Earthenware: Vouch for its Versatility
A Brief History
Earthenware has occupied a valued place in our kitchens for centuries, providing vessels for cooking, storage and serving. The earliest examples of pit-fired earthenware date back to 29000-25000 BC. This versatile invention, with minor innovations, continues to play a very special role in our lives! Pottery has always been a part of our culture in the Indian subcontinent, supported by both archaeological and cultural evidence. Excavations in Kunal, Haryana have revealed evidence of pottery in India dating back to 5000-4000 BC.
Pottery also holds a special place in our ancient Sanskrit and vernacular literature.
Kumhara, the word for potter in Northern India, is derived from the Sanskrit word Kumbha which can simply be broken into ku (the earth) and bha or bhand (a pot). The translations of the word “potter” in different languages all over the country are phonetic variations of the same Kumhara – Kumbara or Kovara in the South, Kulala in the West and Kummara or Bhande in some Eastern parts of India.
Revival
Earthenware comes with its own challenges – it needs to be cared for. In many civilizations, like ours, impacted by European industrialisation and Western traditions, earthenware began to lose its place in the kitchen, with its usage being restricted to rituals, gardening, decoration and in construction projects (tiles, bricks etc). Pottery is making a come-back into our lives with a small but persistent movement to revive eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Pottery continues to be a prominent part of our culture despite the developments and refinements with the advent of materials like metals etc.
Recent Innovations in Earthenware for the Kitchen
The whole revolution of going back to our roots and nurturing Nature has witnessed many innovations. Social entrepreneurs, government schemes and artisans together work towards making this art form more user friendly and relevant. We are familiar with the sight of clay tawas being sold at traffic light junctions. Originally a simple concave plate, minor innovations like clipping a handle to the plate have soared sales steeply. We now also see clay pressure cookers on display in exhibitions and e-commerce sites. Potters are tweaking the size and shape of earthenware to be used in urban households. For example, they are levelling the base of the clay pot to sit well on an LPG/CNG stove’s burner, and diversifying the size for different uses in an urban setting.
Usage
Earthenware vessels largely fall under three categories based on the temperature at which they are fired. Clay pottery, generally reddish orange or blackish grey in colour, is porous and can be cured to be used as a cooking vessel. Ceramic and stoneware are more durable, easier to clean and come with an attractive glaze. They serve multiple purposes – cooking (on low heat), serving and storing (dry and wet).
Some challenges of using earthenware include careful handling, much like how we handle our expensive phone 🙂 Clay pots must be washed immediately after use and only used for medium heat cooking to avoid cracks. As they heat and cool rapidly, earthenware can’t be used on induction heat. As they are fragile, they are not very travel friendly. Being porous, depending on the settings, not all earthenware can be cleaned in a dishwasher. It is also, at times, difficult to cure these the right way before the first use. They can change the flavour of the food that is cooked in them, which takes getting used to. They don’t come in many colours. Also, it is safer and more responsible to buy from potters in the countryside to avoid lead deposits and micro-plastic found in clay in cities that go undetected by the naked eye.
Earthenware vessels are more relevant today than ever! Most of the challenges mentioned above are actually pros in disguise! Careful handling, cooking and washing definitely improves mindfulness. Using earthenware is beneficial for health, from adding nutrients (ex: calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and sulphur) to food to slow cooking on medium heat to using less fat as they retain moisture. Clay pots, because of their ability to retain heat, use less fuel to cook food. They make our kitchen attractive! If we buy earthenware from potters on footpaths, we are supporting a livelihood and nurturing a priceless art form.
In case of minor cracks and breakage, they can be upcycled into flowerpots or storage pots for storing cereals and pulses. If they have completely shattered, they can simply be discarded with garden waste. There is a stark reduction in usage of chemical dishwash in kitchens which use earthenware vessels, thereby minimizing the burden of chemical waste decomposition on Mother Earth.
My Experiments with Classic Earthenware
For some of us, earthenware was always a part of our lives as it was used during our religious rituals, in our gardens, and as home decor. As a child I heard about the magical properties of earthenware and wondered why it wasn’t used more widely! I learnt it was something that needed to be handled with care and people were generally sceptical about it working well on an LPG gas stove. These were genuine concerns in a fast-urbanising culture in our part of the world. However, pots and pans made of clay were always pretty, and pots for storing water always found a way into my parents’ home specially during summers.
Ever since I began cooking, 16 years ago, I started experimenting with various earthenware vessels. I started with a clay pot for storing water and a ceramic pot for setting curd. I used to seek guidance on phone from both my Dadi, Shakuntala Sahay and my Nani, Premlata Sinha on their usage and cleaning. It was a joy to hear tales of their childhood that revolved around the sondha swaad (earthy flavour) of food cooked in earthenware vessels. Likewise, each time we were on a road trip and ate in dhabas, I was enamoured by the earthy flavours of food cooked in clay pots. In fact, post liberalisation I missed those rustic old dhabas now replaced by motels or restaurants or global food chain outlets.
I was keen on recreating that rustic flavour in my kitchen. Initially I used ceramicware for serving food, anything in earthy colours makes me happy. However, I was craving a deeper connect and that’s when, during one of my drives through the countryside, I bought a couple of large clay pots. The potter taught me how to cure these and I prepared kheer as soon as I thought the vessels were ready! The kheer was delicious, but I didn’t know that cleaning the pot with a soap solution would ruin it forever! Speaking to its versatility, the cooking pot now became a flowerpot! On my mother, Jyotsna Sahay’s, suggestion I began cleaning the other pot immediately with warm water and coconut husk scrub. It worked! Later my household help, Lakshmiamma took upon herself the task of maintaining my clay vessels. I learnt from her how to clean these with either salt or some baking soda. Today, I use earthenware in many forms – clay pots and pans, ceramic ware, glazed pottery etc. on a regular basis. They give me a sense of connection with Mother Nature, and also with my grandparents 🙂
I am able to relate to earthenware vessels in so many ways. Like any relationship, they are fragile and can break, so I have to handle them with care. They are porous, like my skin, so I must keep them away from chemicals. They heat and cool down rapidly, thereby teaching me to calm down quickly if my temper rises sharply, else I will bear the brunt of an irreparable crack. They can be upcycled to add value even if they are not in perfect form. I try to upskill myself when I’m not at my best to add value to whatever I do. Upon breaking, earthenware turns into soil and pottery, much like life, goes on with the potter shaping many more to use! Such will be my journey too. I will also ultimately merge with the earth, and return to a new form shaped by my skilful potter 🙂
Credits:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthenware
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery_in_the_Indian_subcontinent
- https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=aqrB_Nzr5QcC&oi=fnd&pg=PA45&dq=history+of+pottery+in+india& ots=VEo5p6NpBY&sig=jjGD2g0tk9DrsUl52Dz4V2SGUxs&redir_esc=y#v=onepage& q=history%20of%20pottery%20in%20india&f=false
- https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/benefits-cooking-in-an-earthen-pot-6219288/
