Nerimono no shionuki / desalinating fishcakes

Desalinating fishcakes? What???
I did not know you can desalinate fishcakes until I read Karushio Reshipi [Lightly Salted Recipes], an eye-opening cookbook by the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center.
Fishcakes generally contain a high amount of sodium, and I had simply thought that we should limit consumption or avoid them all together.

A simple process of boiling fishcakes for 1-2 minutes and letting them sit in the same water for some time can eliminate most of their sodium.

Oden / fishcake, tofu and daikon radish stew

With its steam and heavenly aroma wafting up from a large, softly bubbling pot, this dish envelops you in a comforting warmth, and is a mainstay of cold winter months. It is available at specialty restaurants, street stalls and even convenience stores -- and, of course, at home. This is my standard oden as passed down by my mom, with the addition of some techniques adopted from her friend's oden restaurant.