Learning to Love the Vermicular Musui-Kamado, the Stylish Multi-Cooker from Japan
There are a few of us at Remodelista who never took to the Instapot. Ease and cooking potential: great. Non-stick coated surface and clunky profile: Less great. (Alexa did give it a try but donated hers to a swap shop after a month.) So when I attended the New York launch party for the Vermicular, a good-looking induction-powered, cast-iron multi-cooker from Japan, I signed up to give it a try.
More on the Vermicular Musui-Kamado: it’s a
The first meal would be something simple: a recipe for salmon and rice adapted from the Vermicular cookbook, which features recipes especially suited to the device. I found there were three major pluses to Vermicular cooking: the ease of a one-pot meal; the steady, easily regulated; and the clever accessories (particularly the wooden trivet and the organic cotton oven mitts).
Photography by Remodelista.
Above: A happy accident: The Vermicular (plus all its attendant parts) fits neatly into a deep drawer in my kitchen. Above: Included in the setup: the Vermicular consists of the Musui, a precision-machined enameled cast iron pot with a lid that’s hand-machined until it fits at a .01 mm accuracy. “This accuracy empowers ‘waterless’ cooking—from which the Musui takes its name,” according to the company. The Kamado induction unit offers precision temperature control and a sleek profile. Above: The ingredients for our modified version of the Vermicular cookbook’s Steam Salmon Rice. We opted out of the cod roe and kombu, but added a pinch of Himalayan rock salt and at the very end, fresh okra. Steamed Salmon Rice
Cook time: 60 minutes
Vermicular settings: [Rice Cooking] [WHT] [Norm] [4.0]
Ingredients:
3 rice cups (540 ml) plain white rice, rinsed 520 ml water 2 tablespoons sake 1 teaspoon usukuchi (light color) soy sauce 2 (7 ounce total) salmon filets, skin on 120g cod roe, divided into 5 to 6 pieces 10 g shredded kombu (Additional ingredients = 330 g total) 100 g ikura (salmon roe) Above: Rinsing the rice before cooking is key. Measure out 3 cups (540 ml) of plain white rice and rinse using a mesh strainer before adding to the pot; then add the 520ml of water. (The com Above: The final step is simply placing the salmon fillets on top of the uncooked rice, then adding the 2 tablespoons sake and 1 teaspoon soy sauce to the pot. Above: Adjust settings on the Vermicular, then set it and forget it until cooking is finished about 60 minutes later. Above: We added the okra in the final stages of cooking for a softly steamed but not overdone effect. Above: The table set for lunch. The Classic Dinner Plates in gloss white are by Chico, CA-based ceramicist Alex Marshall. Above: The Vermicular enameled cast iron pot can go straight to the table using the wood Magnetic Trivet, which attaches via magnet to the base of the pot so you don’t have to fuss. Above: The joy of one-pot cooking: a full lunch (starch, vegetable, and protein included) easily cooked and served in one go.
See more appliance faceoffs:
#Recipes #KitchenAppliances #SmallAppliances #SponsoredPost #Appliances