Comments on: Donabe Takenoko Gohan (Bamboo Shoot Rice Cooked in Donabe)

By: Peko Peko

Peko Peko — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:45:50 +0000

You nabe is earthenware, right?

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the bottom inside of a nabe getting stained and even a bit burnt. From my experience, if you just soak and wash away what comes off easily, you should be fine.

By the way if you look at the inside of a nabe at a nabe restaurant in Japan, a nabe that has been used for some years or even decades, they are not at all spotless and it is hard to ascertain what the original color of the glaze actually was!

By: MK

MK — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:20:50 +0000

Thanks for the tip! Yeah, it was on the inside.
I managed to find something at the Daiso that worked great on this. Baking soda! Sodium bicarbonate. First tried some light scrubbing with it as a paste to remove the surface gunk, and then boiled it in water/baking soda to release the rest of it. The engrish on the package said something about the carbon dioxide releasing the burnt on bits, but it seemed to do a pretty decent job; also it just mentioned nabe and not specifically donabe. The color on the bottom is still darker in some of the pores, but the heavy scorching has mostly washed away. Will probably need to reseason it though.

By: Peko Peko

Peko Peko — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:11:30 +0000

Hello Just asking a question, Your parents gave you a weird name! I think you can use pre-packaged shoots as is, the same as the recipe above. They are essentially the same as what I made in How to Cook Fresh Bamboo Shoots, they are just packaged or canned to keep.

Hello MK, You mean the inside, right? That has happened to my gohan nabe many times. I just soak it over night, maybe boil some water in it and scrub it out the best I can. A real nabe is like a cast iron pan I think. Some of dinner just becomes a part of the nabe. I wouldn’t do anything like try to scrape it clean with a spoon or other metallic instrument. I just checked the inside of my favorite gohan nabe and it is charred and stained at the bottom.

By: MK

MK — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:54:00 +0000

Yikes! I burnt the bottom of my donabe Unfortunately instead of okoge, I left it on a bit too long and I got some scorchmarks on the bottom instead.

Are there any special cleaning methods for donabe stains? I’ve scoured the web but haven’t found any information at all.

By: Just asking a question

Just asking a question — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:54:23 +0000

hi, how do you make the same recipe but with pre-packaged shoots??? (sorry about the somment before, cousins…)

thanks, the recipe looks great.

By: Donabe Eda Mame ‘Green Soybean’ Gohan, Matsutake Gohan, Ayu Shioyaki and Tsukudani | Kyoto Foodie: Where and what to eat in Kyoto

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:38:06 +0000

[...] Mame Gohan Recipe Please see our How to Cook Rice in a Donabe article here for lots of details and explanation. Also, we have an article and video on How to [...]

By: Alex I

Alex I — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:06:12 +0000

What restaurant can I find this dish in Kyoto? Your site is very informative.

By: Saitoko

Saitoko — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:11:29 +0000

TRIED IT AND LOVED IT! …I ended up preparing the fresh takenoko the way you instructed, and went ahead and made the Takenoko Gohan after that, and was just amazed. I never knew bamboo could BE like this! After having only experienced its flavor before by way of plastic, vacuum-sealed store bought containers, I was floored by how wonderfully the komenuka affected its flavor! While I was simmering it, the nuka started browning on the bottom of the pot, which ended up giving the takenoko something I can only describe as being similar to a rich, smoky flavor of roasted chestnut! Why doesn’t the packaged version taste anything like that??? *sigh* Heavenly!

I used our humbly vintage donabe that was passed down from my husband’s side of the family, which luckily has a little steam hole so I could eyeball the dish as it was in its final stages. I started off with 5 cups of dashi (alas, powdered to save time), but could only find one large takenoko to work with. I ended up getting a bit more chicken to try to balance out the portions of meat and veggies to rice, which ended up being just fine! I added about a Tbsp. of sugar, since we like things a bit more sweet in our house. The only things I left out were the kombu and the garnish at the end. This was the first time I used the donabe for cooking rice in, so I admit I was nervous, but I followed your instructions and never lifted the lid once it was covered. I kept an eye on the steam pouring out, set the timer, and made sure to lower the heat when it felt right to.

As it turned out, once I uncovered it, it was PERFECT! As you predicted, there was even a delightful little crust of koge on the bottom, which my husband scraped right off and gobbled up. I was so pleased with how well this turned out – Thank you for such a wonderful recipe – It’s so nice to have been able to unlock the full potential of takenoko!

By: Mora

Mora — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:00:38 +0000

Loved the article and recipe, but I was even more thrilled to see the gohan nabe. It’s gorgeous. Would you mind sharing where you purchased it? It looks a bit like Hagi-ware or maybe Shino-ware.

By: Peko Peko

Peko Peko — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:49:38 +0000

Hello Lori, Tasty indeed. Oh, you are back in Japan now it seems!

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:39:42 +0000

This looks and sounds so tasty. I love takenoko!

By: How to Cook Fresh Bamboo Shoots (Takenoko Akunuki) | Kyoto Foodie: Where and what to eat in Kyoto

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:49:18 +0000

[...] « Sea Bream Japanese Feast: Tai Sashimi, Tai Meshi, Tai Nitsuke Donabe Takenoko Gohan (Bamboo Shoot Rice Cooked in Donabe) [...]