Suggestions for cast iron tawa for making dosa

[Tejas01]

While I was almost decided on getting the non-stick tawa for dosas but seeing the benefits of cast iron over non-stick made me to change my mind.
I need some suggestions as to which brand should I go for and the quality of the same.
I am looking for a flat tawa instead of a bordered ones at the edges to help in easy removing of dosas.
Are there any cons of getting a smaller than 12 inch/30cms tawa. Most of them on Amazon are 12inches ones.

Also how should we maintain it?

 

[Tejas01]

They seem to be legit... They have their own dedicated channel on YT to guide users how to take care of cast iron products and maintain it.
My only dilemma is how long will it last given it has a lifetime warranty "if used properly."

Do go through this video since you had concerns about our food being oily...

Source

 

[MadAxe]

OT Which is a good brand for buying non-stick cookware?
All I'm seeing is Prestige on Amazon and Flipkart.

 

[Sushubh]

I did buy Amazon's cast iron few months ago. No one likes it at home though.

Buy AmazonBasics Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet Pan - L (10.25 inch, 2.18 Kgs) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in

a bit more about my experience... i bought the smaller version which is 10.25 inches. it is just barely enough to cook some vegetable for 2 people. mom prefers using kadai which can make food for more in one go. and of course the routine of making sure that you don't use soap on it and oil it after cleaning it with warm water... seems tedius enough for anyone at home. i do end up making simple vegetable things on it mostly broccli or cauliflower. works out well. i don't think my mom is dumping teflon coated cookware anytime soon. hard anodized cookware are easier to use. they offer some benefits of non-stick while letting you use metal on them. bought a hawkins tawa for home few years ago. earlier mom was not happy because it was extremely heavy compared to regular tawas but now all are happy with it.

 

[Smh]

From Amazon. Hmmm I don't know if cast iron is suitable for daily indian cooking.

If anyone buys it please share your experience.

After cooking just put normal water in the pan and then scrub gently. Rinse with water, dry it out and then re oil the pan with a light coating, put it in cover (so no dust or insects stick to it in storage) for the next use.

Update :
After using it daily, within 10 days the seasoning has become so good on the pan that I dont even need to wash it in water. I just use a sponge to dab off all the food particles after scraping with a wooden spatula. See the second last pic for reference.

 

[Sushubh]

it is of course. and i think this is what was common in indian kitchens few decades ago. and then non stick pans etc arrived in the market and people moved to them for convenience factor.

a well maintained cast iron piece would last for decades. i have seen on reddit that it is passed on from generation to generation. people in west have units that are like 100 years old.

here is one i found after a quick search.

About 80 years old. Hand me down cast iron skillet, used daily. : BuyItForLife

here is a good video on maintenance from the thread:


Source

 

[Smh]

Does it smell bad if not washed with soap?

 

[Sushubh]

Why would it smell bad if you clean all the leftover material using warm water and sponge?

 

[Smh]

Lol just thought the whole masala and oil would start sticking to it if not cleaned properly with soap.

Good to know it doesn't smell

 

[Sushubh]

the above video is pretty cool. if you pre-heat it enough and wash it while it is warm... and the coating is good. washing it is a piece of cake. warm water with a soft scrub. the video suggest using salt for scrubbing leftover material sticking to the surface.

from my experience, it takes a bit of experience. it is not simple to use as non-stick cookware which basically just works as long as the non-stick coating is not damaged. but with cast iron, you have the ability to fix the coating if you manage to damage it and keep using it for years. this is not possible with non stick cookware.

also. in the end it is iron so it rusts. so you have to make sure that you do not leave it wet after cleaning. this is where the oil helps. this also means that cast iron is basically not a good option if you want to cook without oil. a well managed cast iron skillet is basically quite non sticky. but in my experience, there is no way you can cook on it without using oil. and a lot of it.

 

[Jonas]

@Samuel
CanOLA is an acroname of Canadian Oil Low Acid. It is made from GM Rapeseed with lowered Erucic Acid content. Long term consumption of erucic acid leads to several health complications. Rapeseed oil is better avoided.

If people make chholey bhaturey in Soy or be it Canola, both will be equally harmful. It's more about the cooking habits.

About Canola having 'euric acid':

Scientists in Canada developed an edible version of the rapeseed plant, which — on its own — harbors toxic compounds called erucic acid and glucosinolates. The name “canola” comes from “Canada” and “ola,” denoting oil.

Although the canola plant looks identical to the rapeseed plant, it contains different nutrients and its oil is safe for human consumption.