Information adapted from Toiro.
The incredibly flexible Fukkura-san can keep up with any variety of cooking styles: stir-fry, roast, stew, and more.
Using Fukkura-san (Hot)
You can cook with or without the included grate or lid. However, cooking with the lid on allows the clay and far-infrared rays to penetrate the core of your food. This seals in the moisture and flavours, leaving you with succulent ingredients.
Using Fukkura-san (Cold)
Fukkura-san can also work as a mini fridge. Simply soak it in water for about three minutes, place a layer of ice on the bottom of the pan, and close Fukkura-san. This will allow you to serve food best served cold, such as certain types of sushi and fruit.
True “Terroir” of Iga
Iga region, where this donabe is made, used to be the bed of Lake Biwa about 4 million years ago. The clay from this region is naturally highly heat-resistant and has been used for open-flame cooking for many hundreds of years. This clay consists of a high level of pre-historic fossilized microorganisms that leave the clay porous when fired. The porous body gives the donabe remarkable heat-retention ability. The donabe gradually builds the heat when it’s heated, then it cools down very slowly after the heat is turned off. This, along with the glaze that promotes the far infrared rays (FIR – the same effect as how the glowing charcoal cook ingredients without direct flame) when it’s heated, allow the donabe to produce a gentle, steady heat that penetrates to the core of each ingredient. The effect is ingredients are cooked evenly with all the flavors sealed inside.
Authentic Iga-yaki pottery by Nagatani-en
Iga-yaki (Iga-style) pottery is one of Japan’s most highly-regarded traditional ceramics and is said to have originated in Iga, Mie-Prefecture in the late 7th Century. This donabe is made by Nagatani-en, a leading producer of authentic Iga-yaki pottery since 1832. At Nagatani-en, each donabe is made by hand with care and it takes about 2 weeks to produce an individual donabe. Nagatani-en’s Iga-yaki products have been loved by both professionals and home cooks in Japan.
Your donabe develops its character as it ages
As you use your donabe over and over, it develops character and that’s something to be welcomed.
The very thin cracks could appear on the surface (glaze) of the donabe. It’s called “kannyu” in Japanese and the cracks run like veins. They are the naturally developed cracks on the glaze and won’t affect the function of the donabe.
Once you start using the donabe, the bottom part starts to change its color and black spots (like burned spots) could appear. It’s also the part of developing the character and the donabe is safe to use. However, if the bottom part seems to get too black too quickly, the heat you use might be too high. In this case, we suggest that you use the donabe over lower heat level.