Let's Make Non-Alcoholic "Craft Otoso" for the New Year
Have you ever had Otoso?
I suspect many people know the name but don't really know what it is or have never tried it.
To put it simply, Otoso is...
An event where you soak Japanese-style spices or herbs in alcohol and drink it to pray for good health.
That is what it is.
This article is about making that Otoso non-alcoholic so that children and those who don't drink alcohol can enjoy it too.
By the way, I named it "Craft" Otoso to mean "handmade" and "carefully selected."
Just like making craft cola,
I hope you will try making your own version
and enjoy Otoso this year.
By the way, what are Japanese-style spices?
The spices that are "generally accepted as the ones you put in for Otoso" are somewhat fixed.
You choose 5 to 10 types and soak them.
These are the five basic spices.
Beyond that, people are free to add things like mandarin orange peel (called Chinpi), cloves (called Choji), ginger, safflower, or yuzu, depending on their preference.
The origin of Otoso is said to be from a long time ago in China, when a charismatic super-doctor named Hua Tuo soaked medicinal herbs in alcohol and drank it.
After that, it was introduced to Japan and spread among the common people during the Edo period.
Depending on the era, it even contained monkshood, but that has been removed now. (Well, obviously.)
You don't necessarily have to use the five basic spices mentioned earlier.
Things like "Atractylodes rhizome" are not easily available, after all.
What do you soak them in?
Basically, you put them directly into sake and soak them for about 8 hours to bring out the flavor. That is how you drink it, but
for a non-alcoholic version, white grape juice is recommended.
I like this one, which is 100% fruit juice and also uses wine grapes.
If you can't find it, apple juice or anything else is fine.
Actually, Otoso becomes sweeter and easier to drink if you make it with about half Hon-mirin (*) and half sake, so some people make it by mixing in Hon-mirin. (*This refers to "Hon-mirin," not the "mirin-style seasoning" found in condiments.)
Some people make it only with Hon-mirin without mixing it with sake.
Some people heat it to evaporate the alcohol or add sugar.
For those who don't like the medicinal taste, it's easier to drink if it's sweet.
So I thought, why not soak them in sweet juice?
When I tried making this non-alcoholic Otoso,
it was very delicious.
Even for a drinker like me, it was
tastier than sake-based Otoso, so even those who drink might find it nice to have "non-alcoholic Otoso with the family for the first cup of the New Year."
Let's make some stylish and delicious Otoso.
I want to keep the atmosphere of Otoso, but I want to make it delicious with things that are easy to get, so
cinnamon, Japanese pepper, ginger, and yuzu
Let this soak for about half a day to a full day.
It has a slightly solemn flavor,
giving it a special New Year's feel.
*Please note that pregnant women are advised to avoid cinnamon.
When do you drink it?
Formally, this is drunk on New Year's Day (the morning of January 1st)
after purifying your hands with water drawn first thing in the morning and exchanging New Year's greetings.
In other words, the whole family drinks it before having Osechi or Ozoni.
With the head of the household pouring the drink,
everyone drinks in order from youngest to oldest.
Sets of cups for Otoso are sold, but
at our house, we put it in a teapot we bought at Daiso for about 500 yen,
and pour it into lacquerware sake cups to enjoy the atmosphere.
You can strain it before drinking, or just drink it as is.
Adding gold leaf also gives it a New Year's feel.
By the way, if you buy sake at the supermarket this time of year,
these are sometimes included as a free gift.
These are, so to speak, spice sets for Otoso.
These might contain the five major Otoso spices.
You can buy them at supermarkets or drugstores,
and you can even get them at some shrines,
so if you're interested, give them a try.
Personally, the authentic stuff might be hard to drink.
For beginners, I recommend the craft Otoso recipe I introduced earlier.
Well, today is the winter solstice.
Let's warm up in a yuzu bath.
There's not much left of this year.
I wish you all a happy New Year.
●Bonus●
The End
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#Homemade #NewYear #Handmade #DIY
#Sake #TriedMakingIt #RecipeCategory
*There are various theories regarding the history of Otoso.
*Some people simply consider sake itself to be Otoso.