Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope you have a wonderful year! I would like to show you what I ate during the first few days of the New Year. I had traditional Japanese food and I tried making it with my family. The food is called Osechi Ryori.

What is Osechi Ryori?

Osechi Ryori is a Japanese traditional cuisine that you have in the new year. It is usually packed in 2-3layers of lacquerware box called “ojubako” and it contains many dishes. The family would share and eat Osechi Rori together. Each dish has a different meaning and it is said to represent a New Year Wish.

I would like to introduce the meanings of some dishes I made and ate.

Datemaki are sweet omelet rolls with a fish paste filling. They resemble ancient scrolls and are believed to bless families with education and knowledge.

Kurikinton is sweetened chestnuts mashed sweet potatoes. Kinton, which means "gold dumpling" or "gold bedding" in Japanese, is said to bring financial success when eaten at New Year's. It is also said to bring good luck and prosperity.

Kuromame is sweet black soybeans that bring health for the coming year. 

Kazunoko is dashi-marinated crispy slices of yellow herring roe (soup stock). They are literal symbols of a large, prosperous family since they translate as 'a number of children.'

Tazukuri is baby anchovies soaked in a soy sauce glaze. They've become a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

Delicious Japanese shrimp are included in the dish because their arched shape resembles an elderly person's back, therefore it represents longevity and wisdom.

Su Renkon which is marinated in a sweet vinegared sauce, Pickled Lotus Root, is one of the popular dishes. These holes are also believed to grant families the power to predict and avoid future predicaments.

There are a lot more dishes in Osechi Ryori and most of the dishes have different meanings. I usually have Osechi Ryori every year and I enjoy making lots for the dishes I like such as Kurikinton. I love the sweetness and the texture. It tastes very nice. I believe people eat different kinds of food in New Year.

What did you eat on New Year’s Day?