[Aroy]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

As we discuss and share all kind of topics and knowledge under the sun in this wonderful forum, I thought of putting this query here.

We want to get rid of all non-stick or coated cooking pans, pots, etc and replace them with something safer.

Is going the stainless steel way a right thing to do? Or should we look at more exotic stuff like, copper and all. I heard copper and brass utensils will have some limitations plus additional maintenance.

Hence thinking of stainless steel.

In almost all 4/5 star hotels I see stainless steel pans and pots and also celebrity chefs can be seen using the same.

Which brand to go for if going for SS? There are multiple options on internet and in stores but I have no clue as to why there is a huge price difference (from 1k to 6k for same size pan).

Mods: Starting a new thread as I think this could be a question for many and the Gurus can share knowledge for common good.

If the topic not found worthy of a new thread, then please merge it with the "cooking" thread. Thanks!

The pots and pans used in most high end hotel are thick walled stainless steel, in most cases they are of sandwich material. They tend to be extremely expensive and of course heavy. Best used for boiling and curries. Frying pans are usually cast iron.

To give an example a non-stick 10 inch frying pan made of aluminum will weigh less than a kilo. The same sized pan of cast iron will top 3 kilos, the stainless steel one will be even heavier as it has to be thicker. Further a stainless steel frying pan will never be non stick and you will have to use a lot of oil to prevent food sticking. 10 to 12L cast iron pots used in western cookinh can be upwards of 10 kilos in weight.

Stainless steel is quite safe, but has very low thermal conductivity, hence there are "Hot Spots". Further steel is some 3 times denser than Aluminum, so pots of same thickness as Aluminum will be three times as heavy, and as steel/iron pots have to be thicker to spread heat evenly, they tend too be even heavier.

The alternatives are
. Cast Iron - been there for ages and quite popular for frying pans and casseroles - normally 4 to 6mm thick.
. Sandwich material - usually SS-Cu-SS. Better thermal characteristics compared to bare SS.
. Mild steel used extensively in India for Kadahi, Tawa and Tadka pans - normally 3 to 6mm thick depending on size..

We use Aluminum pots of various sizes - starting with small 2L milk pans to huge 20 inch diameter 12 inch high for Biryani, and 6 sizes in between. Aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity and is light. The only precaution is not to let very acidic food remain in the pots post cooking.

We also have a couple of ceramic coated cast iron frying pans. Once you season the pans properly, they are better than Teflon coated pans, as the food does not stick, but at the same time it does not slide around, there is just enough friction to keep dosas and omelettes in place without sticking.

Bare Copper pots are unsafe for cooking, hence they are coated with zinc alloy, which has to be refreshed regularly. I remember the guys doing this making regular round during our childhood. Now a days practically no one cooks in copper pots, hence this service is not available easily.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

We want to get rid of all non-stick or coated cooking pans, pots, etc and replace them with something safer.

Is going the stainless steel way a right thing to do? Or should we look at more exotic stuff like, copper and all. I heard copper and brass utensils will have some limitations plus additional maintenance.

I am no expert or a good cook. But I try stuff at home and cooked for small parties. You need different vessels for each type of cooking. I prefer cast iron, but some recipes with tomatoes are not suited. For that I use enamel coated cast iron. For high heat searing and gravy, I use steel. High quality non stick for low heat, sticky type cooking.

My go to cookware is Lodge for Cast Iron, Le Crueset for enamel coated pots and All-Clad triple layer stainless less steel. All these are expensive items and for the average home cook, will last generations.

The quality is in the manufacturing process and location. All-Clad and Lodge is US made and Le Crueset is made in France.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

....

In almost all 4/5 star hotels I see stainless steel pans and pots and also celebrity chefs can be seen using the same.

Which brand to go for if going for SS?

Originally Posted by Aroy

The pots and pans used in most high end hotel are thick walled stainless steel, in most cases they are of sandwich material. They tend to be extremely expensive and of course heavy.

Heavy, yes, but not absurdly expensive if one can find a place to source them. I get mine from the Russell Market area in Bangalore, and plenty of hotel staff can be seen buying their equipment there. Don't remember the exact store but there's a bunch of them together right next to the market site.

