As the colder months approach, more people start thinking about buying a donabe, the Japanese earthenware cooking pot. Once you start shopping, however, there are more variables to consider than you might expect: the unfamiliar g\u014d sizing system, the division between rice-cooking and hot-pot models, and whether the pot can be used on your cooker at all.<\/p>\n
A first donabe is best narrowed down not by size alone, but by three questions: what you intend to cook, how much capacity you need, and whether the pot works with the heat source in your kitchen.<\/b> If you plan to use it regularly, checking the weight of the pot and where you will store it will further reduce the chance of ending up with something awkward to live with.<\/p>\n
This article works through the fundamentals of choosing a donabe, the difference between rice-cooking and hot-pot designs, what to watch for when cooking on induction, and the two ceramic traditions most closely associated with these pots: Iga ware (Iga-yaki) and Yokkaichi Banko ware (Yokkaichi Banko-yaki). Manufacturer and prefectural sources are checked throughout.<\/p>\n
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