Glossary - Kitchen Tools

Otoshibuta/Drop lid

A pot lid used primarily in Japanese cuisine for stewed dishes that is placed on top of the ingredients

Details

A pot lid one size smaller than the pot itself, and meant to sit directly on top of the ingredients. The convection effect from this helps to prevent half-cooked foods, dryness, or the broth evaporating, as well as stopping the ingredients in the soup from falling apart while cooking. "Otoshibuta" (drop lids) are even said to help the flavors better soak into the dish.

Trivia

Wooden lids used to be common once, but now they have been overtaken by silicon ones, and some people even use aluminum foil or parchment paper cut to size instead of an actual lid.