Donabe : Japanese Hot Pot

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Korin_Mari

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It's that time of year again where many families are enjoying soups and stews to warm themselves up after a long day of work. Stews and hot pots are especially popular amongst Asian cultures. Of course they're not all eating the same type of hot pot, but it's the same idea of sharing a self-serve hot meal at the table and fighting for that last piece of something. In fact, I've eaten a different type of hot pot every week since last December.

Mari's dinner two weeks or so ago:



Oden. Occasionally found by the can in vending machines in Japan, especially during the winter. :)

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Apparently you can also get udon and ramen in a can too.

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Sumikannyu Hot Pot Donabe - $12.72 – $47.60
Available in the following sizes: 17cm, 19cm, 22cm, 25cm, 27cm, 30cm

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Preparation

When you first fill the pot with water, you may notice that water is seeping through the pot. Japanese Earthenware is made this way to avoid cracking while heating. To eliminate this problem, please follow the instructions below:

  • Cook porridge or heat water mixed with cornstarch in the pot until it boils.
  • Leave the porridge or water with water in the pot and allow it to cool completely. (Roughly 1 - 2 hours)
  • Remove the contents.
  • Allow the earthenware to air dry overnight.
  • Gently and quickly wash.
  • Ready to use!

Why do this?
Basically what you're doing by cooking starch water or porridge is filling the little pores with starch. If you cooking something like fish or anything very flavorful, the flavors are going to remain and effect your next dish.

I know I know, its kind of pain. We asked why the makers don't do these steps for us, and it was pointed out to us that donabe hot pot would be MUCH more expensive if they needed a group of people to do this process.

Care

✕ Dishwasher safe
✕ Microwave Safe
✔ Oven Safe
✔ Stove Top Safe

Caution
  • The earthenware will absorb anything it cooks first.
  • Please be sure to cook starchy rice or a water and cornstarch mixture to fill the porous earthenware.
  • Never leave food in the earthenware overnight or for long periods of time.
  • Never heat the donabe, then cool immediately. Please let it cool before putting it under cold water.
  • Never leave detergents in the earthenware and wash it quickly.
  • Wash the earthenware quickly after use and allow it to air dry.
  • Do not heat the pot while empty.
  • Do not deep fry.
  • Avoid using a hard brush to clean.
  • We recommend using a tawashi brush.
  • Gas stove is recommended to heat the donabe evenly.
  • Please properly dry the outside of the pot before setting on the stove to avoid damage.

Ideas on how to use the donabe:
  • Cheese fondue
  • Stew
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  • Easy one person sized stew for one.
  • Porriage
  • Mixed rice dishes
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  • Bibimbap
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  • Gratin

Sometimes I have a little bit of Japanese curry left over and left over rice that hardened. I get a one person sized donabe, pat a little left over rice in the donabe, then pour the curry in, and sprinkle cheese on top, then put it in the toaster oven at 350 degrees until the cheese melts. Its nice for nights where you want something you ate the night before to look appetizing again. lol
Plus, I like the crunchy burnt rice at the bottom. :D

Korin also has these donabe streamers and smokers which are also on sale:

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Donabe Steamer Black - $116.00
(This one is made out of Iga clay, which is a prehistoric clay I wrote a post about earlier.)

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Donabe Smoker Ibushi Gin - $224.00

This uniquely designed IGA-yaki donabe smoker allows you to make the professional quality smoked dishes with the easy preparations at home. By pouring the water between the donabe body and lid, the lid becomes tightly sealed without releasing the smoke outside. Because the Iga-yaki donabe promotes the FAR-Infrared Radiation (FIR) effect when heated, delicious smoked dishes can be ready in about 30 minutes. This Ibushi Gin is honored with the "Good Design Award" of Japan.
(Side note: We smoked cheese with this at Korin during out product testing. It was pretty tasty!)

[video=youtube_share;MzfmqukBxgc]http://youtu.be/MzfmqukBxgc[/video]

Korin is currently have a donabe sale! It's 20% off it's original price.

I know many of you are amazing cooks. If you haven't tried out donabe cooking yet, you really should regardless of where you get the donabe from. Warm soup belly for all!! :)

Thanks for reading :D
 
thank you for posting this... you are not helping my C.A.D. [cookwear accumulation disorder].
i had the good fortune to be served applewood smoked foie gras sushi and a donabe smoker at Nobu in Miami. probably the best two bites of food in my life.
 
They look remarkably like my grandmother's bean pot.

-AJ
 
thank you for posting this... you are not helping my C.A.D. [cookwear accumulation disorder].
i had the good fortune to be served applewood smoked foie gras sushi and a donabe smoker at Nobu in Miami. probably the best two bites of food in my life.

LOL
Ooo smoked foie gras sushi sounds amazing! Did they bring the donabe smoker to the table?
 
^^^ That was supposed to be a statement, not a question. lol
 
I saw the donabe sale on the Korin site and snagged a kamado-san donabe. I figure that's something special that I can't get at the stores that carry donabe around here. A donabe specially designed to give you wickedly-good rice? That was just calling to me and I couldn't turn away :)
 
I saw the donabe sale on the Korin site and snagged a kamado-san donabe. I figure that's something special that I can't get at the stores that carry donabe around here. A donabe specially designed to give you wickedly-good rice? That was just calling to me and I couldn't turn away :)

Awesome! Thank you so much for your order! I hope you enjoy using it. Yes, it makes amazing rice and its best slightly browned at the bottom (the "okoge" in Japanese). In fact, its the best part. :)
I'd love to see what you make with it.
 
"Hot Pot" cooking is fun as the food continues to cook at the table, Food stays hot longer at the table adn a side benefit is that it is also a table ware.

Thus my " commando" cooking is slightly undercook or vegetables when it leaves the stove and let the last minute cooking done at the table.I am a one pot dish person.. meat and vegetables all in a pot. saves time in cooking and cleaning up.

I prefer my food to be piping hot. For most people, once it gets below a certain temperature, I suppose you enjoy it less. This temperature varies between individuals.

Qeustion: this brand of earth cookware, is is approved in the US?
 
How do you mean? Like, lead/cadmium free glaze? Or commercial vs. home use?

Correct .... like lead and other minerals in the clay that is not safe for the human body. I do believe that approvals are required in the US and EU. That being said.. I stick to approved cooked ware by the relevant authorities and paranoid abt earthen pots from China!Hell for the sake of making money.. they even put things in baby powder!

I am quite attracted the South America, earthen pots and do not know of any that have the necessary approvals .

rgds

d
 
Williams-Sonoma sells clay pots made in Colombia, so i'd say there are at least some South American's earthenware items that meet US import requirements...

Mari, can you tell us the approximate volumes of the different size Sumikannyu hot pots?
 
I believe all of our products have to be checked to be checked by the FDA before we release it, but I asked the purchasing team just in case. I'll let you know as soon as I found out. (Sorry not in the office, so I cant just walk over.)

The volumes of the different sizes:

17cm - 6.75”Dia. x 3.6”H - 12 oz

19 - 7.5”Dia. x 4.25”H - 13 oz

22cm - 8.5”Dia. x 4.75”H - 21 oz

25cm - 9.75”Dia. x 5.4”H - 34 oz

27cm - 10.75”Dia. x 6.2”H - 52 oz

30cm - 12”Dia. x 6.5”H - 60 oz
 
Hello hello! Sorry for the delayed response, I've been running around due to some emergencies.

Korin's products always have to pass FDA inspection before we put it into the store. So yes, donabe are FDA inspected and approved each time we receive new shipments.
 
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