Share
If you live in any parts of North, West, South, and Central India, you must have noticed vendors sitting on footpaths with earthen pots stacked over one another. Available in various shapes and sizes, you can get pots with a tap for easy access to water. Water in earthen pots remains cold, not refrigerator cold so that it causes you throat problems.
Video Credit: Nisha Thaju Kitchen/ YouTube
Earthen pots aren’t a new concept in India. Post Holi, people start buying ghada and keep them in the kitchen. When there were no refrigerators, people used earthen pots to store a lot of other kitchen items. It is believed that if you prepare curd in an earthen pot, it will be more nutritious. The best aspect of these clay pots is that they are eco-friendly. Hence, when you dispose of them, they do not cause any harm to the environment. Here are some tips for buying matka for your home.
Watch Out For Colour
When you are out there buying a matka for your home, you must inspect its colour. It must be a terracotta red hue. Rub your hands on the clay pot to see if the colour comes off, if it does, you should try another pot. It is crucial not to buy an earthen pot that has been painted because it might contain chemicals that could leech into the water.
Check The Lid
When buying the clay pot, you need to check the size of the lid. It must fit right on the top, neither too out nor too deep. If the size is not right, you will struggle with preventing insects from breeding or dirt and dust from contaminating the water. A clay lid also helps to keep the water cold and maintains freshness.
Do A Smell Test
When you are buying the matka, smell its inside. Add some water and see if you experience petrichor (the earthy scent when raindrops fall on the soil), it is a good-quality clay pot. If you smell a foul odour, it is likely to contain chemicals. Hence, you must conduct this test to find out if the quality is good.
Conduct A Leak Test
Before purchasing a pot from the vendor, ask them to fill it with water halfway through. Let it stay on the floor for a while to check if it is leaking. Many times, the earthen pot has a small hole that can leak. If you take a pot at home without checking, you will witness water spill in your kitchen.
Select The Right Size
If you have a large family and enough space in the kitchen to keep a round clay pot, you can get that one. It would require you to buy a stand as well. If you have a small family, you can buy an earthen pot with a flat base. A pot with a capacity of 5-8 litres would be enough. You can fill it before going to bed, and enjoy cold water throughout the day.
Image Caption
Check Thickness
The thickness of the clay pot plays a major role in keeping the water cold and fresh. If the walls of a matka are thick, it will keep the water cold and fresh for a long time. If the walls are thin, the water will evaporate faster, and it will not stay cold for a long time.
Check If The Surface Is Glazed
When buying a matka, you must check if the surface is glazed. Glazing prevents water from evaporating and cooling. If you pick a pot with an unglazed surface, it will cool water faster and keep it cool for a long time.
