The new year should begin with a meal made of healthy ingredients to bring good fortune. Ozoni (O-zone-e) soup is a dish that is traditionally served on New Year's day in Japan. With the strong Japanese culture in Hawaii, it is something that many local families serve as well.

Ozoni, has many ingredients. In order to symoblize the good fortune this soup represents, the ingredients should be made in round shapes. I was treated to a bowl of traditional soup this January 1st, and it was delicious!

The broth was just savory enough to make you keep slurping (a compliment in Japanese culture) but not so full of sodium to make you feel parched afterward. There was NO MSG!

Within the broth swam a delicacy of: Kamaboko, onions, ebi, mizuna, baby clams, dashi-no-moto, and of course, mochi! The mochi helps to represent the bond that the family will have from consuming the soup together.

Ozoni can be eaten with or without noodles, and is a preference of the family eating it. We enjoyed ours without, and let the mochi begin the bond of the year for us.

This soup is a traditional one that goes back for generations, and symbolizes good fortune, good health, long life, and success. It is a meal made of very healthy ingredients and is not fried or jammed full of anything harmful. I feel it is truly a great way to start the year.