Here's a picture of my 5 litre pot and shallow pan (ignore the spaghetti). Thick walled and bottomed like you say, fabulous quality and cost in the same ballpark as regular mid-range branded kitchenware (Prestige and the likes). Lids are available separately and most utensils have a standard rim diameter so interchangeable too.

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Safest are the clay pots or matka as they are called. They take longer to cook the food but maintain the nutrition levels of the vegetables and pulses. Added bonus is the food turns out to be flavorful.

Clay pots are not practical for daily use.

Originally Posted by Aroy

Stainless steel is quite safe, but has very low thermal conductivity, hence there are "Hot Spots". Further steel is some 3 times denser than Aluminum, so pots of same thickness as Aluminum will be three times as heavy, and as steel/iron pots have to be thicker to spread heat evenly, they tend too be even heavier.

Thanks for the technical details. We do have some Aluminum stuff but it lacks in that "non-sticking" factor of SS.

Originally Posted by Aroy

The alternatives are
. Cast Iron - been there for ages and quite popular for frying pans and casseroles - normally 4 to 6mm thick.
. Sandwich material - usually SS-Cu-SS. Better thermal characteristics compared to bare SS.
. Mild steel used extensively in India for Kadahi, Tawa and Tadka pans - normally 3 to 6mm thick depending on size..

My concern with CI/MS is rusting (especially in case of frying pans). I have seen some "Kadahi" developing rust which sometimes goes unnoticed.

Originally Posted by Aroy

We use Aluminum pots of various sizes - starting with small 2L milk pans to huge 20 inch diameter 12 inch high for Biryani, and 6 sizes in between. Aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity and is light. The only precaution is not to let very acidic food remain in the pots post cooking.

Thanks again, will keep this in mind.

Originally Posted by Aroy

We also have a couple of ceramic coated cast iron frying pans. Once you season the pans properly, they are better than Teflon coated pans, as the food does not stick, but at the same time it does not slide around, there is just enough friction to keep dosas and omelettes in place without sticking.

I want to avoid all kinds of coating.

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

I am no expert or a good cook. But I try stuff at home and cooked for small parties. You need different vessels for each type of cooking. I prefer cast iron, but some recipes with tomatoes are not suited. For that I use enamel coated cast iron. For high heat searing and gravy, I use steel. High quality non stick for low heat, sticky type cooking.

My go to cookware is Lodge for Cast Iron, Le Crueset for enamel coated pots and All-Clad triple layer stainless less steel. All these are expensive items and for the average home cook, will last generations.

The quality is in the manufacturing process and location. All-Clad and Lodge is US made and Le Crueset is made in France.

Thanks, will check the range at Lodge.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Heavy, yes, but not absurdly expensive if one can find a place to source them. I get mine from the Russell Market area in Bangalore, and plenty of hotel staff can be seen buying their equipment there. Don't remember the exact store but there's a bunch of them together right next to the market site.

Thanks a lot. I am in Bangalore next month and will visit this place.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Here's a picture of my 5 litre pot and shallow pan (ignore the spaghetti).

Too tempting to ignore.

[Aroy]

Rust on Cast Iron and steel is not much of a problem, if you use and scrub regularly. For utensils used occasionally a light coating of oil and a rinse in hot water before storage inhibits the rust.

Ceramic coating of cast iron pots is an old and mature technology, and ceramic is inert to all house hold materials. The only shortcoming of ceramic coating is the heat range and it is not advisable to use ceramic coated utensils above 300 degrees centigrade heat - that is on open wood/coal fire. For that non coated cast iron is the best.

From my limited personal knowledge best coated cast iron available in India is Le Creuset (France) followed by Lava (Turkey with French technology). For uncoated Alda or Lodge.

Ceramic coated cast iron is a pretty complicated technology and if not manufactured proprly will result in cracks (hence rust). Though a lot of coated cast iron pots are made in China, their quality control is pretty bad, so you may get an excellent piece once and a dud the next time.

I have been following various arguments against aluminum, especially in west, but find nothing really tangible against it. In fact most of the caterers and households use aluminum for day to day cooking without any adverse results. In fact majority of pressure cookers sold in India are aluminum.

