Enhancing Flavour with the Right Cooking Surface

Have you ever tasted soup cooked on a traditional charcoal stove? Or heard your parents rave about the delicious meals their parents and grandparents made on brass gas stoves? There's a nostalgic fondness for the flavours achieved through traditional cooking methods.

While ingredients and techniques are vital, the cooking surface also plays a significant role. Different materials like ceramic stone, stainless steel, and cast-iron hold and transfer heat uniquely. Choosing the right cookware enhances flavour, ensures even cooking, and prolongs the life of your kitchen tools.

Whatever you're cooking, the secret to a flawless finish is finding the proper heat transfer cooking surface —from flame to surface to food. 

The Science Behind Cooking Surfaces

Different cooking surfaces interact uniquely with food, influencing flavour development. Here’s a breakdown of popular cooking surfaces and their impact on flavour:

• Non-Stick: Non-stick surfaces prevent sticking and make cleanup effortless. However, they don’t achieve the same browning or fond development as stainless steel. 

These are best used to cook delicate food such as eggs or seafood or even roast nuts. Cheesy dishes, pancakes, and crepes are also best cooked on non-stick saucepans.

• Ceramic: Quite similar to non-stick, ceramic cooking surface has a non—stick coating and are easier to clean. However, they have delicate coating than a non-stick cookware and therefore are not ideal for high-heat cooking. Another point of consideration is that ceramic cookware has less durable construction.

These are also best used for cooking food that does not require high heat, such as eggs, soups, gravies, etc.

• Cast Iron: Renowned for its heat retention and natural non-stick properties when seasoned, cast iron adds a depth of flavour and excellent searing capability. Even on low-heat flame, you can get even heat distribution. Therefore, it is ideal for food that requires slow cooking or simmering. 

Cast Iron Cookware are ideal for cooking food that require high heat such as meat, stir fry vegetables, and dosas!

• Hard Anodized Aluminum: Combining the benefits of aluminum’s heat conductivity with a durable, non-reactive surface, hard anodized cookware is versatile and reliable for various cooking techniques.

• Stainless Steel: Known for its durability and non-reactive surface, stainless steel is ideal for browning and deglazing, creating flavourful sauces and gravies. It doesn't impart any metallic taste, preserving the natural flavours of ingredients. This is why many people use stainless steel cookware products for everyday cooking.

However, stainless steel has lower heat conductivity. Recognizing this gap in the cookware industry, Vinod Cookware revolutionized the traditional Indian kitchen with its Platinum Triply range, manufactured using SAS Metal Technology. This innovation combines aluminum's excellent heat conductivity with stainless steel's corrosion resistance, creating a workhorse for Indian kitchens.  

Enhancing Flavour with Vinod Cookware

Vinod Cookware offers an extensive range of high-quality products designed to cater to diverse culinary needs. Here’s how Vinod Cookware products can help you enhance flavour in your dishes:

• Vinod Platinum Triply Frypan: Perfect for sautéing and stir-frying vegetables, and searing meats, this frypan helps develop a rich, caramelized crust, essential for getting the depth of flavour.
• Vinod Zest Non-Stick Cookware: For those who prefer the convenience of non-stick surfaces without compromising on quality, Vinod’s Zest Non-Stick range offers exceptional performance. These products feature a robust non-stick coating that reduces the need for excess oil, promoting healthier cooking while preserving the integrity of delicate ingredients.
• Vinod Legacy Cast Iron Cookware: Known for its unparalleled heat retention and ability to impart a distinct, rustic flavour to dishes, cast iron is a favourite among chefs for searing, frying, and baking.
• Vinod Hanos Kadai: When aluminum cookware is given a non-stick coating and undergoes anodisation, the cookware surface becomes corrosion-resistant and non-reactive. Therefore, Vinod Cookware’s Hanos range is ideal for sautéing, deep frying, and preparing curries and gravies.