New Year dishes   By TID, Winter 2011 update

   In Japan, people traditionally eat a special selection of dishes called "Osechi-Ryori" during the New Year's holidays. The foods that make up osechi each have a special meaning associated with good luck. For example, kazunoko, herring roe, represents fertility, kuromame, cooked black beans, are for health (mame means healthy), and lobsters are for longevity because their bodies are bent like an old man's.
   Traditionally, Osechi dishes are prepared by New Year's Eve and are cooked to be preserved for a couple days so women don’t have to cook during that period. Nowadays, many people buy ready-made Osechi-Ryori at stores instead of cooking them at home. It can be time- consuming to cook so many kinds of dishes. It's even possible to order Osechi packed in boxes at department stores, restaurants, or convenience stores. These kinds of Osechi sell well although they are usually quite expensive, costing around ¥20,000 or more.
   People also eat “Ozoni,” or soup with mochi (rice cakes) and vegetables, at this time of year. Flavors and ingredients differ according to the region or family. Each region adds its local products, such as chicken, oyster, fish, prawn, and some vegetables. Some regions make it with Miso soup instead of clear broth. Round mochi is used in western Japan while mochi in the east is normally square.
   N.B. Watch out for those calories! You may forget about calories as you can enjoy a variety of Osechi food and refills of Ozoni (For instance, a piece of mochi is about 130 calories or more). But, you may well overlook a big appetite for Japanese New Year dishes.

*Feature

- Winter Delicacy in Hyogo

Hyogo offers you a selection of special winter food!

*Kani (Crabs)

Various types of crab dishes such as Kani-nabe, Yaki-gani (grilled crabs), and Kani-nigiri (crab sushi) can be savored during the winter season (November to March). Coastal areas of Hyogo are famous for Matsuba crabs. Refer to "TID's Go There!"below or our website:
http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/spot/111_crab.html

*Botan-Nabe (wild boar meat cooked in a pot at the table)

Botan-Nabe is a popular Hyogo dish in winter. “Botan” means a Japanese peony as the sliced boar meat is arranged on a plate in the shape of a big peony flower. Wild boars are everywhere in Japan, but the mountainous Tamba/Sasayama region is the most famous place for them, partly due to its climate.

For more information:
http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/column/2010_09.html
http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/spot/128_botannabe.html
http://www.city.sasayama.lg.jp/shoko/081024botan.html
http://www.city.sasayama.lg.jp/fuyu04.html

*Three-year Fugu (specially farmed blowfish in Awaji)

"Fugu"means blowfish or pufferfish in Japanese and the dish prepared with it. Three-Year Fugu from Awaji Island are bred for nearly for three years at the port of Fukura, on the southern tip of Awaji Island compared to normal farmed pufferfish which are grown for only two years. Fish farmers have controlled the growing conditions of Fugu carefully including their diet. The three-year Fugu are of an extra-special quality with firm, tasty and crunchy flesh. Fugu can be eaten as sashimi ("Tessa"), deep fried, baked or stewed. The soft roe (shirako) of the Fugu is highly regarded as a delicacy and the large shirako of three-year puffers are particulary delicious.