How to season a Japanese donabe earthenware pot

This topic is empty.

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

Author

Posts
December 18, 2008 at 2:33 pm #4438

miwa
Member

Mora, a KyotoFoodie reader was in Kyoto recently and purchased a donabe 土鍋 (earthenware pot). Donabe are wonderful for cooking but require some care.

The donabe came with instructions on how to season it prior to its first use, but this was in Japanese so she asked us what it says.

Here are the main points for curing a donabe:

— From Iga no Gohan Donabe instructions —

Before you cook, make sure that the bottom of the donabe is dry.

After using,the donabe will definitely have crack-like lines, but it is natural, actually a good sign, not crack, so please don’t worry.

Donabe must be cured prior to use.

1 Check that the bottom is dry

2 Fill 80 percent with water. Add COOKED rice to equal 1/5 the amount of water. (The end result will be porridge, NOT ‘rice’. See below.)

3 Cook over low heat until rice porridge gets thick and glue-like sticky.

4 When finished, cool for at least one 1 hour then remove and wash donabe with water.

(The ‘glue’ fills up invisible holes and make the donabe stronger)

You can use a donabe in a microwave or oven.

It is best to remove rice, soup, food etc soon after cooking.

You can wash with detergent.

After washing, please place up side down and dry well.

December 23, 2008 at 1:12 am #4556

Mora
Member

Thanks, Paku and Peku, for this information. It’s really helpful.

I was emailing with an American friend in Japan who said she heard you are supposed to use COOKED rice when you make the porridge for the preparation phase of the donabe. I told her that you made no mention of using cooked rice, and that I assumed you use uncooked, that is, raw rice. Would you mind double checking the PDF and telling me if there is any distinction between cooked and uncooked/raw rice in the directions?

Thanks much as always!

Mora

December 23, 2008 at 2:19 pm #4557

miwa
Member

Mora,

Sorry, gohan (cooked rice) and kome (uncooked) both translate to rice in English. The explanation sheet from the maker is a little unclear, but I should have realized. So, yes, used COOKED rice to start with. It will become porridge (okayu) very quickly.

I called the maker on the telephone and it is definitely supposed to be cooked.

Sorry to be unclear. Please enjoy your donabe!

Miwa

December 23, 2008 at 5:11 pm #4558

Mora
Member

Hello, Miwa.

Thanks for the clarification that I am to use COOKED/gohan rice in the donabe. And thank you as well for going the extra mile and calling the maker…that is going above and beyond. Fantastic Kyoto Foodie service!!!

Take care,

Mora

January 29, 2009 at 4:46 pm #4585

ChrisLehrer
Member

Just a passing note: they now have these IH-capable do-nabe (i.e. ones you can use on induction burners), and these have to be pre-seasoned before sale. The result is that a lot of the more expensive do-nabe you see in department stores are pre-seasoned, whether they are IH-capable or not. Personally, I’d say make okayu first regardless, just in case.

Second point: if you purchase a Chinese sandpot, you can use much the same method. First soak it in water, immersed, for 30 minutes or so. Dump out the water, wipe dry, and from there proceed as for a do-nabe. You should NOT see cracking with these pots.

January 29, 2009 at 4:49 pm #4586

ChrisLehrer
Member

Oh, one more thing. When they say the bottom of the do-nabe must be dry, they mean the OUTSIDE of the pot, the part that will be on flame. The inside can be dry, moist, or full of liquid. But don’t heat the pot totally dry for more than a second or two: have something — quite a bit of something — in the pot very quickly, or you could crack it.

Honestly, they’re very durable, so long as you avoid prolonged exposure to very high heat, and the usual way that’s likely to happen is if you heat the pot without anything it, or if you try to deep-fry in it (bad idea: don’t!).

March 2, 2009 at 10:40 pm #4594

Mora
Member

Hi, Paku, Peku and Miwa. I wanted to say Thank You! once again and let you know that the help you gave me for seasoning the donabe was a success. Now you’re all part of my donabe muse crew! Check out http://www.japanlivingarts.com to see a few pictures and my interview with Steve Beimel (Japan Living Arts). Between Steve’s site and yours, I’ve got my daily Kyoto fix covered.
Author

Posts