Japanese cooking frequently features meats and vegetables simmered in dashi broth. To facilitate the simmering process, the Japanese use a simple device called an "otoshi-buta". The name literally means "drop lid".
Otoshi-buta are circular "lids" that are placed inside a pot of simmering foods and rest directly upon the ingredients. Using a lid in this way does three things. First of all, it holds down fragile ingredients like potatoes and prevents from breaking apart due to the shaking caused by the boiling broth. Secondly, it facilitates even heating by keeping heat from escaping the pot. Last but not least, it prevents flavor from diffusing out of the ingredients and into the broth by requiring less liquid to fully submerge everything.
Otoshi-buta are traditionally made of wood. Before use, they should be soaked in water to avoid flavoring the wood with the broth and thus contaminating the flavor of future dishes. They also should be thoroughly scrubbed and left to dry before reuse for the same reasons. Otoshi-buta made out of other materials, such as stainless steel and silicone, can make do without these maintenance steps.
If you want to try out the otoshi-buta right now, you can make one out of aluminum foil or cooking paper (what the French call a "chesimer"). When simmering brittle vegetables, one of these makeshift otoshi-buta is actually better than a heavier, reusable lid because it won't crush the vegetables while keeping them submerged in broth.
You'll notice the a difference that this simple drop lid makes if you make any nimono (Japanese simmered dishes). The penetration of flavor into the ingredients is much improved, and since you can make one using a simple sheet of cooking paper, you really have no reason not to try it out for yourself!
Otoshi-buta are circular "lids" that are placed inside a pot of simmering foods and rest directly upon the ingredients. Using a lid in this way does three things. First of all, it holds down fragile ingredients like potatoes and prevents from breaking apart due to the shaking caused by the boiling broth. Secondly, it facilitates even heating by keeping heat from escaping the pot. Last but not least, it prevents flavor from diffusing out of the ingredients and into the broth by requiring less liquid to fully submerge everything.
Otoshi-buta are traditionally made of wood. Before use, they should be soaked in water to avoid flavoring the wood with the broth and thus contaminating the flavor of future dishes. They also should be thoroughly scrubbed and left to dry before reuse for the same reasons. Otoshi-buta made out of other materials, such as stainless steel and silicone, can make do without these maintenance steps.
If you want to try out the otoshi-buta right now, you can make one out of aluminum foil or cooking paper (what the French call a "chesimer"). When simmering brittle vegetables, one of these makeshift otoshi-buta is actually better than a heavier, reusable lid because it won't crush the vegetables while keeping them submerged in broth.
You'll notice the a difference that this simple drop lid makes if you make any nimono (Japanese simmered dishes). The penetration of flavor into the ingredients is much improved, and since you can make one using a simple sheet of cooking paper, you really have no reason not to try it out for yourself!
About the Author:
There is a reason why Tokyo has more Michelin stars than Paris; the Japanese kitchen is a fascinating product of centuries of culinary heritage. If you want to learn more about Japanese and other Asian cooking supplies, recipes, and techniques, check out my blog about Japanese kitchens at fareastcoastkitchen.com.
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