Cooking in clay for the first time
Soaking, slow heat and what not to do.
Seasoning a new iron kadai
Ours arrive seasoned, but here is how to keep them that way, or start from scratch.
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Notes from Annam Pathiram Kadai
Guides, care tips and stories from behind the counter.
Why your grandmother’s copper needed re-tinning
What the silver lining in a copper pot is, and when to renew it.
Iron, clay or copper: which vessel for which dish
A plain guide to matching the metal or the clay to what you cook most, from rasam to dosa to curd rice.
Getting your first crisp dosa on an iron tawa
Heat, a splash of water, onion on a fork and patience: how to make a new iron tawa release a dosa cleanly.
How we check a Manamadurai clay pot before it ships
Tap, soak, fill and wait overnight: the tests every clay pot goes through in our back room.
A vessel-buyer’s walk around the Masi streets
Brass lamps, bronze, iron and steel: what to look for in the streets around the Meenakshi temple, and when to go.
Does iron cookware turn food black?
Why some dishes darken in an iron kadai and others do not, and how to cook in iron without the metallic taste.
Why a hand-forged kadai costs ₹1,450
Steel sheet, the smith’s hours, our seasoning and the weight in your hand: what you pay for in an iron kadai.
Buying a pongal pot for Thai Pongal
Clay or brass, size, and when to buy: a short guide to the pot at the centre of the harvest festival.
Re-tinning, seasoning tips and new stock.
One WhatsApp message a fortnight from the shop.