Which cauldron is better to choose?

In Central Asia, food was prepared from hemispherical vessels from ancient times. Pilaf and shurpa turned out to be extremely tasty. Now, such dishes are extremely popular in Europe and in America. Prepare in it not only traditional oriental dishes, but also soups, roasts, porridges. Which cauldron is better to choose? This will be discussed in our article

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Where are you going to cook?

The question is not idle, because it depends on it the shape of your kazan. Prepare in such dishes:

• at the stake;
• on the plate;
• in the oven;
• in the Russian stove.

Important! In ancient times, Asian nomads cooked, of course, at the stake. Therefore, they had kazans in the form of a hemisphere, without a flat bottom. If you are going to follow suit, you will need a vessel of exactly the same shape.

In all other cases, the bottom must be flat. Another on the stove or in the oven can not put.

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Cast iron - which producer is better?

Semicircular vessels with thick walls are now produced by many manufacturers of kitchen utensils. Among them there are also very famous, whose products stand pretty well. In many cases, it is the brand that plays a decisive role in the selection, but buying Kazan is an exception.

Which cauldron is better to choose:

• The best hemispherical dishes are made where it has been used since ancient times, that is, in Central Asia. And the most reasonable option is to buy a cauldron, on the stigma of which it is written that it was made in Tajikistan or Turkmenistan.
• Release such dishes and in Russia. You can buy pretty cheap products from little-known Tatar or North Caucasian producers.
• But Chinese cassocks are inexpensive, but acceptable quality does not differ. Therefore, if you are counting on the long-term use of such dishes - it is better to choose the kazan from the first two producing countries.

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Which is better?

The answer to this question is not difficult - it's best that the cauldron in which the most delicious pilaf is prepared. Yes, but how to find it? A round pot can be bought in almost any crockery store, as well as where they sell goods for summer residents and tourists.

The choice is big enough, but there are characteristics that you should pay attention to:

• material;
• wall thickness;
• volume;
• bottom;
• availability of a cover.

Let's look at all this in more detail to understand which cauldron is better to choose.

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Material

The choice of material is the most important point! The fact is that different metals have different heat conductivity. They differ in other qualities:

• strength;
• ability to deform;
• ability to oxidize.

Important! Since ancient times, the Eastern peoples have made utensils made of cast iron. And now it's the best cassocks, having all the necessary qualities for cooking pilaf or roast.

But on sale you can find products from other materials:

• copper;
• aluminum;
• of enamelled steel;
• materials with non-stick coating.

Cast iron

This metal easily heats up, keeps heat for a long time. If the walls are thick enough, the food very slowly cools. In the cast-iron dishes, the contents warm up evenly. In addition, if there is a reliable lid, steam is intensively used for cooking, which is usually not possible in another container.

There are only a few flaws in cast iron:

• brittleness;
• heavy weight;
• ability to rust;
• is not a very elegant appearance.

With many nuances you can cope with:

1. With good handling, cast iron utensils serve not even for years, but for centuries. And to this day archaeologists find sites of ancient nomads, where there is such a dish, and it is quite possible to use it. But keep the cast iron boilers carefully, so that the massive objects do not fall from the top, nor squeeze them from the sides.
2. As for the appearance, it is not necessary to put such a cauldron in the sideboard. It can be completely stored in a closet, showing itself to the eyes of the guests strictly at the right time. But if the kitchen is decorated in oriental ethnic style, such dishes will become a very worthy decoration of the interior.

Important! Cast iron, unfortunately, rusts. But this can be avoided if properly prepared for first use, and then regularly treated in a special way on fire.

Copper

Copperware is now used comparatively rarely. This material is susceptible to corrosion, and all copper compounds are toxic. Therefore, copper dishes should be cleaned regularly and thoroughly.

As for the merits of copper cauldron in comparison with cast iron, they are almost not there. This material, of course, heats up faster, but it keeps the temperature worse. So it will not work well to protect the content.

Aluminum

Lightweight and very cheap material. For this it is mainly appreciated mainly by those who often have to go hiking. There are no other advantages for aluminum cassocks.

Important! This metal, like copper, conducts wonderful heat, that is, it heats up very quickly and cools down just as quickly. For oriental dishes this is contraindicated.

In addition, aluminum is very poorly shaped. The slightest pressure - and now the cauldron does not have a hemispherical shape, but is a sort of crumpled bucket.

Enamelled steel

Steel is similar in its properties to cast iron. True, the dishes are made of enameled steel, and the enamel very badly withstands too much heat. It begins to crack and flake, which does not contribute to the quality of cooking.

This material has other disadvantages:

• is quite large;
• where the enamel is damaged, rust appears;
• use of steam is difficult due to too good thermal conductivity.

Non-stick coatings

It would seem that this miracle of technology can make any boiler perfect. But everything turned out to be quite different. In such dishes, of course, the food does not burn. But exposure to high temperatures for a long time leads to spoilage of the coating itself. It begins to exfoliate, the pieces fall into food, which in no way improves the taste.

