Have you ever tried pot cooked food like Palav or Biryani? If you have, you would know the difference in taste as compared to what is cooked in normal utensils. In the olden times, people in rural India used to cook in clay pots or handi, which was healthy and full of flavors.
Earthenware had always been an intrinsic part of Indian households, however, due to ease of availability and time constraints the millennials chose other utensils over Earthenware. But with knowledge and availability many urban households are returning back to earthen cum terracotta cutlery. Let us look at some benefits of using clay pots.
Naturally Cool: Cooking in a clay pot not only has a variety of health benefits but also makes for an easier cooking process and in the end, a more flavorful and nutritious dish. Due to its numerous health benefits, Ayurveda suggests cooking in a clay pot. The porosity and natural insulation properties of clay cause heat and moisture to circulate throughout clay pots. This makes cooking in a clay pot a much slower process but has added benefit of preventing amateur cooks from burning their dishes. More importantly, this causes the moisture and nutrient loss while cooking in clay pots to be much lower compared to cooking in metal or enamel lined utensils.
Porous in Nature: Clay pot’s porous nature allows both moisture and heat to circulate through the food, which results in slow yet aromatic food. It also retains the nutrition of the food, which is generally lost in other types of utensils.
Alkaline Nature: Clay is alkaline in nature and it interacts with the acidity in the food, thereby neutralizing the pH balance and eventually making food healthier and a lot tastier. It is believed to provide the required minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and sulphur that benefit our health.
Less Oil Use: Due to its heat resistance and slow cooking, the food retains all its oils and moisture; therefore, you wouldn’t require extra oil and fat for providing moisture to your food.
Flavorful: Due to slow cooking and porous nature of clay pots, the moisture and aroma tends to stay in the pot without losing any nutrient, hence making it flavorsome. It also has an earthy flavor added to it, which we bet you may not get in any other utensil.
Reasonable priced: Clay pots are not very expensive, at least not more than any other types of utensil. You can get them in different shapes and sizes without really making a hole in your pocket.
Cooking in Clay Pots Gallery
