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Happy New Year!
Episode 1: Wishing for Health and Happiness in Osechi Dishes
Traditional New Year's Osechi dishes are served during New Year Holidays. In Japan, people visit their parents to enjoy holidays together. Yui visited grandma's house to enjoy holidays together. Osechi- ryori (dishes) differ from one area to another, but often include black beans, herring eggs, shrimps and lotus.
Yui: Grandma. What is this black bean?
Grandma: In this black bean, our wish for working healthy is contained in the black beans. "Beans" symbolize good health. Sometimes it takes a whole night to boil beans and a skill to boil soft without breaking the skin.
Yui: Kuri-kinton (Mashed sweet potate with sweetened chestnuts ) looks beautiful. I love this golden color and sweat taste.
Grandma: The golden color and sweat taste are appreciated by everyone. The golen yellow symbolizes wealthand victory, wishing for a propsperous new year.
Yui: What is this roll?
Grandma: Konbu wishes for a long and healthy lifetime. Konbu is a bringer of good luck to a family.
Yui: Here's small fish!
Grandma: They are called Tazukuri (small dried sardines). In the old days, small fishes were spread as fertilizer in a paddy field. Tazukuri literally means 2grow a field". Pray for an abundant harvest!
Yuii: This is called hrring-roe, isn't it?
Grandma: Herring-roe (Kazunoko) has traitionally been eaten to pray for the prosperity of desendants because the nuber of roe is large.
Yui: Shrimp is my favorite!
Grandma: Shrimp is a symbol of long life. Ther long antennae symbolizing long life and their curved baks reminiscent of the elderly are considered symbols of longevity. For this eason, they are featured in meals for the New Year's holidays.
Yui: Why are burdocks here?Grandma: Burdocks is eaten hopingthat you will enjoy happy and long lives. Burdock spans thin, long firm roots in the soil. Therefore, it is usedin various dishes as auspicious ingredients. Rice chokes (mocha) are regarded as a holy food dedicated to God and are indispensable in the event of the celebrations.
Rice cakes boiled with vegetables and chicken are rich in regional flavor. Winter vegetablesare Japanese mustard spinach Broccoli, Chinese cabbage. Fishes are crabs, cod, flatfish and yellowtail. Yellowtail is a fish that is called by different names as they grow. They are used for New Year dishes as a lucky charm to bring happiness. Especially those caught in rough sea in winter are fatty and tsty.
Nowadays more and more people are buying Osechi dishes via online shops. There are new type of Osechi cuisine, including healthy ones with fresh vegetables and decorations.
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