My mum was too fussy about retaining the blackened Kadai , she claimed it was not blending in our new modular kitchen. This cast iron kadai in discussion is probably lightyears older than me, is the grandmother of all the cookware in our kitchen rack. From cooking puffy puris to frying scrumptious pakodas, from stir frying the fiery Indo-Chinese to cooking the subtle besan halwa, from the chilly chicken to kadai chicken, this kadai has seen all the action.

In this age of beautifully crafted , precision cut non-stick cookware, this humble cooking pan is slowly losing out to the more aesthetically designed cooking range. However I admire the old school of cooking where the use of cast iron cookware holds a very important place.

Here are Five Reasons why a cast iron kadai would win hands down any day when compared to a Teflon coated non-stick kadai:

1) Health Benefits: Your food might look dark, unappealing not instagram perfect but the portion of food cooked in cast iron vessel is rich in iron and reduces the risk of anaemia. Also the Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) employed in manufacture of non-stick cookware poses serious health hazards.

2) Naturally Non-Stick: The cast iron wok is naturally non-stick and trusts me when it comes to making crisp paper dosa, nothing beats the old school. Being naturally non-stick means you also use less oil. All you have to do is to ensure it is properly seasoned before use.

3) Retains Heat: Cast iron cookware retains more heat than its state-of-the-art Teflon coated siblings. So your food remain hot for a longer duration plus you can also serve directly from the skillet.

4) Long Life: The heavy Cast Iron kadai is practically indestructible. Normally you do not buy one, you inherit one. This cookware is made for generations. You also don’t have to worry about using a wooden spatula to prevent it from getting scratched.

5) Cheap: It won’t leave a hole in your pocket. It’s cheap, reliable, eco-friendly , it’s a total value for money package.

6) Nostalgic Feel: If inherited, this definitely packs a lot of emotions, memories and memories and acts as a reminder of the old days when grandma used to cook yummy dishes for you.

Maintenance:
1) After every use, wash it immediately and dry it. Then season it using light coat of vegetable oil. This keeps the moisture away.
2) If at all it rusts, you got to follow the same process as above, rinse, dry and apply vegetable oil to get the sheen back.
3) Avoid using detergents or soaps that corrode the metal surface.
Now you see why I love my precious kadai.

*Pic Credit: Internet Image

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