#eeya chombu

[zishtatraditions]

6 Traditional Cookware Essentials for a Vintage-Inspired Kitchen | Zishta

Incorporating traditional cookware into your kitchen is more than just a nod to heritage-it's an investment in healthier, more flavourful cooking. These utensils, passed down through generations, offer distinct advantages in terms of durability, nutritional benefits, and taste enhancement. Here’s a list of five must-have traditional cookware items that will transform your daily cooking routine.

1) Pure Iron Dosa Tawa

A pure iron dosa tawa is a versatile piece of cookware that is ideal for making a variety of flatbreads such as dosas, rotis, and parathas. The natural heat retention properties of iron ensure even cooking, which results in crispy dosas and perfectly roasted rotis. Cooking on an iron tawa also enriches the food with trace amounts of iron, which is beneficial for health, particularly in combating iron deficiency. With a little seasoning and care, an iron tawa will last for years, improving in performance over time.

2) Soapstone Cookware

Soapstone cookware, known for its ability to maintain a steady temperature, is perfect for slow-cooking gravies and curries. Its porous nature helps retain the earthy flavours of the ingredients, creating a rich, complex taste in every dish. Soapstone is also a natural, non-reactive material that preserves the nutritional value of the food, making it ideal for health-conscious cooking. Whether you’re preparing a traditional sambar or a coconut milk-based curry, soapstone cookware is an excellent choice for flavourful, wholesome meals.

3) Brass Handi

A brass handi is a quintessential part of traditional Indian kitchens, particularly known for its use in cooking curries, gravies, and biryanis. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, both of which have health benefits. Cooking in brass helps retain the nutrients of the ingredients while imparting a subtle, unique flavour to the food. Its excellent heat conductivity makes it perfect for slow-cooking aromatic, spice-rich dishes like biryani. The handi’s shape also allows for optimal heat distribution, ensuring evenly cooked meals with enhanced taste.

4) Cast Iron Kadai

The cast iron kadai is a workhorse in the kitchen, especially for those who enjoy stir-fried vegetables, crispy aloo fry, and deep-fried snacks. Cast iron is renowned for its heat retention and distribution, allowing for consistent cooking without hot spots. This kadai is not only excellent for frying but also for increasing the iron content in your food, making it an ideal choice for health-conscious cooks. With its robust build, a well-maintained cast iron kadai can last generations, becoming a cherished family heirloom.

5) Brass Patila (Vaana)

The brass patila cooking pot, or vaana, is a highly versatile piece of cookware that can be used for a variety of cooking tasks. Whether you’re boiling, simmering, or preparing complex dishes, this pot’s shape and material make it indispensable in the kitchen. The alloy of brass ensures efficient heat distribution, allowing for even cooking while retaining the nutrition of the ingredients. Its timeless design not only makes it a functional tool but also an elegant addition to your kitchen.

6) Eeya Chombu (Tin Vessel)

This traditional cookware is for people who love rasam. Eeya Chombu, a traditional tin vessel, is a prized cookware in South Indian kitchens, for making tasty rasam. Known for enhancing the flavor and taste, this unique vessel preserves the authentic essence of the ingredients, offering a rich, traditional dining experience. Eeya chombu by Zishta is made of pure Tin which is a metal by itself and not an alloy. Read the frequently asked questions about tin vessel-eeya chombu to know more.

By investing in these traditional kitchen utensils, you are embracing sustainable, health-focused cooking methods while also preserving a rich culinary heritage. These tools, once seasoned and maintained, will continue to reward you with rich, nutritious meals for years to come.

Explore varieties of handcrafted traditional cookware at Zishta!

[zishta]

Best Natural cookware for your home (Tamil) | Cast Iron, Clay, Kalchatti Handmade | Zishta

Zishta brings varied #traditional, #natural vessels and #cookware from authentic, original rural #artisans who have been making it for generations. The range includes cooking vessels made of #Iron, Cast Iron, Soasptone or #Kalchatti, Eeya chombu or tin vessel, Bronze utensils, Kerala Uruli, #Kansa and many more.

A huge thanks to @mylaporeiyeraathuponnu (check out her Instagram handle) for helping our customers with her knowledge and experience) All the cookware are food safe and tested for quality in NABL accredited lab for RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances). 

