Osechi
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Osechi (お節) is a traditional Japanese New Year meal. The tradition started in the Edo period.
The dishes that make up Osechi each have a special meaning celebrating the New Year.
Some examples are:
- Kuro-mame (黒豆, Black soybeans): "Mame" means "health". (Wish for good health in the New Year)
- Konbu (昆布, Seaweed): "Yorokobu" means "joy". (Wish for a joyful year)
- Tai (鯛, Red sea-bream): "Medetai" means "happy event". (Wish for happy events in the New Year)
- Daidai (橙, Japanese bitter orange): "Daidai" means "from generation to generation". (Wish to be gifted with children in the New Year)
- Datemaki (伊達巻き) sweet rolled omelette mixed with fish paste or mashed shrimp
History
Osechi means originally o-sechi, the season or the significant period. The New Year day was one of the five sekku, the seasonal festivals, in the imperial court. This custom of celebrating particular days was introduced from China into the ancient Japan.
Originally during first three days of the New year it was a taboo to use a hearth and cook meals except cooking zoni. Osechi was made within the last year and women didn't cook in the New year. Today in the most family people cook as usual and this religious aspect has being lost.
In the early days Osechi consisted only from nimono, cocked vegitable with shoyu and suger or mirin. It has been enriched in the modern Japanese. Today Osechi means anything prepared specially to the new year, and some foreign dishes are adopted under the name of Seiyoosechi (westernized osechi) or Chinese style osechi (chukafu osechi).