Kazan is an integral part of Eastern culture. Without it, it is impossible to imagine the preparation of the correct pilaf, shurpa, lagman and many other dishes of Central Asian cuisine. How to choose a cauldron for home use? Is there any difference between dishes made from different types of metal?
To find answers to all these questions, it is worth exploring in more detail the features of this type of cooking containers. In addition to the classic models, there are hiking pots with a rounded bottom, models with the function of a duck-plate or woks, used in Southeast Asia. All of them have advantages and disadvantages.
In order to obtain a good result in the process of cooking, it is worthwhile to approach the choice of the cauldron as responsibly as possible.
How to determine the shape and size?
When selecting a cauldron for cooking oriental dishes, you should pay attention to the size and shape of the product. It is these factors that determine how many servings at a time can be cooked and which cooking methods can be applied. How to understand which cauldron is better: with a round bottom or flat? Does the family need a 10-liter version or is a five-liter enough?
Start with the size and capacity. Orientation on the following proportions will help you choose a cauldron: 1 liter of volume per person. That is, for a big holiday it is better to stock up on the most capacious 12-liter option. But for a family dinner enough capacity for 3-5 liters. In an ordinary home kitchen, using dishes larger than 8 liters is inconvenient, it is difficult to achieve the desired temperature.
For a country house, a country house, where there is an open hearth, you can purchase models of 18–20 l. They are most convenient for making pilaf for a large company, they are massive, complemented by heavy cast lids.
The shape of the cauldron depends on the method of cooking. The classic version used in Asian countries is hemispherical in shape and resembles a giant bowler. It can be used only on coal or wood-burning stoves with special grooves or in combination with a tripod on which the tank is located.
It is the hemisphere that ensures uniform heating of the ingredients located inside, facilitates easy mixing of the dish.
In a conventional kitchen, dishes with a rounded bottom cannot be used. It uses specialized cauldrons with a flat bottom - it can be connected to the classic version and look like a stand-adapter. This is what woks provide for home use.
In addition, they produce so-called cauldrons-pans with a flat bottom, round or oval-shaped, utyatnitsy, allowing to ensure proper preparation of the dish on an electric or gas stove. For induction cookers are available special product lines with a ferromagnetic disc below.
What material to choose from?
The correct choice of cauldron begins with the determination of suitable material. Today, dishes for the preparation of pilaf and other oriental dishes are produced in factory conditions, using casting or stamping methods. The second method is used mainly in the creation of budget or hiking utensils, for which low weight is an advantage. Cast aluminum and cast-iron cauldrons are thick-walled, durable, do not have connecting seams.
Cauldrons from cast iron
The most popular version of dishes for pilaf is cast iron.This alloy is characterized by the ability to retain heat for a long time, it has a porous surface, as the dishes are used, it is soaked with oil and undergoes additional hardening.
How to choose a cast iron pot? First of all, it should be massive and heavy - metal weighs a lot, and the thicker the walls, the higher will be the mass of the product.
A good cast-iron cauldron has the shape of a hemisphere and allows you to prepare dishes with a multi-layered composition, providing optimal heat treatment for all ingredients. The food in it does not burn, languishes for a long time, gradually being saturated with bright, rich flavors and aromas. The thickness of the walls of a good cauldron made of cast iron should be more than 0.5 cm, for electric and induction stoves it is better to purchase models with a flat bottom.
But do not forget that durable metal is fragile under shock loads - dropping the capacity for pilaf, it can be split.
Aluminum cauldrons
Aluminum based alloys are also very popular in the manufacture of cauldrons. Cast metal containers have thick walls, are durable, weigh less than their cast-iron counterparts. Marching aluminum cauldrons look more like kettles and are most often produced by stamping. For aluminum cauldrons are characterized by higher requirements for the choice of temperature, in the absence of a special coating food can burn.
Inside such a container, as it is used, a special film is formed that prevents the oxidation process. But for a long time to store food in such a container should not be. Aluminum cauldrons are not suitable for use with induction hobs.
