By Devi Poojari
July 29, 2023
Image Credit: Unsplash
Ancient cooking traditions around India have always celebrated the flavours in food derived from cooking in clay pots. Here are eight effective measures to take, in order to make the most of using earthen utensils.
A simple way to fortify your earthen pot would be to soak the pot in clean water for 10 hours, dry and rub the inside with some cooking oil before leaving it over a warm stove for 30 minutes.
Using the pot for slow-cooking recipes that do not require a high flame is ideal; similarly, do not place the pot directly on a cold surface off the stove.
Using ingredients that cook easily or have been pre-soaked (rice, lentils, chickpeas), allows for the pot to be exposed to the flame for a shorter span of time.
Earthen pots are delicate cookware and hence adding oil or milk in the pot before it is placed over heat is advisable.
Avoid using harsh metal spoons to stir or mix ingredients in your clay pot. Use softer materials like wood or silicone instead.
Allow the clay pot to cool completely before washing it with a mild soap and rinsing thoroughly.
Use the clay pot only for recipes that are cooked over a period of time – like soups, stews and meat curries.
Placing a lid over the earthen cooking pot allows for flavours to be trapped, letting the ingredients cook in their own juices; resulting in a delicious final dish.