Nothing is Better Than a Japanese "Onabe" Dinner on a Cold Winters Night!

The past couple week have become bitter cold in NJ. In fact, it's so cold...my cat, who LOVES to be outside, refuses to stay out for more than 30 seconds! She either begs to go out and immediately asks to to be let back into the house or will flat out refuse to go out!!! Anyway, I set the scene because this sort of bitter cold weather is ideal "onabe" weather.

Unless you are Japanese, you are probably wondering...what is onabe? Onabe is a type of traditional Japanese one pot cooking. "Nabe" literally means "pot." There are a lot of different types of "nabe" cooking in Japan. For example: sukiyaki, oden, or chankonabe. Chankonabe is traditionally served to sumo wrestlers and not something my mom makes often, but sukiyaki and oden are two family favorites! On cold winter days, my mom makes a seafood/tofu/vegetable yosenabe. (Yosenabe is usually made with a specific broth and then you can add soy sauce to it.) My dad and I go crazy for onabe, although we are "gaijin" 外人 (non-Japanese). Well, at least dad is...I have 50% Japanese blood! This is winter soul food!

As an appetizer, my mom cooked up some very delicious fried tofu. I have some non-Japanese friends who dislike tofu because they find it bland and boring. I later learned that they ate it plain. You know what, I agree, plain tofu is gross, but when prepared properly and deliciously, it ROCKS. I love my tofu! Fried, sauteed, even plain with some soy sauce...I love love love tofu!

Fried tofu topped with grated daikon, grated ginger, and bonito flakes.

Pour some soy sauce on top, and you are set! 

Now, for the main event. We have a giant clay pot that we have been using for as long as I can remember. My mom essentially adds a very light fish stock broth to this pot and brings it to a boil. Once it is hot, we add various ingredients. As everything begins to cook, we bring the pot to the table. On the kitchen table, we have a small portable burner. I think it's gas... Either way, with this, the onabe sits on top of the burner, which sits in the middle of the table.

We each serve ourselves, putting as much or as little of the food into our bowls. The stock is VERY light...it's mostly water with a hint of fish stock, so I like to add soy sauce to my bowl. I also like ponzu. Both condiments are an option and can be found on our table. Once my sauce is set, the feasting begins!

Onabe is a family favorite for several reasons. 1) It warms you up, 2) it is delicious, and 3) it takes a while to eat so it makes for nice "family time." Generally, as the pot contents dwindle, you keep adding ingredients until you have none. Onanbe is a great way to eat a variety of foods and it is really healthy!

The amazing set up for the nabe!

Vegetables plate, tofu & seafood plate, and the nabe (we started cooking stuff so we didn't have to wait too long)

Close up. 

We have king crab legs, shrimp, cod, shiitake mushrooms, mizuna, tofu, clams, enoki mushrooms, and cabbage cooking! 

Sometimes, if we still have room in our bellies, my mom will add udon noodles to the pot towards the end of dinner. The udon + ingredients + broth = DYNAMITE! Sadly, for this dinner, we were too full, thus no udon noodles! Most unfortunate! Still, it is only January and it is still freezing cold...I sense more onabe dinners in the future...!!! ;D