Food & Drink
Nabe
鍋料理なべりょうりnabe ryōriOne pot, many chopsticks: Japan's winter table
Nabe, or nabemono, are hot pots in which vegetables, tofu, seafood or meat are simmered in broth at the table and shared from the pot. They are Japan's defining winter meal, with a distinctive regional nabe in almost every prefecture.
Nabe simply means 'pot', and the dish is defined by how it is eaten: a pot, usually an earthenware donabe, sits on a portable gas burner in the middle of the table, and everyone cooks and serves from it. The broth may be a light kombu dashi, a seasoned soy or miso soup, or a rich stock of chicken or pork bones. Ingredients are added in order, those that take longest first.
Hot pots are associated with the cold months, with gatherings of family and friends and with the easy intimacy of sharing food from one pot, expressed in the phrase nabe o kakomu, 'to gather round the pot'. They are also a practical home meal: vegetables are cut, the table set, and the cooking done while eating. Supermarkets sell ready-made nabe soups in many flavours through the winter.
Everyday nabe
A few kinds of hot pot are eaten all over Japan. They differ mainly in broth and in whether the ingredients are dipped in a sauce after cooking.
Yosenabe
寄せ鍋yosenabe'Gathered pot': a mixture of fish, chicken, seafood and vegetables in a seasoned dashi.
- 水炊きmizutaki
Chicken simmered in a plain or milky chicken broth, eaten with ponzu; a speciality of Hakata in Fukuoka.
- ちゃんこ鍋chanko nabe
The high-protein hot pot eaten by sumo wrestlers, served by restaurants run by former wrestlers.
Kimchi nabe
キムチ鍋kimuchi nabeSpicy kimchi and pork hot pot, one of the most popular at home.
- おでんoden
Daikon, eggs, fish cakes, konnyaku and tofu simmered for hours in dashi; sold in winter in convenience stores and at street stalls.
- 湯豆腐yudōfu
Tofu warmed in kombu broth, the simplest hot pot.
Regional hot pots
Regional nabe are built on local produce and are among the most characteristic dishes of their areas. Many are listed among the traditional regional dishes documented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
- きりたんぽ鍋kiritanpo nabe
Pounded rice grilled on cedar sticks, cut and simmered with chicken, burdock and mushrooms; from Akita.
- 石狩鍋Ishikari nabe
Salmon, vegetables and tofu in a miso broth, from the Ishikari River area of Hokkaido.
- もつ鍋motsunabe
Beef or pork offal with cabbage, garlic chives and garlic, a Fukuoka speciality.
- あんこう鍋ankō nabe
Monkfish hot pot, often with the liver melted into the broth; a winter dish of Ibaraki.
- ふぐちりfugu chiri
Pufferfish hot pot prepared by licensed cooks; Shimonoseki is the traditional centre of the fugu trade.
- しょっつる鍋shottsuru nabe
Hot pot seasoned with shottsuru, a fish sauce made from sandfish, from Akita.
- 芋煮imoni
Taro and beef or pork stew cooked outdoors in autumn at riverside gatherings in Yamagata and Miyagi.
Shime and etiquette
By the end of the meal the broth has absorbed the flavour of everything cooked in it. It is then used for the shime, the closing course: cooked rice with beaten egg to make zōsui (rice porridge), or udon, ramen or rice cakes. Many people consider this the best part.
One person, often called the nabe bugyō ('hot-pot magistrate') in jest, may take charge of the pot, deciding when ingredients go in and come out. When sharing, diners take food with their own chopsticks or with serving chopsticks, depending on the formality of the group, and should not stir or search through the pot.
- 土鍋donabe
Earthenware pot that holds heat evenly; Iga ware from Mie is a noted type.
Zosui
雑炊zōsuiRice simmered in the leftover broth, often with egg, as the final course.
Nabe bugyo
鍋奉行nabe bugyōJoking term for the person who takes command of the hot pot.
Frequently asked questions
What is Japanese nabe?
Nabe is a hot pot: vegetables, tofu and meat or seafood simmered in broth at the table and shared. It is a typical winter meal at home and in restaurants.
What is the difference between nabe and shabu-shabu?
Shabu-shabu is a particular kind of nabe in which thin slices of meat are swished briefly in broth. Most other nabe are simmered longer with all the ingredients together.
Is fugu hot pot safe?
Pufferfish may only be prepared by licensed cooks who remove the toxic parts. Fugu served in licensed restaurants is considered safe; home preparation is dangerous.
What is shime?
Shime is the closing course of a hot pot: rice, noodles or rice cakes cooked in the remaining broth, which by then is full of flavour.
Related
Sources
- 1.うちの郷土料理 (opens in a new tab) — 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
- 2.Japan National Tourism Organization – Official travel guide (opens in a new tab) — JNTO