Oden Stew by Gale Jack

A number of recipes for Oden Stew have been passed around the macrobiotic community. This is a variation and one that my family enjoys.

Ingredients:

2 red onions
1 large carrot
1 rutabaga
1 lotus root
1 piece burdock, about 10"
1/2 pound firm tofu
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Spring water
Shoyu
Chopped parsley for garnish

Wash the vegetables and cut into pieces according to your preferred cutting styles. I use half-moons for the onions,wedges for the carrot, quarters for the rutabaga and lotus root (cut lengthwise in half then slice across the vegetables) and thin diagonal slices for the burdock so it will cook in the same length of time as the others. I cut the tofu into 1/2 inch slices then each slice into 2 pieces and each square on a diagonal to form a triangle.

Heat 1 to 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a skillet or large pot and spread with a pastry brush. Saute the onions for several minutes by moving them around gently with chopsticks. Layer the carrot, rutabaga, lotus root and burdock on top. Add spring water to the depth of 1/2 inch, bring to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes over low eat. Add the tofu. Season to taste (1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon is usually adequate) and simmer for 5-7 minutes longer. Remove to serving bowls and garnish with parsley.

(While other vegetables can be substituted, burdock is particularly strengthening for the intestines and is a more flexible vegetable than carrots. Lotus root is good for discharging mucous from the lungs and sinuses.)

For a more warming dish, you may occasionally deep-fry the tofu in sesame oil. Press it between two layers of cloth to squeeze out the excess water and drop a few pieces at a time into hot oil and cook until lightly browned. Add to the above vegetables toward the end of cooking as you would for steamed tofu.