni on New Year's Day dates to the end of theMuromachi period (1336–1573). The dish was offered to the gods in a ceremony onNew Year's Eve.[3]
Zōni has numerous regional variations inJapan. In many regions including theKantō region, zōni consists of a clear soup calledsumashi-jiru which is flavoured withdashi, astock made from flakes of driedbonito and/orkombu, andsoy sauce. In theKansai region and easternShikoku, zōni is made with a stock of whitemiso, while zōni in the part ofFukui Prefecture is made with a stock of red miso. In theTottori-Izumo region, a variety ofred bean soup is used for zōni.[3][4]
The preparation of themochi for the dish also varies by region. In the Kantō region and Tōhoku region, themochi are cut into squares and grilled before being added to the stock. In the Kansai region and theChūgoku region, a round, boiled mochi is generally preferred. In most of theKyushu region, a round mochi is popular, but grill-boil difference changes depending on area.[5][4] In some areastaro ortofu is used instead of mochi. This type of zōni is found on some islands or mountainous areas where rice is not grown to a large extent.
Common additions to the soup includechicken,fish ormeatballs;leafy vegetables such askomatsuna orspinach;mitsuba (a Japaneseherb similar toparsley);kamaboko such asnaruto and carrot flakes for colour;[5] and flakes ofyuzu peel for its citrus fragrance. Regional specialties are often added. A sprinkle of seven-spice chili flakes (shichimi) is sometimes added at the table.
