Kalachatti / Stoneware / Stone vessel In South India

I am writing this article thinking that I can share the informations what I know about Kalachatti,    which is also known as stoneware.   We all know about kalachatti and its benefits and uses. Once upon a time,  it was popular in our villages cooking foods in kalchattis.  In every home in our villages,  there had at least 2 to 3 kalachattis as common, but when the modern kitchenwares came into our homes, all the old vessels disappeared and we  thrown them into the garbage, kalachatti also disappeared along with this, but in old days, it was very common, used to cook foods in kalachattis, especially in South India.

Natural stoneware/kalchatti/stone vessel

Kalachatti is a stone vessel, it is made by a special kind of stone, known as soapstone by rural artisans in remote villages in South India. They are making this kalachatti traditionally for generations with selected soapstones collected from remote villages.  The old generations are only involved in making kalachattis now. The new gen peoples are not interested to do this work. The all work related to kalachatti is doing by hand, so the artisan needed more care, patience and efficiency to do this work. The procurement  of the soapstone is very difficult and expensive due to the availability of the soapstone is less, so kalachatti making is not profitable now.

Natural stoneware/kalachatti/stone vessel

It is very delicious and tasty by cooking foods in kalachatti and keeping its flavor for longtime. The main feature of kalachatti is it retains its heat for longtime and keep foods as hot more time and keeping its freshness. Because of natural origin, when cooking the foods in kalachatti, we are getting many types of micro nutrients and minerals directly from this vessell naturally.

Natural stoneware/kalachatti/stone vessel

We can use kalachattis for cooking variety of foods like sambar, rasam, curd curries, pickles, fish curries and many more.

Natural stoneware/kalachatti/stone vessel

The above stone vessel specially designed  to prepare fish curry,  chicken curry, other meat curries etc, but you can cook any item in it that is your choice.

Natural stoneware/kalchatti/stone vessel

Appa chatti or paniyaram pan is another variety stone vessel for making unniyappam or paniyaram.

Natural stoneware/kalachatti/stone vessel

Stone dosa pan is specially designed for making dosa cooking in natural way for delicious, tasty dosas.  Enjoy the taste by using the vessel.

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Clay Pots with New Style

Old pots in new style with beautiful designs and perfect shapes.  These are available in different sizes for different uses.  Round handi for cooking curries,  keeping curd, etc... 

Round Handi Set with handle

 

Casserole

Casserole for keeping foods hot for long time.


Rice pot for cooking rice with natural taste.
                                                                 

Rice Pot with handle

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How To Make Clay Pots By using Pot Making Machine

As I wrote earlier, the potters are making clay pots by using their potters' wheel as well, but in these modern days, as a result of research and development of modern technology, the potters are also using advanced machines for making clay pots instead of using their old potters' wheel. 

Molds and dyes are widely using for making pots.  The potters can make clay pots very easily and very fast with perfect shape and fine finish in all types of clay pots and make all types of clay products as very perfect like ceramic wares.  Potters can save their time and energy and minimum loss of breakage as well as they can increase their production.    So because of this, they can develop new designs and use new ideas in the production of clay pots and can make variety of products according to the market trends.

 

 

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How To Make Clay Pots

In our villages, numerous potters and their families involved in activities of making clay pots with very efficiently in traditional way.  They are masters of their own profession. They shape and create their lives and desires in clay.  These potters are practicing this craftsmanship through their generations. They involve in this pottery work for their living.  The new generations of these potters are not coming in this field as before.

 

The raw material used to make the pot is clay, which is mainly seen in the river banks and certain other places.  To collect the clay is not easy.  After procuring the clay, the potter cleans the clay thoroughly and grinds well.  The clay then kneads into dough and makes the dough into balls or rolls. Now the clay is ready to make the pots.

   

The potter then rotates the potter's wheel at a constant speed and place the ball of dough in the middle of the wheel. The rotation of the wheel helps the dough to come up smoothly.  By using that dough, the potter shapes it and creates beautiful vessels from it according to the customer's desire.  After obtaining the desired shape, the potter removes it by a cut beneath the vessel by using a thread and takes it away from the wheel very carefully, then place it under the shade.  At that time, the bottom portion of the pot will be partially open.  The potter joins together the bottom portion of the pot completely using by his special tool and after getting the correct shape and finish, allow it to dry.  The dried pot then put into the furnace and fire it thoroughly.  The fired pot allows to cool in few hours.  After cooling the pot will be hard and ready to use.

 

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How To Clean Clay Pots

It is easy to clean clay pots by using coconut fiber or sponge scrubber. We can clean the clay pots by using firewood ash. We can also use gram flour or besan powder to clean as it remove oil from clay pots. 

 

It is better to avoid using detergent powder, detergent soap or other chemical formulations for cleaning the clay utensils.  It is better to avoid using metallic scrubber for cleaning the mud pots as there may be a chance to scratch. 

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How To Use Clay Pots For Cooking

It should be soaked into the water at least 24 hours before using it.  We can use mild hot water or rice water.  For the first time, it is compulsory, otherwise, there may be a chance to CRACK it.

As we do like this every time after cooking the clay pot 1 or 2 hours, will increase the durability of the cookware.  After soaking the cookware, allow it to dry.  Never put it into the stove directly, it may crack. When it completely dry, it will be hard.  Now it is ready for cooking.

Now we can gently put the clay cookware into the stove. Turn on the stove burner.  Start to cook in low flame, slowly increase the flame as needed.  Never put the clay pot in full flame at the beginning of cooking.   Prefer to use wooden spoons while cooking.  Do not use metallic spoons in clay pots.




 

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Benefits of Using Earthen Pots or Clay pots

Benefits of using earthen pots for cooking, they maintain natural taste and quality of food without losing any nutritious elements, such as essential minerals and micronutrients. Because of its alkaline nature, it regulates the acidity and makes food healthier.   We can keep food longtime without losing the heat.  We can use it both in gas stove or in induction cooker.

Benefits of using clay pots for drinking water, water gets cooler and taste good. When it drinks, feel more freshness.

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