Tamil Nadu: Earthen cookware makes a comeback with a modern touch

Chennai: Imagine a fridge that keeps food fresh using just water, and doesn’t need electricity to power it. The fridge made of clay, and several other kitchenware like cooking pots, pans, bottles, casseroles are making a comeback and becoming a hit among people due to the health benefits that this range of items provides.

“Clay pots give you minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and
magnesium, making the food healthier. It also lets heat and moisture move inside, so the food remains fresh,” said S. Anbarasan, the distributor who sources these items from Rajasthan and Gujarat and is distributing it across Tamil Nadu.

“I receive thousands of inquiries every day and each day, at least 60 people are buying these items. Last one week, the number of inquiries has increased exponentially as the photos went viral on WhatsApp,” he said.

Priced at Rs 5,000, the fridge needs water to keep the items cool, and food items can be fresh for 3 to 4 days. “Milk and curd can remain good for one day. For keeping vegetables, it is essential that they are kept sans polybags,” he said. One litre of water is needed every day to keep items in the fridge cool and from being spoilt.

As the pans are made of a thick coating of clay on the inside, Anbarasan claimed that food doesn’t get burnt despite not having a Teflon coating. The range of kitchenware is priced from Rs 600 to Rs 1,000, which a few customers felt was quite high.

“The price is not comparable to the regular utensils in the market, but the health benefits they provide and these have the ability to keep diseases at bay. Also, cooking in earthen pots balances acidic food with the alkalinity of the pot, thus making it good for health,” Anbarasan added.