The kadai is a champion of the kitchen. It is one cookware that can help you cook many delicious Indian dishes. Without it, no Indian kitchen is complete. Whether you are a beginner or a pro at cooking, a high-quality kadai is an essential item. Read on to learn more about kadais and how they complement Indian recipes.
What is a Kadai and is it the same as the Wok?
The kadai is a flat-bottomed, deep cookware with steep sloping sides. Its design allows you to simmer food or deep fry without any hassles. A good kadai adds versatility to your kitchen, as Indian cooking involves boiling, deep-frying, stir-frying, stewing, etc.
Many of us, especially those who are new to cooking, get confused between the wok and the kadai. The kadai is mostly used in the sub-continent and is similar to a wok. However, the kadai has a wide bottom, steep sides, and a flat base. This design helps accumulate high heat at the bottom or the centre, and provides ample space to stir-fry or deep-fry foods.
Benefits of Kadai
The kadai, especially the triply, non-stick and hybrid stick-resistant kadais have many advantages. Read on to learn some of them.
- Uses Less Oil: While the stianless steel triply kadai needs some amount of oil, the non-stick and hybrid stick-resistant kadais can cook foods in practically no oil. These cookware are thus essential for your health goals..
- Easy to Clean: One of the things that people dislike about cooking food is cleaning. But when you choose the right materials and brands, they offer smooth surfaces with stick-resistant properties. This makes cleaning and maintaining them easier. Some brands, like Stahl, make dishwasher-safe kadais too, which makes cleaning a breeze.
- Stylish Design: The latest kadais available in the market come in stylish and innovative designs that not only make cooking convenient but also add to the kitchen’s aesthetic appeal.
How to Choose a Kadai
Consider the following when choosing a kadai for your kitchen:
- Material: Kadais are made of many materials, like cast iron, triply stainless steel, and non-stick. You can choose among these based on your lifestyle and preferences. Opt for a cast iron if you are used to cooking in them, triply stainless steel if you want durable and stylish cookware or non-stick for oil-less cooking.
- Size: When you are picking a kadai, you should consider its size too. Kadais are available in sizes ranging from 1L and can go up to 12L or more. Depending on the size of your family, cooking style and your requirements you can choose the best size. It does not hurt to have more than 1 kadai at home, as it is multifunctional.
- Thickness: Another factor to consider is the thickness. Depending on its use, choose a thick base or a thin one. For general use, opt for a thinner base kadai, and for deep-frying choose a thick base.
- Handle: Make sure that the kadai you buy has a heat-proof handle. This will help you handle the cookware with ease while cooking. Also, pay attention to the shape of the handle. An ergonomically designed handle ensures easy handling.
- Price: The kadai price is dependent on the finish, size, and material. Choose a high-quality brand even if the price is a little high as it can last for many years.
Whatever the shape, material, or size of kadai you buy, consider the above factors to pick the best choice based on your lifestyle and requirements.