See More: Traditional Wall Art

[zishta-traditional-cookware]

[zishtatraditions]

Tin is a metal by itself and it’s not an alloy. Lead is a different metal and in Tamil eeyam is a common word for both tin and lead. Velleyam is tin and kaareeyam is lead. Now this has resulted in the confusion that these amazing vessels are made to lead when in fact they are made of pure tin.

[zishtatraditions]

The History and Meaning of Eeya Chombu: The Tin Vessel Legacy | Zishta

The worlds tastiest rasam is always made in Eeya Chombu-Tin vessel. The use of tin vessels in South India is a part of the region's rich culinary and cultural traditions. Tin vessels have been commonly used for cooking and serving food for generations, especially Rasam. Here are some of the traditions and reasons behind the use of tin vessels in South India:

Conductive Properties: Tin is an excellent conductor of heat, which makes it ideal for cooking. It distributes heat evenly, allowing for precise control over the cooking process, especially for dishes that require slow and steady simmering. This property makes tin vessels popular for traditional South Indian cooking methods.

Preservation of Flavour: Tin vessels are believed to enhance the flavours of the dishes. The tin reacts with the acids present in ingredients like tamarind or tomatoes, which can help develop a unique taste. This is especially valued in South Indian cuisine.

Aesthetic Appeal: Tin vessels often have an aesthetic charm. South Indian households and restaurants use tin utensils for serving food, especially for traditional meals served on banana leaves or in traditional settings.

Rituals and Festivals: Tin vessels are also a part of religious rituals and festivals in South India. They are used to cooking and serving special dishes during festivals and ceremonies.

Cultural Significance: Tin vessels have cultural significance and have been passed down through generations in many South Indian families. Using these vessels is a way to connect with and honour one's cultural heritage.

What different purpose Tin vessel can be used:

Tin vessels have always been used for making the tastiest rasam. The cluster of artisans who make them have used tin vessel for the following purposes:

Make the tastiest Rasam.

Set curd in the tin vessel.

Store cooked food overnight to prevent it from spoiling.

Serving cooked food.

Making soup and simple lentil watery dals as well.

Boiling Milk.

How tin Vessels are made:

Tin vessels are made of pure tin and it takes hours to make each vessel. The process starts with melting tin ingots and pours out to a thick sheet and in a circular shape. Once that is done, the tin sheet is beaten using a small wooden hammer to the shape the vessel is to be made. The final work of beating the sheet to different shapes takes hours of work in a wooden mould where the beaten tin vessel is placed to bring the vessel to shape. This process takes six - seven hours to make each vessel. 

Misconception between Tin and Lead 

Tin is a metal by itself and it’s not an alloy. Lead is a different metal and in Tamil eeyam is a common word for both tin and lead. Velleyam is tin and kaareeyam is lead. Now this has resulted in the confusion that these amazing vessels are made to lead when in fact they are made of pure tin.

 Benefits of cooking Rasam in tin vessel

Tin in Ayurveda is known for its amazing properties for long term diabetes management, UTI management and balancing phlegm in your body. Comprehensive research on Rasam was published in the National Library of Medicine shares all the critical benefits of having Rasam and the same is further enhanced by cooking in Tin vessel.

Managing hypoglycemia.

Treatment for Anemia.

Improves Lactation among new mothers.

Anti-Microbial, Laxative, and general health improvement.

Precautions and Maintenance of Tin Vessels

Tin vessels have a very low melting point of just 231.9 degrees Celsius. Please do not keep them empty on gas, otherwise it will melt within seconds of leaving them in gas.

Always make sure you fill the vessel up to a third of its height with water or tamarind water and then place them in gas burner.

Use cloth to lift them when it’s hot - do not use tongs as they are extremely malleable metal and will bend when it’s hot.

Tin is a very good conductor of heat. Use the vessel in medium or low flame.

You can wash them using regular soap and clean. Please handle them with care as they can deform easily under pressure.

The inside cooking surface tends to turn black with usage and its the natural property of tin metal. Occasionally scrubbing the inner surface with washing soda and lime/tamarind mixture helps to remove the blackness on the surface and bring back the shine.