A Day with a Donabe Clay Pot
It's the season for delicious hot pot dishes.
Since today is my day off, I had decided last week that I would enjoy a warm hot pot in the evening.
What came to mind was mizore nabe (grated radish hot pot) with plenty of coarsely grated daikon radish.
I longed for that gentle taste that warms you to the core.
Immediately, I headed out to my usual local supermarket for groceries.
In the produce section, seasonal vegetables were neatly arranged, each exuding a fresh aroma. Thick, plump leeks, vibrant garland chrysanthemums with crisp leaves, glossy daikon radishes…
Little by little, ingredients for the hot pot gathered in my basket.
As I moved towards the fish section, beautifully arranged fillets of fatty cod caught my eye, and I stopped. The transparently white, thick flesh looked incredibly appetizing.
With this, preparations for tonight's hot pot were complete.
Just as I finished shopping and was about to leave, I spotted glossy chestnuts shining in a corner of the store.
I couldn't believe such magnificent chestnuts were still available.
They were so large, plump, and heavy that they didn't seem like the end of the season.
"These would make delicious chestnut rice," I thought.
The moment I thought that, my hands moved naturally, and I put the chestnuts into my basket too.
I had planned for hot pot in the evening, but since I had the chestnuts, I decided to cook chestnut rice in the donabe for lunch.
Spending an entire day with a donabe clay pot is also a wonderful thing.
Cooking Chestnut Rice
When I got home, I immediately started preparing the chestnuts.
Peeling them is a bit of a laborious task, but spending time with seasonal ingredients like this has a special kind of comfort.
Carefully removing the nut from its hard shell and inner skin little by little with the tip of a knife. One by one, the chestnuts lined up on the cutting board looked adorable, and before I knew it, I was engrossed in the task.
Pour dashi broth into washed rice, add a touch of salt and sake. Then, carefully arrange the prepared chestnuts one by one into the donabe.
In the clear water, the rice and chestnuts sparkle, and even the stillness before heating feels beautiful.
Once heated, tiny bubbles begin to form, and after confirming it has come to a boil, I reduce the heat.
What kind of scene is unfolding beyond the lid? The rice and chestnuts slowly absorb moisture, becoming plump and imbued with the aroma of autumn. Imagining this scene, I wait for a while.
After about 15 minutes, the rising steam had transformed into a sweet and mellow aroma. Then, I turned off the heat and let it steam for about 10 minutes with the lid on.
Kanedai's donabe, made from coarse clay referred to as "breathing earth," retains gentle heat even after the fire is turned off, ensuring the rice is cooked fluffy all the way to the core.
This quiet resting time, allowing the residual heat to work its magic, might be the greatest pleasure of cooking rice in a donabe.
When I opened the lid, golden chestnuts peeked out from among the fluffy cooked rice. As I inserted the rice paddle, the sticky rice and flaky chestnuts gently mixed, and the aroma of autumn rose with the steam.
Taking a bite, the gentle sweetness and just-right saltiness made me mutter to myself,
"Rice cooked in a donabe really is exceptional."
The more effort you put in, the deeper the flavor becomes.
The chestnut rice seemed to remind me of this simple truth once again.
Mizore Nabe with Coarsely Grated Radish
As dusk fell, the air outside grew quite chilly.
With the sweet scent of chestnut rice still lingering in the room, I began preparing dinner.
First, I started with the dashi. I filled the donabe with water and submerged a large piece of kombu seaweed. As the heat came on, tiny bubbles began to shimmer from the bottom of the pot, and I could see the umami of the kombu gradually dissolving into the water.
While the dashi gently warmed, I prepared the ingredients.
I lightly grilled the thick, impressive leeks over a net, charring their surface to a golden brown. This fragrant, charred flavor would add depth to tonight's hot pot.
I coarsely grated the daikon radish with an oni-oroshi grater.
The roughly grated daikon retains a pleasant texture when eaten, enhancing its gentle sweetness.
This "oni-oroshi" is the star of tonight's hot pot.
Into the clear dashi, I carefully placed the cod fillets. Then, I meticulously added the grilled leeks, daikon, garland chrysanthemum, maitake mushrooms, and other ingredients one by one, and the colors of the season gradually spread within the donabe.
Finally, a generous amount of coarsely grated daikon radish.
Beyond the steam, the white grated radish slowly melting resembled falling snow.
After a little taste, the umami of the dashi, and the distinct umami of each ingredient harmonized beautifully. A gentle smile spread across my face at the soft flavor.
Life with a Donabe
At the dinner table that night, along with the mizore nabe, I also served the chestnut rice I had cooked at lunchtime.
Reheated in a steamer, the chestnut rice was plump and steamy, and the flavors had melded more deeply than when it was freshly made at lunch, resulting in a gentle, settled taste.
As for the mizore nabe, the coarsely grated daikon truly worked its magic, absorbing the dashi thoroughly and gently mingling with the other ingredients, further enhancing their umami.
Why is it that conversation flows so easily when gathered around a hot pot?
Beyond the steam, laughter mingled, and my heart felt completely at ease.
Looking outside, I noticed the windowpanes were slightly fogged up.
The cold air outside and the warmth of the room met there, as if quietly encapsulating "the present moment."
Kanedai's donabe worked hard all day today.
Even after we finished eating, when I gently touched it, a faint warmth still lingered.
As the cold season deepens, I expect to reach for this pot more often, allowing it to warm our family's dinner table.
What kind of hot pot dishes do you all enjoy?
Every household has its own unique hot pot flavors, doesn't it?
Next time, I'd like to ask a friend who loves cooking for their recipes and try making some hot pot dishes I've never attempted before.
