In the chilly season, we want to eat something warm, hot pot dishes become a common sight on Japanese dining tables.
Just imagining a family sitting around an earthenware pot eating a one-pot meal filled with winter vegetables is enough to leave you feeling warm inside.
The earthenware pot used in such scenes- actually, they are excellent for cooking.
Earthenware pots are not limited just to one-pot dishes, either.
Earthenware pots are outstanding cooking implements that excel for both simmering and boiling.
Due to their shape and material, it is difficult for earthenware pots to boil over, making them especially suitable for stewing ingredients like potatoes which tend to boil over easily.
I especially recommend cooking rice in an earthenware pot.
In the past, rice was usually cooked using an earthenware pot, but in today’s busy society, these pots have been replaced by electric rice cookers.
Even now, rice cookers that “cook like an earthware pot” remain popular, most likely because rice tastes better when it is cooked in an earthenware pot.
How does the taste differ when cooking rice using an earthenware pot?
Because clay radiates far-infared rays, ingredients are cooked slowly and thoroughly from the core, making the rice nice and plump. Moreover, since the pot has excellent heat-retention, the rice stays warm for quite some time after it has been cooked.
When I use my own earthenware pot, I cook rice like this:
First, add the right amount of water to your polished rice. Then put the pot lid over the pot a little skewed, so that there is a small gap, and put it on medium heat. Then, After about 15 minutes, you will hear a crackling sound. This is the signal to switch on to high heat for 10 seconds.
Then put the pot lid over the pot a little skewed, so that there is a small gap, and put it on medium heat. Put the lid on top firmly and turn off the heat. Finally, let it steam for around 10 minutes, and it is done. The rice will be fluffy and have a nice graininess to it.
When the heat is turned up or down, the rice directly touching the pot will sometimes burn, creating a savory “okoge”, a sort of roasted rice. That is all part of the fun.
Electric rice cookers are indespensable to a busy modern society. But still, once in awhile, it would be nice if you could take the time to listen to the crackling sound of rice cooking in a pot.