Spent the whole day editing a video that I made on how to season a Soapstone Utensil.
Here is the link to the video –
This is a very ancient cookware that was used by several civilisations all over the world since thousands of years.
It is carved out of Soapstone by hand, Supposed to be soft and porous.
Cooking in this cookware has several benefits –
The material is mostly inert and hence does not impart any flavour to the recipe.
Food cooked in this Utensil stays hot for almost 3-4 hours.
Contains essential nutrients like magnesium and calcium which leaches into the food.
It is long lasting if handled well and can be passed on to several generations.
Any type of food can be cooked in this utensil. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes can be cooked. Deep frying is not advised.
Food cooks evenly in the container.
Does not react with acidic foods.
I enjoyed the whole process of seasoning this Utensil which took 13 days to complete. This process hardens the stone and makes it long lasting.
I also prepared my first dish in this utensil yesterday , called ‘Mukkala Pulusu’ which is a famous recipe in Andhra Pradesh. It was definitely tastier than the dish that i used to cook in a steel utensil 🙂
However, the one I bought was of medium size which is small when I want to cook for more than 4 persons. I will be buying a bigger one soon.
Love this creation.
These can be bought online from various online stores.
You can find dosa pans, paniyaram pans, kadai , lamps , mortar and pestle (small) etc. The most popular model in which any kind of gravy recipe can be cooked is called ‘Kalchatti in Tamil or Rathi Chippa / Rachippa in Telugu).
Usually found in the southern states in India.
It is surely making a comeback .
Can be used on Gas stove , Oven and wood fire too.
I Bought this Cookware on Amazon. If you are interested , here is the link:
Time to display a few cute things from my kitchen…..my new Possessions….I find them cute and beautiful … these are the Traditional Indian Cookware that I have been collecting since a year .
After a lot of googling on the Internet as to why to use Traditional cookware , where to buy, what to look for and how to use them , I finally decided to buy some stuff and experiment. I bought a few online . I purchased one from a local Organic Market and also bought another one from a local potter too. The micro nutrients from the materials used in making these cookware, make the food tasty and these nutrients are also required for a healthy body. Food gets cooked faster in these cookware.
Here they are:
My Cast Iron cuties :
Appa Chatti –This is the cutest one. Quite heavy .
This one is actually used for making Appams but I cook everything except Appams in this :). I use it to cook a small quantity of veggies for making chutneys (roti pachchadi). It also comes in very handy for preparing Tadka . I stir fry some soaked beans/lentils for a quick evening snack. I sometimes use it for making a small quantity of Aloo fry , Okra fry brinjal fry  etc as the size is small.
Dosa Pan –Â Love the pan . It now has a smooth finish just like a non-stick pan. Requires very less oil for making dosas. Dosas cook quite fast and are tasty too compared to those cooked in a non stick pan.
Skillet –This one is also equally heavy  .
Am yet to start using this one. I see myself preparing curries , vegetable fries and maybe chicken fry too. This is being seasoned right now.
All of these are very heavy and have to be handled like lil babies, so as not to drop them on the floor or on your feet 🙂 . Cast iron products are brittle and can break if dropped on hard surfaces and in turn break your floor too and also the bones in your feet :). Got to be very careful.
Clayware :
Clay Pot :Â I have been cooking almost everyday in this pot, on a gas stove top.
Usually , in rural India , these pots are used for cooking using firewood as fuel. After reading several reviews about using them on a Gas stove top , I went ahead and bought this one at an Organic Farmers market in the City. Very useful for cooking Dals ,Sambhar and Pulusu.Â
Kadai :Once I started using the Clay pot and got the confidence I started eyeing one potter by the road side, close to my place of work. This woman had a variety of clay utensils. Water Jugs , Curd pots, Pots for curries in different sizes, a flat thick pan with holes for making Phulkas , kadais . I bought this Kadai.
A kadai is much deeper than the Appa chatti . I have been cooking all varieties of vegetable fries using this.
This type of Clayware is very light in weight and have to be handled carefully. They will break into pieces if dropped on a hard floor.
Stoneware:Â
Kal chatti :Â
This is my latest possession. In the process of seasoning.
I have started bragging about my possessions and experiments with recipes to my family , friends and colleagues.
Cooking using Non-stickware , Ceramic ware,  Stainless Steel or Aluminium is no big deal. But when it comes to using traditional cookware one should first appreciate the benefits of cooking in these types of cookware and fall in love with them 🙂 . Next step is to learn how to season these types of cookware . Once the pots and pans are seasoned ,you are ready to start cooking . This is not the end of the story 🙂 . One should also know how to clean and store them so they last long and are ready for the next recipe. The only downside is that these have to be handled carefully.
I bought the appa chatti , the skillet and Kal chatti online from villagefair.com and peacockcolours.com .
Go ahead and revive the traditional way of cooking. Eat tasty food and also stay healthy.
