all about haandi

Haandi, a versatile cooking vessel is also called a patila and sometimes a pan. Originally haandis were made of earthenware and were destroyed after cooking thus eliminating the chore of cleaning or storing the pot after use. Apart from being hygienic it provided an earthen taste to the cooking which was most alluring to the senses, specially in vegetarian dishes. Also it mainly lends itself to one pot cooking it was ideal for the itinerant lifestyle of early humans. During the history of early civilizations war was the universal activity and necessitated migration of the people to new locations which were safer and thus eliminating the need for carrying the cooking utensils. As life became more permanent gradually the utility and the versatility of the haandi became more apparent.



With the passage of time as life assumed permanence and haandis started to be produced in more stable and permanent materials like iron,brass and copper.copper and iron are the base metals and brass and other alloys are produced from various metal combinations. Copper has been in use for atleast 10,000 years an has been found in indus valley civilization since 3rd millenium B.C. Copper is a very good conductor of heat as well as being decorative and has antigerm properties. As such it was an ideal base for the manufacture of the cooking vessel. It is also very ductile and can be factored easily into any shape and is suitable for smelting,beating and moulding processes in the factory. Later on as metalurgical science developed other alloys containing copper,like brass came into use.
the shape of the handi having a cavernous main body and a narrow neck along with a flat base lends itself to heat distribution in the pot more efficiently and quickly.
A narrow neck is useful for various cooking processes like initial shallow frying,boiling and steaming the cooking mayterials used for any dish. The opening of the haandi can be easily controlled according to cooking method employed. This is achieved by a lid or keeping the mouth of the haandi open or covering it with a wet towel and lid for partial steaming or sealing it completely with dough for total seal as in "dum" variety of cooking. Being a good conductor of heat it is also suitable for slow roasting.stewing or cooking in the oven.