Kama-meshi

Kama-meshi is a very important,but not well-known food of japan.It's named for the kama,Japanese iron rice cooking pot which was used before 1950's in every household and restaurant.
Meshi means rice and meals but this word is a little bit old-style Japanese.Nowadays,usually men say meshi but it means meals and casual Japanese.

 portable kama

Since it's replacement by the electric rice cooker it has become a cultural icon.Reminding Japanese people of their connection to  an ancient culture.The electric rice cooker is so convenient,cooking the rice and keeping it warm at the push of a button, so it's wide spread adoption was inevitable.
But kama-meshi is revered by modern Japanese,who claim it gives a special flavor to the rice and are able to bask in warm memories of their childhood and cultural roots.

Anyway,I went to yakitori restaurant so I ordered " Tori(chicken)kama-meshi " which is a chicken,shimeji mushroom and carrot version.The flavoring ingredients are placed in the kama with row rice and dashi(soup stock)and slow cooked for 30 min.
After ordering the kama-meshi is brought to the table and cooks before the guests eyes.
As we wait patiently we must never take off lid even for a second , otherwise the dish will be spoiled resulting in hard  under cooked rice and the offender will be scolded.

After 30min has passed the lid is lifted,the aroma is savoured and the contents are well-mixed before serving.