Zoni, a feast at the beginning of the year in Japan/日本の年明けのごちそう「雑煮」

yamamo_cchi · January 9, 2023, 12:51am

Happy New Year, everyone!

Today, I would like to introduce “Zoni”, a New Year’s feast often eaten by Japanese people.
“Zoni” is a soup containing rice cake eaten at the beginning of the year.
In addition to rice cakes, fish, vegetables, and other ingredients are also included, depending on the region.
The shape of the rice cake can be rectangular or round.
The seasoning of the soup also differs.

I will focus on Hakata Zoni, which is often eaten in Fukuoka City, where I live.
Hakata Zoni is one of the most filling zoni in Japan.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website

https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/hakata_zouni_fukuoka.html

Features

Contains yellowtail
Contains Katsuo-na
Both are auspicious foods and in season

Yellow-tail is called “Success Fish”.
It is said that the wish is that the New Year will bring even more success in life.

Katsuo-na is sometimes written as “勝男菜”.

*This has been written for a long time and has no gender connotation.

Please interpret it as “o「お」” and “man「男」” and just convert the kanji.

It is also a specialty of Fukuoka and a highly nutritious vegetable.

Eating this also has the meaning of aiming for improvement.

Hakata Zoni is available year-round at the following restaurants.

Seki-Tei

https://goo.gl/maps/4ZUkh6GeiENis5bz6

Please stop by when sightseeing.
At this restaurant, you can also eat zoni from Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture.

Zoni differ from region to region.
Why don’t you try zoni from different regions?

I wish I could become a better cook and be able to make this much!

日本語

皆さん、新年おめでとう！

今日は日本人がよく食べる新年のごちそう、「雑煮」について紹介します。

「雑煮」は年始めに食べる餅が入ったスープ料理です。

地域によっては餅以外にも、魚、野菜などが入ります。

餅の形も長方形や丸形と違います。

スープの味付けも異なります。

私が住んでいる福岡市でよく食べる「博多雑煮」を取り上げます。

博多雑煮は日本で具沢山の雑煮のうちの1つです。

農林水産省サイト

https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/hakata_zouni_fukuoka.html

特徴

鰤が入っている
かつお菜が入っている
どちらも縁起の良い食べ物で、旬のもの

鰤は出世魚と呼ばれています。

新年はさらに出世という願いが込められているとか。

かつお菜は「勝男菜」と書かれることもあります。

※昔から書かれていることなので、ジェンダー的な意味合いはありません。

「お」と「男」と漢字変換するくらいで解釈してください。

福岡の特産品でもあり、栄養価の高い野菜です。

これを食べることで向上を目指す意味もあるそうです。

博多雑煮は以下のお店で年中食べることができます。

雑煮のせき亭

https://goo.gl/maps/4ZUkh6GeiENis5bz6

観光の際には是非お立ち寄りください。

このお店では長崎県島原市の雑煮も食べることができます。

地域によって雑煮は違うものです。

いろんな地域の雑煮を試してみてはいかがでしょうか？

料理が上手になってこれくらい作れるようになりたいものです

Sophia_Cambodia · January 9, 2023, 2:14am

That looks yummy @yamamo_cchi san, I often have Japanese dishes for lunch at the supermarket where they have several Japanese dishes. If you are in Phnom Penh, you can go to various Japanese restaurants.

DENIT33 · January 9, 2023, 6:25am

Hi @yamamo_cchi

Thanks for sharing this information.

Your country is very different from mine. I am very intrigued by your traditions, especially food and writing.

It is something totally unknown and at the same time fascinating.

Gezendunyali · January 11, 2023, 1:48pm

So healty and delicious looking thank you for share us @yamamo_cchi

yamamo_cchi · January 12, 2023, 11:16pm

@Sophia_Cambodia san

Thanks for the comment.
I don’t think most places offer zoni, even in Japan.
It may be difficult to make it a business in some areas.

yamamo_cchi · January 12, 2023, 11:18pm

@DENIT33

Thanks for the comment.
I too believe there are many unknowns in my country’s culture and ingredients.
It is such a profound thing.
I don’t know if it would be difficult for me to spend the rest of my life