Japanese brand Anaori, a leader in manufacturing carbon graphite products, has developed a groundbreaking cooking tool that combines new technologies and natural materials into a unique one-stop-pot that does it all.
The company channelled its technological expertise to carve a brand-new cooking tool from a solid cube of carbon graphite — the pot component is made by scooping out the middle of the block, while the inner lid is made of hinoki cypress. The carbon graphite allows the pot’s heat retention to be much greater than a regular good quality pot, therefore cooking more evenly and quicker, without compromising on flavour. All in all, the piece redefines timeless minimalism in true Japanese fashion, while also providing extreme functionality.
Carbon graphite is a material that is found in nature, occurring in metamorphic rocks as a result of the reduction of sedimentary carbon compounds during metamorphism. Anaori produces its carbon graphite in a “more efficient” way than sourcing it naturally, while still managing to keep its natural materials.
The mentality behind creating this Kakugama pot is that cooking is our second nature. They believe that by cooking with minimal intervention and natural utensils, such as this Kakugama, the natural flavours and properties of the ingredients are extracted and present in the dish without much effort. Basically, if you use the Kakugama, you don’t have to be a Michelin star chef to produce incredible food.
Currently, Anaori’s Kakugama is being toured around restaurants in Australia. Most recently, chef Phillipe of Phillipe’s in Melbourne, created a French feast using the Kakugama. He made seared scallops, slow-cooked beef cheeks and poached quinces, all in the Kakugama.
The beef cheeks stood out to me the most. Perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth meat that was still beautifully moist, a dish that usually takes at least four hours to make, took one hour in the Kakugama.
This is a cooking tool that can be used for any and every cuisine, offering up the ability for endless cooking techniques. It can be used for grilling, simmering, poaching, frying, steaming and slow-cooking. Its dual-purpose lid locks in umami flavour and is also a grilling pan. With advanced conductivity, Anaori’s Kakugama is compatible with all heating sources including induction heat, gas, and the oven.
The catch: like many beautiful things, the Anaori Kakugama isn’t cheap at $3,990 – $6,990. However, if you’re passionate about cooking and you love to push the boundaries with different cuisines and experimental dinner parties, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment.
To browse sizes and prices, go to their website. You can find more about carbon graphite here.
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