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For the unversed, soapstone is a magnesium-rich stone which is also known as Stealite in Tamil. Compared to mineral talc, soapstone is soft and dense. As per Ayurveda, food should never be overcooked, re-heated and should always be consumed warm. Each of these criteria can be met by cooking food in soapstone cookware. Now, you may be thinking if vessels made of this stone are safe to cook? Well, it is 100 per cent safe. Soapstone cookware needs careful handling as even a slight harsh hit can lead to a crack in the vessel. However, to make soapstone cookware usable, you require at least 15-30 days.
Traditionally, you are required to apply oil and turmeric all over the cookware. Now add rice starch and boil for 10 days for few a hours daily. On the 11th day, you will observe a change in the weight of the cookware. It is a sign that the vessel has become usable.
Nowadays, nobody has time to do all such things and therefore people use an oven to make their soapstone cookware usable. They wash the utensil in hot water and wipe using a cotton cloth. Now, they grease it with olive oil and leave it untouched for the next 24 hours. Now is the time to place the cookware in an oven at 350 degrees. Turn off the oven post 15 minutes and then let the vessel cool down. All is done.
Why to Use Soapstone Cookware?
If you want to keep the nutrient profile of your food intact, you must use soapstone cookware. If reports are to be believed, 98 per cent of the nutrients of cooked food is retained in this vessel. In addition, cooking citric or acidic food in it can make the edible healthier as it dilutes the acids. Moreover, food can remain warm in such cookware for around 4 hours so no need to re-heat the food for someone who wants to eat after some time.
