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Fish, East Asian

Oden with fish cakes and daikon

Oden with fish cakes and daikon is a Japanese simmered dish for 4 people, ready in 50 minutes, easy to make, for about €3.90 per person. Daikon, potatoes, cabbage, and eggs simmer in a sweet savory dashi broth before the fish cakes go in last. The key to success is letting the broth rest, which lets the flavors come together.

A Japanese pot au feu that simmers gently with radish, eggs, and fish cakes, mustard served on the side.

Oden with fish cakes and daikon
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Oden is Japan's answer to a winter stew, a lightly sweet dashi broth where daikon radish and potatoes slowly soak up soy sauce and honey. The fish cakes bring a soft, bouncy texture, the eggs turn a lovely amber color as they simmer, and the cabbage adds a bit of crunch. It is warming without being heavy, and easy to pull together with ingredients you can find at any grocery store.

This is the kind of dish you reach for on a weeknight when you want something comforting without much fuss, but it also works for a relaxed Sunday with the family. Kids love fishing the fish cakes and eggs out of their bowl, and everyone can add as much mustard as they like. Mon Chou suggests it as a way to switch up your usual stews with something from further afield.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Imitation crab sticks 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Black radish or turnips 500 g
  • Firm potatoes 400 g
  • Napa cabbage or white cabbage 300 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Pantry

  • Instant dashi brothoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Honeyoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Hot mustard 2 tbsp

Allergens Fish, Shellfish, Eggs, Gluten, Soy, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Boil the eggs for ten minutes in water, then peel them. 10 min

    Cool them in ice water right after, they peel cleanly without breaking.

  2. Peel the daikon and cut it into thick rounds, cut the potatoes into large chunks.

    Cut each vegetable into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly together.

  3. Bring 1.5 liters of water to a simmer with the dashi, soy sauce, and honey, add the daikon and potatoes. 25 min

    Firm potatoes hold their shape in the broth instead of falling apart.

  4. Add the cabbage in large pieces along with the peeled eggs. 10 min

    Let the eggs soak up the color of the broth.

  5. Add the fish cakes last just to heat them through. 5 min

    You can also add fish dumplings or fish sausages here.

  6. Serve in bowls with mustard on the side.

    The mustard brightens everything up, just a small dab at the edge of the bowl is enough.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the daikon into thick rounds, about two centimeters, so it holds together instead of falling apart in the broth.
  • Taste the broth before serving and add a splash more soy sauce if it tastes flat, instant dashi varies in strength from one brand to another.
  • Make the broth the day before if you can, a night in the fridge brings out even more flavor than an hour of resting.

The variations

  • Swap the fish cakes for ready made Japanese fish balls if you can find them, they hold up better during long simmering.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the fish cakes and use a vegetable based dashi, add fried tofu which soaks up the broth nicely.
  • For a quicker version for kids, cut the vegetables smaller and simmer them for just fifteen minutes, it goes faster without losing flavor.

What to serve it with

  • A bowl of plain steamed rice
  • Hot green tea
  • A few leaves of fresh salad

Storage

Oden keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the broth keeps flavoring the vegetables the whole time. It freezes well without the eggs, which turn rubbery once thawed. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat so the daikon and potato pieces stay intact.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different vegetable instead of daikon?

Yes, regular white turnip works very well and is actually the version listed in the recipe. You can also try a long white radish if you find one, it has a similar texture to daikon.

Can you make oden ahead of time?

Yes, it is actually recommended, the broth gets better after an hour of resting and even more so after a night in the fridge. Reheat gently before serving without letting it boil hard.

Can the fish cakes be swapped for another type of fish?

Yes, fish dumplings or Japanese fish sausages work very well, as suggested in the recipe. Avoid fish that flakes apart easily, choose something firm that holds up in the broth.

How do you avoid overcooking the hard boiled eggs?

Ten minutes in boiling water is enough, then an immediate ice bath stops the cooking right away. They peel cleanly afterward and keep a creamy yolk.

How long does it take to make an oden with fish cakes and daikon radish?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in an oden with fish cakes and daikon radish?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an oden with fish cakes and daikon radish cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, shellfish, eggs, gluten, soy, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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