The applied non-stick coating helps to improve their properties, reduce the risks of food sticking.
Copper cauldrons
Copper cauldron, classic for the countries of the East, can be found today in China and India. Its production most often occurs manually - on an industrial scale such dishes are not made. Copper brazier has thinner walls, warms up faster. For pilaf and other dishes, this factor is not too good. But it is suitable for use as a container for the preparation of many meat dishes, poultry.
Cauldrons of steel
European manufacturers do not value cast iron as a material for making dishes. Most often, cauldrons here are made of stainless steel, coated with enamel or a special non-stick composition.
Premium products are covered with ceramic coating. Cauldrons of this type are similar to cast-iron ones only in form - in fact, this is a pan or a roaster used to extinguish in the oven. Often this solution is used as a duck.
How to choose the type of plate?
For a wood-burning and coal stove with top-mounted burners, a classic cauldron or a round bottom WOK is still the preferred option. Here, the intensity of heating can be adjusted by varying the number of planted rings. In addition, there are special wok adapters used on conventional open fire stoves.
But most often, in order to properly prepare pilaf or other types of dishes of Central Asian cuisine, it is enough just to purchase a special version of a cauldron. For the gas and electric stoves fit the most common option with a flat bottom. But for induction hobs, we select special models with a ferromagnetic alloy bottom.
Pig-iron and steel versions will suit; woks adapted for such a heating method are also available.
Manufacturers rating
Russia has its own manufacturers, producing high-quality and durable cauldrons. But still, products made in Central Asia are considered canonical, where this type of cookware is traditionally popular. When choosing and buying should pay attention to the name of the company - the most famous brands are increasingly forged. Production located in China is a compelling reason to refuse to purchase a cauldron, it is unlikely to be of high quality and durable.
Among the firms that deserve attention are the following.
- Kukmara. Russian nonsense from Tatarstan, producing woks and cauldrons from iron or aluminum casting. The products are characterized by a variety of sizes, medium volumes - from 4 to 12 liters, thick walls and excellent workmanship. The plant is well known in the CIS countries, product prices are average for the market. There are in the range and modern models with non-stick coating.
- Vari - Russian brand, which produces a series of LITTA: cast dishes with non-stick coating, which is applied by spraying. The company has a modern line of equipment to create a reliable and safe protective layer.
Products have the mass of advantages, including modern design, reasonable price.
- Mayer & boch - German manufacturer, producing cauldrons with a glass lid, as well as enameled models of cast iron. There are in stock and modern series of aluminum cauldrons with glass-ceramic coating. In the product range of cauldrons, pans, cauldrons, utyatnitsy, versions with a grid for cooking for a couple. Price range of products can be attributed to the budget category.
- Forester - Upeco products from Russia. A distinctive feature of the brand are branded cauldrons with lids-pans and Kazan-woks made of cast iron. The models are adapted for use on electric and gas stoves, open fire, durable, the price is slightly above average.
- "Kama dishes." The company produces predominantly cast-iron cauldrons with aluminum caps. The range includes products of different capacities, with a thick bottom and walls. Massive dishes look solid, serve a long time, produced by casting. But such cauldrons require preliminary preparation for operation, they are not cheap.
In addition, in the North Caucasus and in Tatarstan, you can find a lot of private industries, where cauldrons are created, focused on the proper preparation of oriental dishes. The price for them is often very low, but this factor does not affect the quality of the product.
For those who prefer cast iron cauldrons, options produced by a Russian manufacturer will be interesting. "Balezino", the Belarusian Polotsk plant. The production of high-quality dishes for pilaf is adjusted in Ukraine. Here the plant “Ecolit” stands out, producing products with a quality close to that shown by premium European brands.
If we talk about professional cooking, the leadership is held steadily by the cauldrons of French firms Le Creuset, Staub.
Tips for choosing cauldron, see the video below.
