Ozoni (Japanese Mochi Soup)

• 1 lb. mochi (fresh or frozen)
• 4 cups dashi (stock)
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 carrot, sliced thin 2½” long
• 1 bamboo shoot, 2½” long
• 1 stalk celery, 2½” long
• 1 stalk green onion
• 3 pieces matsutake mushroom
• ½ kamaboko (fishcake) sliced
• 2 to 3 tbsp. shoyu

Heat dashi to boiling, add carrots, bamboo, celery and kamaboko; simmer few minutes; add shoyu, dash of monosodium glutamate and green onion. Keep hot. Meantime drop 4 to 6 mochi into 3 cups of boiling water and simmer, turning often until soft and pliable. Spoon a little soup into individual bowls; drop 1 or 2 mochi into bowl and cover with soup; add more mochi if desired.

Variation: cooked gobo, cooked age, chicken or pork slices may be added.