Everybody loves to enjoy those deep-fried delicacies, including bhaturas, pakora or samosa. Ignite your taste bud while leaving your belly and mind satiated. But all these deep-fried delicacies require a Kadai. It helps to ensure optimum frying to your recipe that provides a perfect taste, precise texture and colour. A Kadai is one of the most reliable cooking companions in your kitchen.
Best Kadais in India: Authentic and Durable Cookware for Traditional Indian Cuisine
The best Kadais in India can help you unleash your cooking skills while showcasing your deep-frying and stir-frying techniques. It allows you to prepare healthy meals that are fried precisely without compromising your taste buds. To know everything about the best Kadai, give this article a read.
1. Hawkins Futura Non-stick Kadai
You can use Hawkins Futura Non-stick Kadai on both gas and induction. The cooking surface of this Kadai consists of any unique, high-quality non-stick coating. It allows you to cook by using less oil. Moreover, the extra thick heavy gauge present on the Kadai helps to cook food evenly. The curved sides are ideal for stir-frying and deep-frying. The strong handles offer you convenience during your cooking task. It is designed to stay cool and would not come off easily.
Due to its features and premium look, you can consider it one of the best Kadai in India. It ensures quick cooking. You would not have to worry about the hard-anodized material as it gets spoiled even on high heat. You can also avail yourself of the stainless steel lid with this Kadai for your convenience.
Pros
- You can get the non-stick advantages
- Suitable for cooking sticky food items
- Long-lasting and durable
- Offers uniform heat retention
- Ergonomic design
- Allows compatibility both with induction cooktops and gas stove
Cons
- Dishwasher resistant
2. Prestige Omega Deluxe Granite Kadai
Prestige Omega Deluxe Granite Kadai is one of the best Kadai in India. It uses German technology. The comes with five non-stick layer coating and sturdy handles. This specification allows the user to handle this Kadai easily. Moreover, you can also get a lid with this model that can help you go for steaming or frying without losing your food’s original flavour. The trendy non-stick Kadai by Prestige is also dishwasher friendly.
Moreover, the outer body of this cookware is made of high-quality aluminium. It helps to extend the durability of the product.
Pros
- Five-layer coating ensures a healthier cooking experience
- It provides a stain-free interior
- The granite finish enhances kitchen aesthetics
- The outer coating offers convenient cleaning
- The presence of a glass lid adds up to the convenience
- Dishwasher safe
- It has two years of warranty
Cons
- It needs proper attention as it tends to heat easily
3. Vinod Platinum Triply Stainless Steel Kadai
The triple-layered technology of Vinod Platinum Triply Stainless Steel Kadai makes it the best Kadai in India. The first layer on the inner surface of the Kadai comes with 18-8 stainless steel material. It ensures safe and healthy cooking. The second layer is made of aluminium for office uniform heating. It helps to keep food warm for a long duration while enhancing the process of cooking. You will face lesser chances of getting burnt food. At the same time, the third layer comes with SS 430 magnetic stainless steel. It is what makes the Kadai both induction and gas compatible.
Overall this Kadai offers convenience and durability. You can consider this as one of the great healthy cooking options. The platinum effect of this Kadai increases the elegance.
Pros
- Easy to maintain and clean
- Requires less amount of oil during cooking
- Sturdy handles
- Minimum sticking and burning of food
- Offers healthy cooking
- Rust free
Cons
- Handles are not heat resistant
- Heavy
- Expensive
Buying Guide for Best Kadai in India
One must consider certain factors before purchasing your Kadai.
Material
Each of the materials has its advantages and disadvantages. Before you indulge in one, you should check for the material. You must buy a Kadai that serves your cooking requirements.
Size
You must buy the Kadai depending on the size of your family. You need a Kadai with a volume of nearly 2.5 litres and a diameter of 26 CM if you have 4 to 5 members in your home. But if you have a family of 1 to 2 members, you need a Kadai consisting of 1 to 1.5 litres with a diameter of 16 to 22 CM.
Budget
The pricing of the Kadais depends upon the brand, quality and material. A good brand will provide you with durable products under a better warranty period.
Handle
You must check that the handle should not heat up while you are cooking. Either you will get two short handles or one long one. Buy one according to your convenience.
Stovetops
Make sure that you purchase a Kadai that is both induction and gas compatible.
Thickness
Kadai is mainly used for cooking deep fry food. Thickness, along with width and depth, plays a major role in providing you with welcome food. Consider Kadai that have optimal width, thickness and depth.
Weight
If you are into a frequent flip and toss with your ingredients during cooking, you must buy a lightweight Kadai. They are also easy to maintain.
Warranty
It is one of the crucial elements that you must look for before buying. If your Kadai comes with any kind of issues, you should be able to replace it. In general, the brand offers at least two years 25 years of warranty on the Kadai.
Apart from these, you must also consider a Kadai that offers you a better grip and convenience of use. Buy one that would be easier to maintain and comes with cooking friendly features.
Types of Kadai
The material of the Kadai plays an important role. It impacts directly on your health. You will find various materials, including stainless steel, aluminium, cast iron and copper. You can also find Kadai that is manufactured with a combination of these materials. Each of these materials is suited for specific cooking techniques. A lot of you may be confused about which material you should go for. Here are the factors on which you should make your consideration.
Stainless steel kadai
It is one of the durable and versatile materials. It can cook every kind of food. You can use it for daily use. It is non-toxic.
