Osechi ryori, Japan’s traditional New Year’s feast, is a culinary art form steeped in history and meaning. Served in elaborate multi-tiered lacquered boxes called jubako, each dish symbolizes wishes for prosperity, health and happiness, and is enjoyed over the first three days of the New Year. In Hawaii, you’ll find osechi offerings at various restaurants and hotels, where the essence of this traditional Japanese feast is celebrated and shared with the local community as part of the holiday festivities.
If you don’t have a lacquered box, a simple container like a bento box, serving tray, or even a shallow cookie box can work beautifully when crafting your own osechi. The key is to arrange small dishes thoughtfully, ensuring balance and harmony in presentation. Use small, colorful ramekins or cups to divide each dish, enhancing visual appeal. Arrange your selections to showcase a variety of textures and flavors using fresh herbs, crispy nori, or sesame seeds and nuts to garnish and elevate the look, while maintaining a vibrant color palette.
Osechi often includes an array of plant-based dishes, many of which can be found pre-prepared at your local Japanese store. Kuromame, sweetened black soybeans, represent a wish for a year of vitality and well-being, as the word “mame” signifies health and strength. Renkon, lotus root with its distinctive holes, is associated with a clear and unobstructed future. Datemaki, a sweet egg omelet (which can also be made with tofu), is rolled with a bamboo mat to create indentations that make it resemble an old paper scroll, symbolizing literary and academic pursuits. Kohaku namasu, a sweet-vinegared carrot and daikon salad, resembles red and white, auspicious colors in Japanese culture, representing good fortune and celebration. Kurikinton are sweet dumplings made from chestnuts. Its yellow color is associated with gold and eating it is believed to bring financial prosperity in the year ahead. Kobu is a type of seaweed, and its name is closely linked to the word yorokobu, meaning happiness, which is the feeling this food is intended to bring in the New Year. Gobo, or burdock root, known for its resilience as it’s hard to cut down and stays firmly planted in the soil, is a symbol of strength and stability in osechi cuisine, making it a meaningful addition to the New Year’s feast.
Add personal touches to your osechi with foods that resonate with your family’s traditions and hold sentimental value. For vegans, consider adding simmered kabocha, grilled asparagus spears, a vibrant bean salad, or an heirloom recipe like your Tutu’s poke or ahi sushi, modernized with roasted bell peppers. Veggie sushi rolls, a medley of mochi-wrapped fruits, or teriyaki-glazed trumpet mushroom “scallops” can also bring a nice Japanese twist.
Ultimately, osechi is about intention and gratitude, welcoming the New Year with a thoughtful and joyous meal. With a bit of creativity and heart, you can craft a stunning spread that blends the Japanese tradition with your own family’s story, ensuring a meaningful start to the year ahead. Happy holidays!
Lillian Cumic is a vegan chef and author of Hawaii A Vegan Paradise, Tasting Hawaii Vegan Style and Hawaii Washoku. Her column is a guide for plant-based eating on Oahu. Follow Lillian’s journey at lillianvegan.com.