The reason West is turning away from aluminum and going for stainless steel has more to do with SS being dishwasher and induction cooker friendly . Dishwashers are not that efficient with aluminum and induction cooking does not work with non ferrous materials. Another consideration is that normal dishwashers cannot accommodate large pots which have to be cleaned by hand.

[archat68]

I have used aluminum utensils in a dishwasher with mixed results. While some of the utensils do turn black some do not turn black and remains pretty shiny. I'm unable to figure out the reason. One theory I devised is that often aluminum is recycled and the utensils which have purer aluminum content remains shiny (or do not turn black).

Can anyone share their experience with aluminum utensil like kadhai in a dishwasher? I've tried several stainless steel kadhai but they tend to get overheated/spot heated if the heat is not very carefully controlled. Aluminum is a blessing in these situation.

[Ford_madhan]

anyone tried OPOS method cooking? what are your thoughts?

[rohitoasis]

Originally Posted by Ford_madhan

anyone tried OPOS method cooking? what are your thoughts?

Refer previous Post #1759 onwards on the discussion on this subject.

[green_ninja]

Any of you TBHP master chefs use tinned/canned beans? What is your opinion and favorite brand?

[Samurai]

Wanted to share this little bit of trivia I got from my mother. Living in a coastal village, she first encountered a tomato in her mid 20s. In the early 60s, her younger sister's highschool got a new teacher for agriculture. Yeah, I know, that was another surprise for me. They had agriculture class where they had to learn proper farming, the school even had a farm for vegetables and paddy growing. Anyway, the new teacher brought tomato seeds from Bangalore and made the students grow it. Upon harvesting, every student got to take this exotic fruit/vegetable home for sampling and tasting.

That's how my mom and my grandparents first saw a tomato, and started growing it in the backyard. Eventually, they learned to cook with tomato as an alternative for tamarind.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

....I get mine from the Russell Market area in Bangalore, and plenty of hotel staff can be seen buying their equipment there. Don't remember the exact store but there's a bunch of them together right next to the market site.

Adams & Company

19, Richards Square, MF Norrona Street, Shivajinagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560051
Phone: 080 2559 2441

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by Ford_madhan

anyone tried OPOS method cooking? what are your thoughts?

Originally Posted by procrj

Anyone here tried the OPOS method of cooking food? My wife & I have been doing this over the last few years and has worked very well for us. More details here:
http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-sty...le24021855.ece

Hello OPOS family,


I'm a recent convert and life couldn't be better. As a startup guy working late hours who has hated microwaved food, OPOS is a blessing for a ketoer like me - my maid cuts the veggies and i just cook it. Food taste is predictably yum every single time and it literally gets ready in ten minutes.


A whole bunch of friends across India and USA are now OPOSing veg and non veg dishes. it has inspired other male relatives to take up cooking. This is truly a movement and has changed the lives of millions. I'm surprised it hasn't caught on as much here - even as we have enough enthu cooks of the traditional style here!


Further - as most of us are men, learning OPOS is a way of truly helping out with the family and our wives! Everyone should OPOS in 2019. I have even heard of a few college kids overseas who do!

[carboy]

Has anyone tried making Pooris with Jowar ka Atta instead of Whole Wheat Atta?

How does it taste? Is it difficult to make as compared to regular pooris?

[condor]

Does anyone have the recipe for Gongura flower pickle ?

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Hello OPOS family,


I'm a recent convert and life couldn't be better. As a startup guy working late hours who has hated microwaved food, OPOS is a blessing for a ketoer like me - my maid cuts the veggies and i just cook it. Food taste is predictably yum every single time and it literally gets ready in ten minutes.


A whole bunch of friends across India and USA are now OPOSing veg and non veg dishes. it has inspired other male relatives to take up cooking. This is truly a movement and has changed the lives of millions. I'm surprised it hasn't caught on as much here - even as we have enough enthu cooks of the traditional style here!


Further - as most of us are men, learning OPOS is a way of truly helping out with the family and our wives! Everyone should OPOS in 2019. I have even heard of a few college kids overseas who do!

My wife is big on it as well. Also bit active on the FB page.
However it's not for me.
I am more of an impulsive cook who improvises on the way. I never follow a recipe but let the aromas lead me to the dish.

OPOSing kills the fun in cooking for me.

Yeah but for those who need to do it daily, OPOS is a great time saver and dishes tastes well too.