I gave up cooking with non-stick pots and pans a long time ago. I am a gal who likes stuff to be low-maintenance and safe, and non-stick pans, it seemed, were neither. You had to be ultra-cautious in cleaning them, and if you got a scrape, heaven forbid, unwanted chemicals could leach into your food.
But non-stick pans do, of course, serve a valuable purpose: you need less oil to cook your food which is important in our health-aware world. And some foods, like a stir-fry, for instance, are better off cooked in non-stick pans. Of course, I never cooked in a non-stick pan that was 100 percent non-stick, but that's another story.
Anyway, when I decided to give up non-stick pans, I was in a dilemma. My sturdy stainless steel pots and pans were good enough for most every day cooking, but with low-fat stir-frys, for instance, I did feel the need for a surface that was slicker and more forgiving.
That's when I read a newspaper article on cast-iron pans. This was almost a decade ago, but that article so impressed me, I still have it -- yellowed and fraying-- in my kitchen cabinet. I prize it not so much for the information any more, which I have almost by heart, but for the fact that it marked a significant milestone in my kitchen routine.
In India, tavas, or flat griddles used to bake chapatis and such, are usually made with cast iron. But until I read this article, that was the extent of my knowledge about cooking with cast iron.
When seasoned, the article said, cast-iron pans made great non-stick pans one could fry, saute, stir-fry and cook just about anything in.
So the next time I went to the market, I picked myself a 12 inch cast-iron skillet.
It was metallic-gray and was a steal compared to most good-quality non-stick pans. The article had details on seasoning the pan, which sounded really strange and really odd to someone who had never done anything like it before, but I gave it a go.
Then, I tried cooking in my cast-iron pan. It was a disaster.
Everything stuck to it, didn't come off, and tasted funny. Still, I wasn't about to give up. One of the most magical things about cast-iron pans is, they are supposed to improve with use. And so I continued to season my pan and used it only to do oily stuff like deep-fry at the beginning. Gradually, my cast-iron pan began to get that prized black, shiny hue and smooth texture that turns it into a naturally non-stick pan.
Now, I have an assortment of cast-iron pans in all shapes and sizes (except a dutch oven. Desi, are you reading?), and I use them all the time for everything from making pancakes to curries to veggies and, of course, to deep-fry.
I couldn't be happier. They look great, clean easily (forget all those stories about never washing your cast-iron pan. I do it all the time, sometimes even with soap, and it's never hurt them), and they are supposed to add iron to your food which is great when you are a vegan like me. You do need to take some precautions, like not putting them away when wet (I usually just put mine on the stove after washing and wiping to make sure all the moisture is gone), and you also need to season them a little more frequently when they are new.
This ode to cast-iron pans was just the precursor to this delicious stuffed-eggplant dish that I wanted to share with you, and which I cooked, surprise, in a cast-iron skillet.
Baghare Baingan is a dish from Andhra Pradesh, in South India. It's very close to Bharleli Vangi, or Bharli Vangi, which is a dish I often ate growing up at the home of Maharashtrian relatives, but has some differences that make it quite unique.
This dish typically uses a lot of oil, but I cut it down quite a bit. You do need the small, round Indian eggplants for this, usually available in Indian grocery stores if you happen to live outside India. These smaller eggplants have a more delicate flesh and skin, and they are the perfect size for stuffing.
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Baghare Baingan
Ingredients
- 10 small, round eggplants (washed and stems trimmed. Make two slits, crosswise, on the non-stem side, stopping short of making a clean cut, so the eggplant holds together at the base.)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp peanuts
- 1 tsp poppy seeds (khuskhus)
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp tamarind pulp
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1- inch knob ginger (chopped)
- 6 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Roast the onions on a dry cast-iron or non-stick skillet until they soften and brown spots appear. Remove to a blender.
- Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, fenugreek seeds and peanuts until they start to change color and smell fragrant, about a minute or two on medium heat. Add to the blender.
- Now add the ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar, salt and coconut milk to the blender.
- Blend until you have a fairly smooth paste.
- Now stuff this paste into the prepared eggplants.
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron or other skillet.
- Add the curry leaves, stir for a minute, and then add the eggplants one by one, placing them away from you so the oil doesn't splatter on you.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes or until the eggplants begin to soften.
- Now add the remaining paste and ¾ cup of water.
- Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, to ensure all sides of each eggplant get cooked.
- The dish should be done when the eggplants are tender enough to be pierced through with a fork, and when specks of oil have risen to the surface.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Hi.. Vishali. Liked your idea of cast iron cooking
Have few question like what us that true blue kadhaii from India...where I can get that..?
And what's this iron double griddle come grill.
Again where I can get that. Thanks
Hi Sona, I don't live in India so I unfortunately can't answer those questions. Perhaps a reader could help?
HI VAISHALI,
JUST CHECK IF M NOT MAKING ANY MISTAKE, WHEN I CLICK ON THE HEADING "PAV" IN UR INDIAN BREAD RECIPE SECTION IT TAKES ME TO THIS "BHAGARE BAIGAN".
GOD BLESS
NISHA.
Nisha, you were right. Thanks very much for letting me know-- I've added the correct link. 🙂
Hi Swarna, Welcome!
