Cooking vessels

[Geetha]

I got to know more about cooking after leaving India, I guess distance gives you a new perspective and some times a clearer one.

I wanted to share those ideas I've used to substitute for standard cooking methods I learnt from my area of origin.

Main theme to start with was does our mood tend to influence the kind of vessel or style of cooking for instance using a sauce pan inplace of a regular kadai or wok(other than due to lack clean ones)..

Often times I am looking for a different texture (might I call that a mood ) so I tend to use a certain vessel.

I put a list together on the kinds of cookwares

steamer yet to be used

Sauce pan

Pressure cooker

Dutch Oven

Tava or griddle

Baking (method rather than vessel)

Kadai (a recent favourite of mine )

give us all other[moods and vessels cookwares] you've had in the distant past too

maybe as a result of this I will know more about myself

Edited July 10, 2006 by Geetha (log)

[Geetha]

I realize too that methods might be a main part of discussion rather than cookware itself, but when it comes to sauce pans vs wok there seems a very little difference in method both can be used to stir fry.

I tend to gravitate to a vessel if not for months for a week or so and then I will change over to another kind of vessel and maybe using a sauce pan only if no other choice is a vailable

so I am thinking interms of vessels does anyone remember this occurring too often

[Milagai]

Have you had much experience or luck using

clay or stone vessels (kalchatti, mannchatti, etc.)?

I want to try, but each time I leave India I end

up deciding not to lug such a heavy and fragile object along,

Milagai

[Geetha]

Yes I would love to do that to think of the flavors it would infuse into food, it is worth trying to lug it despite the worse conditions of travel

I would love to try the small copper or brass (colored or actually made with them) vessels too it will help create good dining etiquette and portion control

I saw a mini kadai once in the stores and wondered what one can cook and I am still picturing it

[silentmeow]

I think there is definently a mood with cooking vessels. Sometimes I feel like long and slow, DO, stone, tagine, sandpot. Thats for days when everything centers around the kitchen! Electric skillet or SS for quicker meals. I definently cook by mood. I guess I never thought about that before this post. Interesting concept toward cooking. Thanks.

[Geetha]

I feel thereis much to know if you observer yourself in activity I was not going to go on indepth so I realize I just wanted to know some stories and outcomes, sometimes I've ended up discovering new recipes too so it is fun and useful I didn't give credit to my moods until now now I do

To me discovering is more of finding things new withing my own space not reflecting anything outside of it.. so I do these things to enjoy cooking when I repeat some ones process it is boring in time and excruciating but even if I am only changing the mode of cooking I will enjoy the process, I think I forget to look if it is done yet and instead watch the amazing changes in the food happening before me

Then again its all musings that is what mood is about it vanishes to nothing enjoy it while it lasts however you can