Bhagya Cast Iron Cookware Pre-Seasoned Large/Heavy Skillet/Fry Pan (12 inches Looped)

I brought this skillet to replace some of the teflon coated utensils in my kitchen. The product is super heavy and not easy to handle in the kitchen sink while cleaning. That being said, it sits firmly on the kitchen stove and does not move while stirring and tossing. The material looks authentic and I can finally scrape the bottom of the skillet with my spatula without worrying about poisoning my food. The pan comes pre-seasoned with oil which is supposed to make it non-stick. But I have cleaned the skillet with dish soap. If you leave the skillet un used for a while it will develop a layer of rust, which was scary at first, but it can easily be removed and the skillet is ready to be used within minutes. If you use it often, you won’t have to worry about the rust. The skillet is deep enough to be used for a serving of vegetables, poha, upma, or dal and even the occasional omelette. The size of this vessel is large. I am happy with this purchase. My mom won’t use it though, she is not comfortable with the rust bit and it is too heavy for her to handle.

I love this skillet. It’s quality is no less than that of lodge cast iron. I love preparing dry vegetables in it. It cooks fast and so well. Especially roasted sabzi like bhindi fry or potato or yams or raw bananas. It gets cooked evenly. It is worth the price and good for health too. It is also easy to clean. After every use I fill it with hot water while the skillet is still hot. Then wash it with chickpeas flour, wipe it dry and apply a little coconut oil to its surface. Then I rub it with a paper cloth and place a clean cotton cloth on it and keep aside until the next time.

I strongly recommend that you season your pan during 2-3 rounds of trial cooking before attempting delicacies. (In fact, although Bhagya pre-seasons all cookware, they advise additional seasoning before commencing regular use.)

Heating is even and well-distributed across the pan. I suggest that you keep the flame at the medium-low setting or, if you using a large burner, at the low setting. This prevents over-heating and saves fuel.

The square version of the pan has more surface area for frying but finding a lid to cover the pan when broiling is far easier with the round version.

Heavy cast iron cookware is not easy to clean because it isn’t meant to be washed frequently. Instead, wipe it after each round of cooking, while it is still warm, to get rid of the excess unused oil and food and masala crumbs. Avoid using paper towels, however, as the paper fibres will stick to the pan. You may also rinse it out with water instead, as long as you dry the pan completely right away. Cover with a thick cloth when storing.

Be very careful with hot cast iron cookware. It is heavy and can get extremely hot and even a slight touch can cause burns. Also, avoid dropping the cookware because cast iron, when subjected to sudden impact, tends to crack and break rather than bend.

Preserve the brochure that Bhagya provides in the box. It has many useful instructions.