One of the original one-pot wonders, paella uses its wide shallow surface to encourage soccarat - the crispy rice crust at the bottom that infuses the entire pan with a depth of flavour.
How can we talk about dishes named after their pot and not talk about tagine? This Moroccan clay dish is as recognisable on the dining table as in silhouette. Consisting basically of a deep plate underneath and a tall conical 'hat' on top, the tagine comes in a variety of sizes and is used to braise all manner of meats within.
This Balkan dish with its domed metal lid makes it perfect for cooking over wood fires, creating a little steam-oven-like environment to keep stews juicy whilst they're cooking. This multi-faceted cooking vessel doesn't just do stews either - the steamy environment is also perfect for baking bread and pastries.
Somewhere in-between a North African tagine and Spain’s lovechild paella (minus the rice), cataplana also gets its name from the cookware it is prepared in. Two clam-shaped shells are hinged together during cooking to allow its contents to be steam-cooked in its own juices and flavours - similar to that of a pressure cooker. Traditionally made out of beaten copper, it was dome-shaped to allow fishermen to fill them with vegetables and spices and take them along on their fishing trips to cook their fresh seafood in over a fire.
Nabe can refer to a wide range of cooking pots, and this loose term has even spawned an entire cuisine category for the Japanese: nabemono - which translates to things in a pot. This Japanese one-pot wonder usually includes a wide variety of vegetables, protein and a bundle or two of noodles, all cooked lovingly in a light soup.
Descended from the Dutch oven, Potjie refers to a round-based cast iron pot. This is then usually placed over open fire, where stews simmer covered all day. Here's a goat stew potjie with mushroom, we've prepared earlier.
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