What donabe suits you best?
Donabes come in various shapes and sizes, and each one can be used in many different ways. We recommend a classic donabe if you’re starting out. It’s great for making mouthwatering stews, noodle soups or even your own tofu.
If you’re feeling more ambitious, there are also donabes that are designed for steaming, smoking and sautéing. We’ve written a complete guide to our range of donabes for those looking to experiment.
One of the best parts of making a donabe hot pot is that it’s easy to make a one-pot recipe, and serve directly from the donabe onto the plate. You simply put everything you would like to eat into the donabe and let it cook – perfect for when you need a delicious no-fuss dinner. Because of the porous properties of the clay, even simple white rice tastes sweeter and more fragrant after being cooked in a donabe. This quality has made donabe a favourite amongst home chefs in Japan, and given it a growing following worldwide.
Using your donabe hot pot
Before you use your donabe for the first time, you’ll need to prepare it by boiling rice in it. This is a simple process that takes about two hours. After this, your donabe will be yours for life. You can follow our simple instructions for preparing your donabe here.
Traditionally, Japanese donabe are best used over an open flame, like that of a gas or butane stove. However, there are also modern donabes for induction elements. This means you can make a donabe hot pot on an induction heater, too. When you buy donabe online, be sure to check that your donabe is right for your kitchen. Alternatively, you can buy a camping stove and use any donabe you like. There are many camping stoves available online, from the affordable to the deluxe.