“CLAY POT COOKING” AN EDGE OVER METAL UTENSILS

 

“CLAY POT COOKING” AN EDGE OVER METAL UTENSILS

By- Prof.Abhijeet Gajaralwar

We belong to generation were most us has always seen use of iron, brass, copper, aluminum, non-stick cook wares etc for cooking. But there is another style of cooking which more ancient and more health beneficiary than above mentioned all types of vessel cooking and that is Clay pot cooking. Clay pot cooking may seem odd or new to current generation but if we ask to our grandparents they all are well aware of clay pots. Many people have a single clay pot ‘Ghada/maath’ at their home to store water in it and all are aware that water from ghada/maath is tastier than fridge water  and also better health wise. Similarly these clay pots were used for cooking as well before the introduction of metal utensils. I still remember when I used to go to my Grandmother’s house she used to give curd which is directly been prepared and set in clay pots and I can immediately find the difference between normal curd and clay pot curd. Bit Obvious the clay pot curd was much better in taste and texture. In this article we will understand the benefits of Clay pot cooking

According to Ayurveda, "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. Cooking in a clay pot is much better than cooking in a normal utensil, not just for its various health benefits, but also makes it much simpler to cook and improves the quality of the food at the end. The porosity and natural insulation properties of clay causes 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."

Due to the porous texture of clay pots it 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. The heat generated in clay pots helps meats stay tender and soft as the muscle proteins denature and collagen breaks down completely. It also has an earthy flavour added to it, which we bet you may not get in any other utensil.

 

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 benefits our health.

Due to its heat resistance and slow cooking, the food retains all its oils and moisture; therefore, you require less oil and fat for providing moisture to your food.

No matter how modern times may be, we are sure there are shops that still sell pure and unglazed clay pots. 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.

The only precaution to be taken in clay pot cooking is to avoid using glazed clay pots. Glazed clay pots contains chemical for better finishing and that can be harmful. It is bit difficult to get products in their purest form, but it isn't impossible. It s a suggestion to start cooking in clay pots, make sure you do not buy any glazed or polished one, rather try and find unglazed ones. If you get your hands on them, you wouldn't want to miss the earthy flavours of food and surely never want to go back to other utensils.

 

Abhijeet Gajaralwar

Asst. Professor

Suryadatta College of Hospitality Management and Travel Tourism

Pune