"Beyond-Supreme Ozoni" with Broth from Chicken Thigh, Kombu, and Katsuobushi, Plus Natto Fried Mochi

The mochi used is square kirimochi. Ryuji is from the Kanto region, hence the square shape, but says round mochi is also delicious. The ingredients are kept quite minimal. The only vegetable is komatsuna, because Ryuji's family ozoni had nothing but komatsuna. Some regions add daikon and other vegetables, but Ryuji says, "It just felt a little off to me." Those who want to can add daikon or carrots, but komatsuna is a must.

Chicken always goes in because it makes the broth. Kamaboko is also a must; with only komatsuna and meat the bowl would look sparse, so it's added for a festive feel. The quantity is roughly 3 to 4 servings.

Before cooking, there's a toast with sake provided by Sato Foods. Ryuji picks Takao, a staff member from the Kansai region, as a drinking partner. Takao's family ozoni used round mochi in a sweetish white miso broth. Ryuji made that type last year and recalled that "I saw hell." The sake has a floral aroma and goes down as easily as juice. Ryuji at one point misspoke and said it was "55 percent" alcohol, then immediately corrected it to 15.5 percent. Apparently Ryuji had been drinking until morning the night before.

Many stores no longer sell chicken carcasses these days, so this time the stock is made with chicken thigh. Ryuji says this method is the most delicious for ozoni and also gives you a "feeling that you made it properly."

About 700 cc of water (680 cc in the recipe in the description) goes into the pot, along with one sheet of kombu (5 to 6 g) from the start, and then it goes on the heat. People often say kombu should be soaked in water first, or removed before the water boils. Ryuji's take: "It doesn't really matter," "Mama tested it," "If you simmer it, it comes out." Ryuji admits that soaking it in water for several tens of minutes really does extract the most kombu flavor, but the conclusion is: "You can just leave it in. However much you put in is how much comes out."

For katsuobushi, there were hanakatsuo flakes rather than powder on hand, so those were used. Powder is fine too; the only real difference is whether the broth looks cloudy. There's a theory that katsuobushi should go in after the water boils and be left for a certain number of seconds. Ryuji honestly doesn't think it matters much, saying that even if you put it in from the start, you could hardly tell the difference in a side-by-side tasting. This time, just to be safe, 4 to 5 g went in after the water came to a boil. Skim off the scum to some degree, but it's fine if it boils vigorously.

At this point, simply straining the broth and adding komatsuna and mochi would already make a perfectly delicious ozoni. Ryuji's view is that in the past every household made broth from scratch at New Year's, but more families now probably use Hondashi. Ryuji's own family used Hondashi too. If it's your first time making broth, tasting it will make you go "wow."

Kombu is expensive, so normally Ryuji gets by with Ajinomoto and katsuobushi. The reason for deliberately using kombu this time is that, these days, most people only buy kombu around New Year's.

This is where Ryuji's style comes in. With the katsuobushi and kombu still in the pot, a whole chicken thigh goes in without being cut, the lid goes on, and it simmers for about 45 minutes. The finished result is meat so tender it falls apart and clings nicely to the mochi, which is why this step is done first.

It's often said that overcooking katsuobushi brings out harsh, bitter flavors. Drawing on the experience of regularly simmering katsuo powder as a broth base, Ryuji said, "It doesn't get bitter." Ryuji thinks simmering it as is tastes best.

Ryuji says that the most-viewed ozoni among long-form YouTube videos is "probably" Ryuji's own "Supreme Ozoni." Even so, Ryuji was confident that this recipe surpasses it and will "rewrite viewers' very concept" of ozoni.

While it simmers, the other ingredients are prepared. Dirt collects at the base of komatsuna, so wash it well. The core at the base is edible too, so Ryuji asks that you use it rather than cutting it off. Cut it into lengths of about 4 to 5 cm.

To remove kamaboko from its board, slide the knife blade along the board. Here Ryuji also explained why kamaboko comes on a board. Kamaboko is made from fish paste, which won't hold together on its own. Pressing it onto a board and steaming it sets its shape. Ryuji likes to eat the leftover kamaboko with mayonnaise and soy sauce, which also makes a good snack with drinks.

While waiting for the broth, Ryuji makes natto fried mochi, which Ryuji calls "one of my top three favorites" and which was also a hit with the entire staff.

First, make the sauce. Add 2 teaspoons of water to 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, since soy sauce alone is too strong. Then add 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 4 shakes of Ajinomoto. The staff were surprised to see vinegar in a mochi recipe, but Ryuji said it's refreshing and delicious and would surprise them once they tasted it. Ryuji added that such a modest recipe could only be shown in a setting like this. Mix 2 packs of natto well with the included sauce and mustard.

Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a small frying pan. Break the mochi by hand along the slits in the kirimochi (about 4 pieces' worth; half that is fine too), add it to the pan, and shallow-fry over medium-low heat. A staff member said it seemed like shallow-frying, but Ryuji replied that it's "basically deep-frying." It's fine if the pieces stick together; you can separate them later. Flip them once partway through and fry until they're crisp all over, like senbei rice crackers. The aroma of frying rice fills the air, and Ryuji says, "It's good mochi, so it's tasty fried too." Lately Ryuji has come to dislike greasy food, so the mochi is taken out and thoroughly drained of oil. Pieces that stuck together come apart easily by hand. Since no knife is needed, Ryuji often serves this as a snack when guests drop by unexpectedly.

Pile the mochi on a plate and top it generously with natto. Ryuji said one pack is delicious too, then corrected that to say two packs is better. Scatter chopped green onion over it, and finish by pouring the vinegar–soy sauce dressing over the top. At one point a staff member teased Ryuji for not mixing it well enough.

The staff who tried it said, "This is so good" and "It's easy to eat, nice and light." Other comments were that it's crispy outside and chewy inside, pairs well with sake, and should be on the menu at every izakaya. Ryuji responded that frying it is a bit of a hassle, but "that one extra step is what makes it good."

After 45 minutes of simmering, the chicken is so tender it's practically falling apart. Take the chicken out once, and strain the katsuobushi and kombu into a separate pot. The kombu left after making broth can be reused, for example by chopping it finely to make furikake.

The strained soup turns golden, with chicken fat floating on top. Ryuji described it as "You could make ramen with this. That's how rich it is." This time it had reduced a bit too much, so about half a cup of water was added. About the straining step, a staff member asked whether it wouldn't still taste good with the katsuobushi left in. Ryuji answered that it makes the soup cloudy, so it looks nicer if you remove it when you can.

When the chicken goes back into the pot, it falls apart with just a light touch. Ryuji thinks eating this shredded chicken together with the mochi is the best. "Once you make it this way, you'll make it this way every year," Ryuji said. "You'll eat it even when it's not New Year's. Because it's that good." Ryuji also emphasized that it has no chemical seasonings. Ryuji admitted that, while actually good at this kind of labor-intensive cooking, it does take time because of the 45-minute simmer.

Add the komatsuna stems first. You can cook it until soft or eat it while it's still crisp, whichever you prefer. The chicken and soup are flavorful enough that other vegetables are optional.

The seasonings are 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of mirin. Soy sauce loses its aroma if added early, so it goes in last and is simmered only briefly. A staff member who tasted it was suspicious enough to say, "You're using Ajinomoto, aren't you," but Ryuji replied that none was used.

You can lightly grill the mochi, but this time it goes straight into the soup. Since you only need to cook as much as you want to eat, the mochi goes in at the very end. This time, about 4 pieces. Ryuji called this ozoni "probably the most delicious ozoni of your life," saying that while it takes a bit of time, it isn't that much work.

When serving, it's better to put the soup in the bowl first and then add the mochi. Finally, add the absolutely essential kamaboko, and the "Beyond-Supreme Ozoni" is complete.

After one bite, Ryuji said, "When you eat something truly delicious, all you can say is 'it's good.'" The staff followed with comments that the broth was delicious, the chicken's umami really came through, and the meat was tender and falling apart. Some also said, "It's nothing like granulated dashi" and "It has a punchy savoriness, like you put umami seasoning in it." On the combination of shredded chicken eaten with mochi, a staff member was convinced, saying, "Now I get what you meant," and also praised how the mochi held its own against the soup. Ryuji says, "This is an ozoni that can be the main dish."

Differences between households in how ozoni is treated also came up. At one staff member's family home, ozoni wasn't the main dish but was treated more like a closing soup. Ryuji recalled that chicken soup and mochi go well together and that Ryuji had previously eaten a dish of chicken soup with mochi. You could make it from chicken carcasses, but the ozoni Ryuji champions is this chicken thigh method.

At the end, Ryuji asked A-ko, "Do you still think it needs chemical seasonings?", and A-ko replied, "I don't think it does." Ryuji's conclusion is that as long as you have the time and the ingredients, chemical seasonings aren't necessary. However, Ryuji added that spending this much time on everyday cooking is hard, so Ryuji always uses Ajinomoto. With that said, since many people have time off during the New Year's holiday, Ryuji encouraged those who use granulated dashi to take this opportunity to try making broth from scratch.

In a closing aside, Ryuji looked back on filming the earlier "Sato no Kirimochi Ozoni Championship." At that time, Ryuji offered a drink to a female Sato Foods employee, who drank it without hesitation. At other companies, people usually decline, so Ryuji was surprised and felt it reflected a great company culture. Half-jokingly, Ryuji asked companies working with Ryuji to let their employees have a drink, and ended the episode there.