Osechi Items that Maido Offers
Have you had Osechi? They are traditional Japanese New Year foods usually enjoyed between 1/1 - 1/3 in Japan.
At Maido, we make them every year. We ended taking orders of our own Osechi for this coming New Year, but we do sell some types of Osechi sets and individual Osechi items at the store! These are not made by us, but by famous and popular Japanese companies. They come in frozen, and we sell them in the freezer. So, you can keep them fresh until New Year!
The number of Osechi items varies from region to region, but there are as many as 20 to 30 different types. Today, we'll introduce the Osechi items that we offer at the store along with their festive meanings. Then, in the next blog post, we'll introduce the history of the Osechi culture.
This is our Osechi. (It's sold out for New Year 2023.)
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Osechi Sets
Kibun, New Year's God Hospitality Set - New Year's Day, 24.51 oz.
It's a set of 6 Osechi dishes in moderate portions. It includes 2 sets of festive chopsticks.
Contents: Red and white Kamaboko (fish cakes) with sea bream / Datemaki (rolled sweet egg omlette) / Kuri kinton (candied chestnut and sweet potato) / Tanba kuromame (sweetened black beans) / Kobu maki (kelp rolls) / 2 sets of celebratory chopsticks
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Kibun, My Family's Osechi Set - Good Fortune & Celebration, 16.13 oz.
It includes a set of four popular Osechi dishes.
Kamaboko and Datemaki are pre-cut, so you can enjoy them simply by serving.
Contents: Red Kamaboko (fishcake) / Datemaki (rolled sweet egg omlette) / Kuri Kinton (candied chestnut and sweet potato) / Tanba kuromame (sweetened black beans)
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Niitakaya, Osechi Set, 5.6 oz.
It has an assortment of five different kinds of Osechi items. It's already prepared, and every portion isn't that big. It's perfect for a small number of people who want to have some Osechi, but not a lot of amount.
Contents: Tazukuri (candied sardines), Hime Ebi (candied shrimp), Kuri Kinton (candied chestnut and sweet potato), Kuromame (sweetened black beans), Kobumaki (kelp rolls)
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Tazukuri (Candied Sardines)
Tazukuri was named after the small fish that were sprinkled as fertilizer on the fields in hopes of a bountiful harvest. Tazukuri made with small sardine fish (gomame) is one of the three celebratory snacks in both the Kanto and Kansai regions.
Ebi (Shrimp)
Shrimps have long whiskers and are used for New Year's decorations and Osechi dishes in the hope that they will live long until their waist bends - When boiled, shrimp's waist bends like elderly people's.
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Individual Osechi Items
Kamaboko (Fish Cake)
The combination of red and white are for celebration in Japan, so kamaboko is perfect as a New Year dish. Decorative cuttings are sometimes made in the shape of cranes, pine trees, and other auspicious symbols. The red color is used to ward off evil, and the white color means purity.
Kibun, No Presevetive Kamaboko Aka, 5.29 oz.
Kibun, Hanameguri Kamaboko Fish Cake Red, 7.76 oz.
Kibun, Hanameguri Kamaboko Fish Cake White, 7.76 oz.
Kagosei, Kamaboko Red, 5.9 oz.
Kagosei, Kamaboko White, 5.9 oz.
Kagosei, Mamekoita Kamaboko Red, 5.2 oz.
Kagosei, Mamekoita Kamaboko White, 5.2 oz.
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Datemaki (Rolled Sweet Egg Omlette)
Because the shape resembles a scroll, it's hoped that it'll increase knowledge. Datemaki is made by adding beaten egg and soup stock to ground white fish or shrimp, mixing well, seasoning with mirin and sugar, and cooking. While still hot, it's rolled and shaped with a bamboo mat.
Kibun, No Preservetive Less Sweet Datemaki, 9.52 oz. (left) Kibun, No Preservetive Less Sweet Datemaki, 7.05 oz. (right)
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Kazunoko (Herring Roe)
The herring roe is a good-luck item for wishing for a prosperous offspring because of their large number of eggs. Kazunoko is usually made by being cured in salt or soy sauce, or dried. What we offer is the one being cured in soy sauce.
Hokkai, Kazunoko Shoyuzuke, 11.28 oz.
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Kobumaki (Stuffed Kelp Rolls)
The word "kobu" was thought to be good luck, as it is the same as "yorokobu" (to be happy). It is also written "子生" in kanji (Chinese characters) to express a wish for the prosperity of one's offspring. It can be made with or without stuffings. Herring, salmon, or cod roe are usually used as fillings, but some families use meat such as beef and pork, as well as vegetables such as carrot and gobo burdock root.
Tsukiji Motohiko, Kobumaki with Nishin (Herring), 3.5 oz.
Niitakaya, Kobumaki, 3.6 oz.
Kibun, Less Sweet Kobumaki, 2.99 oz.
Niitakaya, Nishin (Herring Roe) Futomaki, 3.6 oz.
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Narutomaki (Fish Cake) Narutomaki is a type of kamaboko fish cake. It's made of red-dyed fish paste rolled with white paste and is steamed. The character "の" in narutomaki (the red part) represents eternity.
Kagosei, Narutomaki, 6.34 oz.
Kibun, No Preservetive Hime Narutomaki, 2.46 oz.
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Kurikinton (Candied Chestnut and Sweet Potato)
This dish is likened to a golden treasure, and is a wish for a prosperous year. Chestnuts, which are ubiquitous throughout Japan, are a representative of mountain delicacies, and have been revered as a good omen, called winning chestnuts.
Kibun, Less Sweet Kurikinton, 4.59 oz.
Niitakaya, Kurikinton, 3.5 oz.
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Kuromame (Sweet Black Beans)
They're meant to ward off evil spirits and to wish that people will work diligently with their beans to the extent that they become tanned and black. (Japanese people say your skin turns black, when you get tanned.)
Kibun, Less Sweet Tanba Kuromame, 3.52 oz.
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Uo no Ko Ni (Simmered Fish Roe)
Fish roe with a rich flavor is carefully selected and cooked in a bonito-flavored broth-based seasoning with a refined and mild taste, so that the flavor is spread throughout. The fish roe's plump texture is well received. It's perfect for the New Year celebration!
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There is a lot more food items, housewares, stationery, and gifts available at the store and our online store, Maido! Kairashi Shop, where you can place your order for shipping or store pickup!
Maido! also offers online grocery shopping with options for curbside pickup and home delivery!* *Some restrictions may apply.
Happy shopping. :)