Japanese Traditional Cuisine Origin of Dishes for the New Year The 13th year of Heisei (2001) Theme: "Trees and Plants" Sexagenary Cycle: "Shinshi" Menu for food packed in jubako (a tier of lacquered boxes) Chef Takeshi Nagata Head instructor of Japanese cooking <Box No. 1> Black beans cooked in syrup Young sardines seasoned with sugar and soy sauce Herring roe covered with dried bonito flakes Vinegared burdock root Mashed sweet potatoes with sweetened chestnuts with a touch of powdered green tea Red and white dumplings made of glutinous rice powder stuffed with cheese Apples cooked in syrup and red wine Candied kumquats with leaves Shrimp, kombu and peapods formed into a rope and wrapped in grated yam Dried persimmons stuffed with walnuts Arrowhead bulbs Steamed baigai shellfish in sake <Box No. 2> Grilled salted prawns Grilled salmon seasoned with white miso Bracken-shaped grilled cuttlefish Rolled eel and burdock root Citron-flavored grilled harvest fish Broiled quail seasoned with sugar and soy sauce Minced chicken cake Orange-flavored broiled chicken Grilled Spanish mackerel with herbs Pickled ginger <Box No. 3> Conger eel and kombu rolls Ume-flower-shaped carrot Lotus roots, Dutch style Steamed hexagonal-shaped shiitake tops lined with fish paste Sea bream roe cooked in savory sauce Ayu with roe rolled in kombu Horikawa burdock roots Bamboo shoots cooked with dried bonito flakes Rolled eel with kombu Crossbreed of wild and domestic duck Rolled chicken with burdock root Rape-plant blossom salad <Box No. 4> Chrysanthemum-flower-shaped salmon Flower-shaped lotus root Vinegared strips of carrot and daikon Sushi made with young Spanish mackerel Layered flatfish Sea bream flavored with kombu rolled in a paper-thin omelet Vinegared Chinese artichoke Dried mullet roe rolled in kombu Fried and marinated roach Tsukubane (shuttlecock-like plant) Fish roe salad Broad beans Green ume cooked in syrup Steamed ground clams *Osechi (Dishes for celebrating the New Year): Originally, dishes preparedfor the five seasonal festivals were called osechi. The meaning of thisword has gradually changed, and now means only dishes prepared for the NewYear. * Container for osechi, and how and what to pack Because osechi dishes are preservable, jubako (a tier of flat, square boxes)has been used to keep them. A set of five, tiered lacquered boxes is most commonly used.Lacquer: Lacquered ware is considered best as it prevents air from dryingthe foods and retains their tastes and flavors well.What kinds of dishes to pack in jubako depends heavily on each region andfamily. There are no special rules. *Tazukuri/Gomame (Young sardines seasoned with sugar and soy sauce) This dish is made with the wish that people can work in good health(mame-ni). It is also called Tazukuri because young sardines were used asmanure for rice fields where farmers grew rice to present to the Emperor a long time ago. The name also indicated farmers' wishes for a good harvest.The main ingredient is dried young sardines, which are high in fat, protein and phosphorus content. Home | Tsuji Academy | Recipes Go to NTT Gourmet