In general, in the manufacture of hemispherical boilers cast iron, there is still no alternative. Therefore, the question is not "how to choose a cauldron," but "how to choose a cast-iron cauldron."

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Volume

How to choose a good cauldron for a large, or - on the contrary, very small company? On sale you can find boilers of very different sizes:

• miniature;
• average;
• are large;
• giants.

We choose the suitable cauldron based on the set goals:

• The smallest models are designed for 3-7 liters. In them you can cook, for example, porridge, sweet pilaf or make a roast for a couple of people.
• Medium-size dishes - from 8 to 15 liters. This is enough to cook a pilaf, say, three or four.
• Large vessel - from 15 to 20 liters, giant - 25 liters.

There are more, but they are not used at home, but in cafes or restaurants of oriental cuisine.

Important! How to calculate the size? If you need to choose the best cauldron to cook pilaf for the company, multiply the approximate number of people by two and add another couple of liters so that the contents of the boiler can be freely mixed. Thus, a group of eight people will require a cauldron of at least 18 liters, but better than 20 liters.

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Wall thickness

On this characteristic depends on how well the dish will languish. Criterion one: the thicker the wall, the better.

Important! On sale you will find not very high-quality Chinese models with a thickness of 3 mm, or even less. This option is definitely not right for you, it's almost made of foil.

This Central Asian pottery has a wall thickness of at least 4-5 mm. This is an ideal option: and it is convenient to cook, and the pot is not too heavy. Thicker walls allow to improve the quality of the dish, however, the cauldron can become simply unaffordable.

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Be careful!

And now you have chosen the best cauldron, which seems to be completely suited to you - and its shape is suitable, and the size is perfect, and made of the highest quality cast iron that only happens in the world. But do not rush to get money. Do not be lazy and inspect the surface, and carefully.

Cast iron - the material is uneven. On the surface there are always roughnesses, small protuberances, etc. But something should not be there:

• of large dents;
• cracks;
• scratches.

Important! If you notice them, then - the dishes were stored or transported incorrectly, and during the calcination or even the first cooking you can expect extremely unpleasant surprises.

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Cover and other reasons

The cover is a thing absolutely necessary. It is better if it is included. However, if in all other relations Kazan is satisfied with you, and there are no covers to it, do not be upset. It can be bought separately - for example, transparent. They can be:

• glass;
• silicone.

Important! In fact, such lids are designed for frying pans, but if necessary, they are suitable for cauldron.

It's better to buy it in the same store, because this thing will have to be tried on:

1. The lid should close the boiler tightly.
2. It can be either a bit larger in diameter or slightly smaller.

Important! Fashionable option - silicone covers, which are designed for 2-3 sizes. It is important for you to ensure that steam does not escape from the boiler during cooking, and silicone is ideal for this purpose.

It is better if the kazan is equipped with two covers. One is put upstairs, the other, if there is a need, is somewhere in the middle.

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Other "accessories"

Kitchen utensils, necessary for cooking oriental dishes, you probably have. If, for some reason, you have not acquired it yet, it's time to take care of it. In addition to directly cassanded, you need:

• cutting boards;
• sharp knives;
• metal noise;
• wooden tongs.

Cutting boards should be several. This is required by elementary hygienic rules.

Important! Raw meat can not be cut on the same board as boiled or vegetables. Identical boards are better to mark.

There should be several knives in the house. Of course, the chief-knife is suitable for everything, but it is more convenient if there is a knife with a long thin blade and a short knife.

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Preparation of cast-iron cauldron

And here the desired vessel was purchased. Is it possible to immediately start preparing a long-awaited pilaf, or should I do something else? First of all - be patient. It will not take much.

Kazan must be burned in this way:

1. Wash the boiler with warm water.
2. Remove the coating - it will go away itself, and in extreme cases, it can be removed with a soft sponge.
3. Put the cauldron on a weak fire.
4. Wait until the smoke clears and the hiss ends.
5. Pour in sunflower oil - about 0.5 liters if the vessel is large.
6. Heat until cast iron begins to turn red.
7. Tilt the boiler so that the oil is evenly distributed throughout the walls.
8. Remove the vessel from heat and allow to cool.
9. Pour out the oil, remove the rests with a tissue.

Important! This procedure must be repeated periodically. With kazanov from other materials nothing like this is done:

• copper - periodically cleaned:
• enameled, aluminum and non-stick - washed with mild detergents.

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Maintenance of cast-iron caudex

No special care is required for such utensils. Of course, after each cooking, you need to wash the cauldron. Do not use:

• with hard washcloths;
• with abrasive pastes;
• with knives and other sharp objects.

There is absolutely no need to rip off burnt food. First, in such a boiler, food burns only if you left it on high heat for a very long time. And secondly, even the burnt crusts are removed in a very different way: very simple way:

1. Fill the kettle with water.
2. Wait a couple of hours if there are a lot of residues.
3. Pour out the water and wash the boiler with a soft sponge.

That's all the wisdom about how to choose the best cauldron and in the future properly take care of it to enjoy fragrant food. Use these tips in practice, and then it will be very easy for you to become a real chef of oriental cuisine.