I’ve been making steamed rice in my reliable rice cooker. Not as fancy as the rice cookers currently available in Japan, but my rice cooker makes good decent rice. Several years ago when I visited Japan, I had several occasions to eat rice cooked in the donabe at ryokans and rice specialty restaurants, which utterly blew my mind. The rice was unbelievably tender and fluffy – so tasty that I cannot stop thinking about it. I had eaten rice made in donabe countless times growing up, but this time it made me want to get a donabe that’s specific for cooking rice.
What is Donabe?
Made of special clay, donabe is a century-old cooking utensil in Japan. In the modern days, these unique clay pots are most commonly used for hot pot dishes such as Shabu Shabu, but they are essentially a highly versatile tool for everyday cooking. Donabe is excellent for making soups, stews, and braised dishes, but you can also use it for steaming, roasting, or cooking the most amazing rice you’ve ever had. Donabe holds heat exceptionally, which makes it an ideal vessel for cooking dishes that require liquid and long cooking. It is essentially the ultimate one-pot wonder and I think it also has the best capability in cooking rice.
Why Should We Cook Rice in Donabe?
The taste and texture of the rice are everything, but here are other things to consider.
The same rice just tastes better when cooked in a donabe. It’s a fact!The pot is designed specifically to retain heat and moisture, so your rice is fluffy and evenly cooked every time.There is a beauty to its rustic character, which makes donabe simple yet gorgeous tableware to serve your rice in.Easy to use and maintain.
What Type of Donabe Should We Buy?
There are regular donabe that we use for hot pot dishes and soups or sometimes main dishes. You can use them for cooking rice, but in Japan, there are donabe specifically designed just for cooking rice. This type of donabe often has double lids, and that’s what you want to get if you wish to cook the dreamiest, fluffiest rice.
Kamado-san
The one I have is called Kamado-san. Handcrafted by skilled artisans, Kamado-san donabe is made from special clay sourced from the Iga region of Japan. The beauty of Kamado-san is the double lid that works like a pressure cooker, so it delivers heat evenly and retains the temperature extremely well. Even once you turned off the heat, your rice will keep warm for a long time. It also has a special glaze that helps the heat penetrate into the core of each rice grain. I have two of them; one for 2-go (2 rice cooker cups) and one for 3-go (3 rice cooker cups). I originally bought a 2-go donabe as that was enough for my family of 4. Now that my teenage boy’s appetite keeps increasing, I realized I needed a bigger pot when I make dishes such as Takikomi Gohan (Japanese mixed rice). So I got myself a 3-go donabe so I can cook mixed rice, which requires extra room for other ingredients.
Where to Buy Kamado-san
Hario Gohangama
I love Hario Gohangama for three reasons and I use it very frequently, if not everyday. First, the heat-proof glass lid allows you to see the rice as it cooks. No more guessing and I find it quite comforting. Second, the donabe body is Japanese-made Banko ware (similar to my favorite blue donabe below). It’s very sturdy and won’t chip easily (compared to Kamadosan). Even though it requires hand-washing, it’s very easy to clean. Lastly, there are two lines inside of the donabe indicating the water amount for 2 rice cooker cups and 3 rice cooker cups. I don’t have to measure the water anymore! When the rice is almost cooked, the whistle on the handle of the lid will let you know. As soon as you hear the whistle, wait for a minute and remove from the heat. Perfect rice every time!
Where to Buy Gohangama
Hario websiteFood52MTC Kitchen
How to Season Donabe Before the First Use
I’ve shared a detailed step-by-step guide on how to care for your donabe. It’s incredibly useful to read through, so your precious earthenware pot can last you for a lifetime.
How Much Rice Do We Need to Cook?
The plastic rice cooker cup that comes with the rice cooker is 180 ml or ¾ US cup. In Japan, this amount is called ichi go (一合). You can divide the number of servings you need in half to figure out how many rice cooker cups of Japanese short-grain white rice to cook. 1 rice cooker cup (180 ml, ¾ US cup, 150 g) of uncooked rice yields roughly 2 servings (1¾ US cups, 330 g) of cooked rice. This is enough for 2 Japanese rice bowls (typically 150 g each) or 3 onigiri rice balls (typically 110 g each). 1 US cup of cooked rice weighs 6.3 oz (180 g). 1½ rice cooker cups (270 ml, 1⅛ US cups, 225 g) yield roughly 3 servings (2¾ US cups, 495 g) of cooked rice. 2 rice cooker cups (360 ml, 1½ US cups, 300 g) yield roughly 4 servings (3⅔ US cups, 660 g) of cooked rice. 3 rice cooker cups (540 ml, 2¼ US cups, 450 g) yield roughly 6 servings (5½ US cups, 990 g) of cooked rice. 4 rice cooker cups (720 ml, 3 US cups, 600 g) yield roughly 8 servings (7⅓ US cups, 1320 g) of cooked rice. 5 rice cooker cups (900 ml, 3¾ US cups, 750 g) yield roughly 10 servings (9⅙ US cups, 1650 g) of cooked rice.
How Much Water Do You Need for Each Cup?
Here’s how much room-temperature water you need for each rice cooker cup of Japanese short-grain white rice when you follow the 1-to-1.1 (or 1.2) ratio:
How to Cook Rice in Donabe
The cooking process is the same just as how you would cook rice in a pot over the stovetop.
First, rinse the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear, drain well, then transfer the rice to the donabe.Add water into the pot and soak the rice for 20-30 minutes. Soaking the rice helps to revive the rice kernels and allow each grain to absorb enough moisture.Set the donabe on the gas stovetop and cook the rice over medium-high heat for 13-15 minutes.When the rice is done cooking, let it stand with the lid on for 20 minutes before serving.
4 Important Tips on Cooking Rice in Donabe
Always soak rice before cooking.Dry the bottom of the donabe with a towel.Never use high heat. Use medium-high (or medium heat for the commercial-grade stove).Let it stand for 20 minutes after cooking.
To me, cooking rice with a handmade donabe also brings a deeper and sacred experience. There’s life to its function, and it is you who owns the donabe that continues to breathe life to the earthenware pot. A high-quality donabe is not cheap, but it’s the best rice cooker your money can buy! The donabe cooks your rice so perfectly and keeps your food so warm that you know it’s going to be your life-long companion in the kitchen.
Other Methods of Cooking Japanese Rice
How to Cook Rice in a Rice CookerHow to Cook Rice in a Pot over StovetopHow to Cook Rice in an Instant Pot
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More Recipes Using Donabe
Sesame Miso Hot PotMizutaki (Chicken Hot Pot)Bamboo RiceShabu ShabuSansai Gohan (Rice with Mountain Vegetables)
