The Kamado originated in ancient Japan, approximately 2000 years ago during the Kofun Era. It consisted of a large earthen oven with a metal pot that was horizontally inserted, then heated from the bottom using wood for fuel. The Kamado, being quite versatile, was used to cook rice and other foods, as well as to boil miso (soy bean) soup and hot water for tea. In some cases, the heat that it generated was used to heat the home during the winter months. Over time, the Kamado evolved into steel rice cookers inserted into a stone frame, like the one you see here at Torafuku, known as the Ishikamado. It is through the use of the Ishikamado, where the Japanese perfected the art of cooking rice. The end result is sweeter, fluffier rice that is better than any rice you've experienced before. We are proud to bring you what the Japanese have enjoyed for centuries - pure white rice the way it was meant to be prepared.

So what makes our rice so good?



The Rice - Great care was taken when choosing the brand of our rice. Everything was scrutinized, from the fields that it was planted in to the weather where it was grown. Only when all of our conditions were met did we finally decide on the rice that we would serve. Fluffy and fragrant with a hint of sweetness are the defining characteristics of our rice.

The Kamado - In order to bring you the best tasting rice, it was only natural to incorporate the Kamado into our cooking scheme. The Kamado's that you see here at Torafuku weigh over 500 pounds each and have the capacity to cook 10.5 pounds of rice. The secret to great tasting rice is not to fill it to the top, but to cook it at 2/3rds capacity. This method is referred to as "sansho, ni-daki" in Japanese and is a key element to cooking great rice.

The Method - Boil, Steam and Bake. These are the three major steps taken when we cook our rice. First, the rice is boiled on very high heat to create space between the rice so that the grains do not get smashed together. This process produces the fluffy texture of the rice. Then the rice is steamed at very low heat. The stone portion of the oven provides excellent heat retention and allows the steam to blanket the rice. Finally, we turn the heat back up for a brief period to add a nice baked aroma. The rice is then carefully mixed and served.