Advantages
- Resistant to corrosion and rust
- Dent free and scratch-free
- Dishwasher safe
- Non-reactive
- Easy to maintain
- Open friendly
- Does not observe any food flavour
Disadvantages
- Food may stick
- Heavyweight
- Any kind of burnt stains difficult to clean
Cast iron cookware
Iron is also a very good conductor of heat. It can be used on the oven, broiler, open flames and stovetop. You need to season it properly to prevent rusting.
Advantages
- Provides nutritious food
- Evenly cooked food
- Durable
- Affordable
- Returns the heat well
Disadvantages
- Heats up slowly
- It takes time to cool down
- Highly reactive to food containing acids
- Heavy
- Rust prone
Aluminium
It is one of the lightweight metals that comes in two types. The regular aluminium reacts to acidic food and is lightweight, whereas the anodized aluminium is scratch-free, durable and sturdy. Those made of anodized aluminium are better and more expensive than the regular ones.
Advantages
- Affordable
- Distributes heat evenly
- Good conductor of heat
- Suitable for baking, searing and sauteing
- Lightweight
Disadvantages
- Requires careful cleaning
- Reacts to acidic food
- Not induction friendly
Copper
As you know, copper is known to be the best conductor of electricity and heat. It is oven friendly. You can work with copper Kadai on a broiler or stovetop. These are good for steaming and sauteing. They need frequent polishing to provide shine and colour.
Advantages
- Retains heat
- Cooks food evenly
- Elegant look
- Cools down quickly
Disadvantages
- Reacts to acidic food
- Expensive
- Not compatible with induction
- Requires polishing
- Sometimes food offers a metallic taste
Non-stick
If you are looking for a Kadai for cooking perfect Pan-fried dishes, you must go for the non-stick ones. It helps to cook your food efficiently without getting it stuck on the bottom. It uses very little oil for cooking. They are long-lasting, durable and heat resistant.
Advantages
- Oil-free cooking
- Non-porous
- Food doesn’t stick
- Washing requires no effort
- Easy to use
Disadvantages
- Cannot withstand high heat
- Wooden ladle required
- Scratch prone
- You cannot wash it with hard detergent
Combination
If you’re looking for the best buy, you must choose one that comes with a combination of metals. Check out a few combinations listed below:
- Cast iron that comes with enamel coating
- Aluminium with an overall non-stick coating
- The sandwich base with either aluminium or copper with stainless steel layer
- Stainless steel with copper base
- Stainless steel with an aluminium base.
Difference between Kadai and a Wok
Open people get confused with the two. Both the cookware, including wok and Kadai, have similarities. But certain dissimilarities make them different from each other. A wok has shallow depression when compared to the Kadai. Kadai is used for deep frying. On the other hand, you can use a wok for sauteing, normal frying or mixing something on higher flames.
While using a Kadai, you do not have to move it repeatedly to prevent burning. But during your cooking using a wok, you need to move the food repeatedly to prevent burning. Kadai has two circular handles, but the wok contains one long handle. You can use a wok for cooking Chinese cuisines. But a Kadai is suitable for cooking Southeast Asian and Indian cuisine.
General Structure of a Kadai
While buying a Kadai, the first thing to look for is the structure of it. The origin of Kadai is from the Indian subcontinent. Specifically, if you want to cook Indian food, you must prefer the Indian Kadai. It is best for deep frying. Kadai generally comes with a deep thick bottom. The depression in the middle of the pan sometimes resembles a crater hole.
Moreover, in some kitchens, you might find a Kadai that comes with two semicircular handles. The best part of Kadai is that it comes in various shapes and sizes.
Care and Usage Instruction of the Best Kadai
Usually, you will get the care and usage specification on the instruction manual of the product. Some of these instructions are stated below that can help to increase the longevity of your product.
- You should avoid leaving your Kadai on the stove
- For safety reasons, you must cool down your Kadai before clearing it or putting it underwater
- You must use silicone spoons if your Kadai comes with a non-stick coating
- While stacking the non-stick pans, you must use liners in between two pans
- Use polishing plates to clean copper Kadai
- Avoid using soap to wash Kadai
FAQs to Buy Kadai in India
Which material is best suited for Kadai?
The best material that you can buy for your Kadai is lead, aluminium, iron, copper, stainless steel or Teflon.
How to season a Kadai?
Before you cook, it is best to season a Kadai. You should coat the inner portion of the Kadai with vegetable oil. Once you do that, you need to place the Kadai over the burner at a medium heat of 6 to 10 minutes. Keep it in that position until you feel the heatwave. When the coil turns into a different colour, you should switch off the burner to cool down the Kadai. Pour out the excessive oil and wipe the Kadai with a paper towel.
Once you season your Kadai, it helps to prolong the life of the utensils. You can also repeat this process as for your necessity unless you damage the cookware.
Which Kadai is good for health?
You should choose a Kadai that offers you health benefits. Compared to any other material, it is advantageous to buy Kadai made of non-stick, steel or iron. These materials are safe for cooking on high heat for an extended period.
Conclusion
Kadai is one simple product that you require for your daily use. It offers you optimal cooking benefits. If you notice that you are not getting the desired cooking performance, you should replace your old Kadai.
Depending on your cooking preference, you should choose the material of your Kadai. With the best, you can stay at the top of your cooking sessions. Now you can empower yourself with a pleasurable and flawless cooking regiment by getting the best in class Kadai. Follow this guide to know about the best Kadais in India.