Traditionally, this Japanese soup containing mochi rice cakes is made on New Year’s day and eaten on 3 consecutive days. There are 2 main varieties of soup – a clear soup flavoured with dried bonito stock and soy sauce in eastern Japan (Tokyo etc) or a miso soup generally favoured in the west (Osaka etc).
Z?ni has been eaten in Japan since samurai times, thought to have been the meal cooked during field battles and served exclusively to the samurai before eventually becoming the staple food of the common people .
In my recipe, I prepare my own chicken stock for added flavour, but to save time you can substitute with packaged chicken stock – just make sure it is the Chinese powder variety. This chicken stock is very easy to make and can be frozen to be used in many other recipes, (such as Chinese corn soup) so I do recommend making some when you have time. Since this is the most important meal of the year for Japanese, I didn’t mind that it took me over 3 hours to prepare! Ingredients
(For optional home made chicken stock)
1 packet chicken necks (I found these in the dog food section of the supermarket!)

1 thumb ginger

Chopped carrots, onions, leeks, radish – any root vegetables without strong smell (so no celery)

Handful dried shiitake mushrooms

3 tbs sake
For  Z?ni
2-3 chicken thighs

3 tbs sake

2 tbs soy sauce

1 carrot

1/2 daikon radish

5 fresh shiitake mushrooms

5 Mochi rice cakes

1/2 tbs fish stock

1 tbs mirin

1 tbs light soy...