Our ancestors cooked their food either directly over the fire or using clay pots. With advances in technology, we have developed much better devices, and in doing so, we have also lost the true taste and nutrients of food.
People in South Asia specifically use clay pots to cook Indian foods. These pots are called ‘Meti Handi’ according to the people of Odisha and the secret behind the delicious taste is not the recipe but actually the clay pots in which the food is cooked.
So how do clay pots develop the taste of food when cooking Indian style? Yes, ok, preparing food in clay pots can be time consuming, but the food is definitely much richer in flavor and nutrients.
Let’s discuss some of the benefits of cooking in a clay pot.
Naturally sugar foods
Some meals require sweeteners to develop the desired flavors. For example, in cooking meat, potatoes, fish and rice, the sweetener helps soften the meat and reduces caloric intake.
This is the main reason why herbal teas and normal teas are still boiled in clay pots because they improve the taste by using the natural constituents of clay rather than steel or metal utensils.
Preserve Nutrients
Clay pots for Indian cooking maintain the temperature and humidity of food by preventing steam from evaporating. The essence of food is preserved with the natural element of clay. It absorbs heat and provides the optimum environment for the process.
Not responsive
The steel and aluminum utensils that we use today dissolve in our food during cooking and are dangerous for our health because they cause diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Clay is a naturally existing material that does not contain any harmful materials. A clay pot, as you would expect, is inert in nature and does not react with food components.
Slow cooked
Experts say that by cooking food over low heat, the nutrients in the meal are properly extracted, and it’s a vital step in flavor production. It takes time to cook, but a wise man once said that the fruit of patience is sweet. Clay pots are great utensils that can be used for this purpose without burning the food.
Keep food warm
Clay, by design, is an element capable of retaining heat. This ensures that food is kept warm for hours. And there would be no need to continuously reheat your food in the microwave. Microwave radiation could make food radioactive and harmful to your health instead of benefiting it.
Conclusion
We should use clay pots in our daily routine to cook healthy food full of nutrients and taste instead of using dangerous aluminum utensils. Clay pots have various benefits besides retaining heat and flavor, as they also contribute to the aesthetics of the kitchen.
