Practice JLPTMeaning
鍋物 (なべもの, Nabemono) is Nabemono — a Japanese food (soups and stews, ways of food preparation).
What is Nabemono?
Nabemono is derived from nabe , meaning "cooking pot", and mono , meaning "thing". It is called simply nabe for short. This name is used for a variety of Japanese hot pot dishes, also known as one pot dishes. Most nabemono are stews and soups served during the colder seasons. In modern Japan, nabemono are kept hot at the dining table by portable stoves. The dish is frequently cooked at the table, and the diners can pick the cooked ingredients they want from the pot. It is either eaten with the broth or with a dip. Further ingredients can also be successively added to the pot. There are two types of nabemono in Japan. One type uses a lightly flavored stock, flavored mostly with kombu . This type includes varieties such as yudōfu and mizutaki , eaten with a dipping sauce ( tare ) to enjoy the taste of the ingredients themselves. The other type uses a strongly flavored stock, typically made with some combination of miso, soy sauce, dashi, and sweet soy. This type include varieties such as yosenabe , oden , and sukiyaki , eaten without further flavoring. The pots are traditionally made of clay or thick cast iron. Clay pots can keep warm for a while after being taken off the fire, while cast iron pots evenly distribute heat and are preferable for sukiyaki . Pots are usually placed in the center of dining tables and are shared by multiple people. This is considered the most sociable way to eat with friends and family.