We can all feel that the Indian summer is coming on to us, and in the heart of Indian kitchens, there is a natural shift towards practices that offer cooling and comfort. The rising heat outside has a really quiet but powerful effect on the way we cook, what we eat, what we cook in, and how we cook it. This is a secret that every grandmother in India knows: before the refrigerators lined up in every kitchen and pressure cookers took up space in the cupboards, there were the clay pots. However, with more and more people looking for ways to eat healthier and live more in sync with the seasons, the clay pots are making a comeback in Indian kitchens, and we are here for it.

The Indian Kitchen Has Always Been Rooted in Clay

Even before the modern cookware arrived, clay has been the backbone of Indian cooking. From the tandoors of the North to the earthen vessels of Kerala's Malabar coast, clay cookware has shaped the flavor, aroma, and nutrition of Indian food for thousands of years. The absorbent properties of clay allow’s heat and moisture to circulate gently and evenly, helping preserve the natural minerals and nutrients of the food being cooked in a clay pot. Unlike metal pots that cook food fast and hot, clay works slowly, which, in the Indian culinary tradition, slow cooking is not a limitation, but it is seen as a craft. 

If you are looking for handmade clay cookware online in India, you are joining a growing number of home cooks who have rediscovered what their ancestors understood intuitively, that the vessel matters as much as the recipe. 

The Magic of Clay in the Indian Summer

With the rising temperatures and the Indian summer sneaking in, the body has a natural desire to find cooling,  light, and easy-to-digest dishes. Foods cooked in clay pots have a cooling effect on the body, which is in perfect harmony with the science of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian way of cooking. Water kept in clay pots remains cool even during the peak summer months, and the food cooked in clay pots absorbs the minerals from the clay that help in digestion. When you cook your summer dal, sambar, or rice in a clay pot, you are giving your family not only a tasty meal but also an easy-to-digest one. This is one of the reasons why handmade clay pots have become so popular in India in the past few years.

Moreover, the alkalinity of handmade clay cookware from India serves as a natural shield against the acidity that tends to break out during the hot months. When you compare a Clay pot vs pressure cooker, you will realize that the pressure cooker tends to retain high-heat acidity in the food, while the earthen pot reduces the acidity. This is why many people are now giving importance to clay cookware in India for their cooking requirements. At the end of the Clay pot vs pressure cooker comparison, it can be said that clay cookware provides a holistic cooling solution that metal cookware cannot provide. When you buy Handmade clay cookware online in India, you are bringing the natural cooling wisdom of the earth into your home, and the transition from modern to ancient.

Healthy Cooking Begins with the Right Pot

Healthy cooking also involves the use of the right cooking pot. Some cooking pots are known to introduce unhealthy elements into the food being cooked. Non-stick cooking pots have been known to contain unhealthy chemicals, while aluminium pots have long been doubted for their health effects when used for a long period of time. 

On the other hand, clay pots are 100% natural and completely healthy, making them the best choice for a non-toxic home. Craftsman India's clay cookware is made traditionally by expert craftsmen, ensuring that there is no added color, binding agent, or toxic chemical coating. When you opt for Handmade clay cookware online in India, you can be sure that what goes inside the vessel is what comes out: pure, natural, and healthy food.

One of the most important benefits of the Clay pot vs pressure cooker showdown is the chemical reaction with your ingredients. Since clay is naturally alkaline, it goes perfectly well with the acidity of most Indian recipes, like tamarind-based sauces or tomato-based curries, to neutralize the pH of the food. This makes your summer meals much easier on the stomach compared to the highly acidic environment created in a metal container.

Clay Pot vs Pressure Cooker

In the hustle and bustle of modern living, the pressure cooker has undoubtedly taken its rightful place as the king of the kitchen. But as we all move towards a more conscious and health-focused lifestyle, the Clay pot vs pressure cooker debate has taken center stage in the world of culinary trends.

Although both the Clay pot and the pressure cooker have their uses in a practical household, they are worlds apart when it comes to their end uses in the realms of health and nutrition. It is imperative to understand the subtleties of the Clay pot vs pressure cooker debate. The understanding of the clay pot vs pressure cooker can be summed up into three aspects: speed, nutrition, and flavor. Although the pressure cooker uses high-pressure steam to force the food to cook quickly, it does so at the cost of micronutrients. 

The process of cooking in the clay pot is a slow process, which helps retain the flavors and values of the ingredients. In the debate of clay pot vs pressure cooker, the clay pot is far superior in terms of flavor. The walls of the clay pot help the food breathe, which releases a slow steam and locks the moisture of the ingredients without making them mushy. The cooking process in a clay pot is slow, and this allows the food to develop flavors that a pressure cooker can never offer. Many professional chefs use both cookware alternatives in their kitchens, but the average Indian is likely to choose the clay pot on the weekends or during summer when cooling and nutritional values are of utmost importance, and the pressure cooker on weekdays when speed is of utmost importance. If you are planning to give your immune system a boost this summer, the first step to a toxin-free kitchen is to opt for handmade clay cookware over a pressure cooker.

Bringing Handmade Clay Cookware Into the Modern Kitchen

One of the most common misconceptions and the hesitation that people have about clay cookware is the belief that it is fragile, high-maintenance, or difficult to use in a modern kitchen. However, the truth is far from this. With simple maintenance, seasoning before the first use, and gentle cleaning with water and a soft brush, and proper drying before storage, a clay pot can last for years and actually gets better with time as it absorbs the flavors of your cooking. Craftsman India offers a variety of handmade clay cookware online in India for real home kitchens, from rice pots to kadais and Biryani Handi. Even if you are buying for the first time or even trying to rebuild your kitchen or making healthy choices this summer, beginning with Craftsman India's handmade clay cookware will be a major improvement that you can make for your and your family’s health. 

Making the Right Choice 

Where to Buy Handmade Clay Cookware Online in India? When you make the decision to switch from a Clay pot vs pressure cooker, the first thing that matters is that you get the right, lead-free cookware. So, where to buy handmade clay cookware online in India is a choice that will enable you to avoid the factory-made, chemical-glazed cookware that is common in most hardware stores. At Craftsman India Online, we ensure that choosing handmade clay cookware is easy and straightforward, with clear explanations of our "Deep Burned" process. 

Before you complete your purchase of handmade clay cookware online from India, think about your own needs in the kitchen. Do you need a large Handi for slow-cooked stews, or a large Kadai for sautéed vegetables, or a Kerala Meen Chatti to make that creamy fish curry? When you choose Handmade clay cookware, you know that you are getting a product that has been seasoned with love and produced by artisans who understand the complex relationship between the Clay pot vs pressure cooker. Buying handmade clay cookware online in India from Craftsman India will ensure that you get a top-quality, eco-friendly product right at your doorstep, ready to change your summer cooking.

This summer, let your kitchen breathe

This summer lets move away from the hiss, whistle, and rumbles of the pressure cooker and take it slow. You will understand that the most advanced technology that is used for the body comes directly from our traditions. The debate of the clay pot vs pressure cooker ends where the delicious, mineral-rich taste of slow-cooked food begins. Experience the difference of handmade clay cookware, and that, the return to clay is the return to our roots.