Here's what I do: for the first time I season, I coat the pan generously with shortening like Crisco, heat up the oven to the highest it will go, then put the pan inside and leave it for an hour. It should really get smoking hot. Leave it in for several hours after turning off so it cools down-- at that temperature it is really too dangerous to touch.
When you take the pan out, use a scrubber and very hot water to rinse it out. Now place it on the stove and let it dry out completely. Spread a very thin layer of oil on it and store.
Remember, when your pan is new do not use soap on it. And try to mostly do "oily" stuff in it, like deep frying or sauteing, rather than poaching or boiling.
It will take a few uses for the pan to turn really black, but it will eventually. Remember to rinse, dry on heat, and oil your pan after every use for the first few times.
Hope that helps 🙂
Vaishali,
Love ur recipes.
Ur comment
"Everything stuck to it, didn't come off, and tasted funny. Still, I wasn't about to give up. One of the most magical things about cast-iron pans is, they are supposed to improve with use. And so I continued to season my pan and used it only to do oily stuff like deep-fry at the beginning"
I have same problem...pan is becoming gray...please give me tips on seasoning the vegan way....
--Swarna
Vaish, ur bhagare baingan looks absolutely lip smacking! Makes me want to run to kitchen anc ook this again 🙂
Happy, thanks.
RC-- I too use stainless steel pans for most everyday cooking, but the cast iron really helps with any kind of low-fat cooking.
Madhuram, Thanks. Hope you try it!
Justin: Thanks. This curry would go very well with, say, potatoes, or even green peppers. You don't have to stuff them-- just add the veggies, stir-fry them first, and then add the ground masala paste and cook per the recipe.
I wouldn't try any veggie that'd give out too much water, however.
the curry looks so amazing, like it would go with a lot of things in addition to eggplant
That's a lot of useful information about cast iron skillets which I was not aware. Thanks Vaishali. Let me also make the best use of it.
The dish looks very good. I have some baby eggplants in the fridge. I have not tried this type of stuffing.
I am not a fan of non-stick pans either. Agreed that they use less oil, but I had to throw them out every so often. I use stainless steel though and for chapathis/dosas I use the cast iron ones.
Loved your version of bharleli vaingan.
I have never mad ethis home; This looks so creamy delcious.
I have never mad ethis home; This looks so creamy delcious.
Parita, Pavithra, Thanks.
Charanya, Welcome! Glad you find the site useful.
Cilantro, you're right, they do last a lifetime and even for generations, I believe. They're quite indestructible.
Pooja, Thanks, and glad the information was useful. Of course, the cleaning methods I talked about apply to pans that have already been well-seasoned. A new pan will require more intensive care and regular seasoning.
Lou, I do adore eggplants-- a little too much, in fact 🙂 Eggplant grilled with onions and tomatoes sounds delicious.
Priya, am I that transparent? 🙂 But you're right -- it was a ploy to get in another eggplant recipe!
Maria, sure, you shouldn't cook highly acidic foods in large quantities in cast-iron cookware. But adding a little bit isn't a problem. I've often added some tomatoes to a dish I cooked in cast-iron, or squirted some lemon juice on, and I've had no problems.
Soma, I have that huge grill too, and it's wonderful. And you're right-- these do last for a long, long time.
I gotta get myself a real true-blue Kadhai next time I'm in India.
Sunshinemom, thanks, and yes, the eggplants do taste great with phulkas.
Vanamala, Pavani, thanks.
Jaya, I tend to buy Lodge too-- it's the best around, i believe, although I do have a couple of skillets from other brands and they work as good. I didn't know they had a tava-- gotta get that!
Hope your hubby likes the baghare baingan.
Superchef, Dips, Sharmila, Priya: Thanks, ladies.
Kahliyalogue: Yes, seasoning means to coat with a light film of oil and then place it over very high heat or preferably in an oven for about an hour. You need to use an oil with a high smoking point, like peanut or canola oil, or even better, some vegetable shortening.
After each use in the beginning, scrape the skillet clean, wipe off with a kitchen towel, and then apply a light film of oil and place on the stove top until it is hot. Turn off the heat, cool, and then store.
You might need to do the longer, oven-seasoning step a couple more times when the skillet is new.
Hope that helps 🙂
Miri, you're right. As time goes by, we find out that some old ideas are still the best ones around 🙂
Nithya, Thanks, and glad you found the post useful.
Bindiya, thanks.
Hema,Your grandma's method of cleaning sounds really good, and one I'm going to try next time I make dosas. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful site. I am from the Caribbean but I cook loads of indian style dishes. I love cast iron skillets are you can beat them up and you do not have to feel so guilty. When you have time stop by my blog .
Tay
You are totally right about the cast iron skillets. They are a very healthy choice indeed. My grandma insists on cooking with iron and copper vessels than aluminium or stainless steel, becoz they give the food the essentials like Fe and Cu. And you know the easiest way she tells me to clean.. when its all very hot from the stove, take a dosa spatula with sharp ends and scrape off the oil remains sticking to the ends. This will take care of the cleaning for atleast a month. I remember one of our iron kadai, totally rusted due lack of drying. So my mom now takes extra care to dry them in the sun, or atleast leave it in the hot stove for a couple of minutes so that the moisture is all gone.. your baghare baigan is perfect.. Thanks for visiting my blog :))
Hey Vaishali, this recipe looks sooo good I wish I could have some right now!