Wiping down a Just-Used Kadai
Transfer the food to a serving dish immediately. First thing’s first—as soon as the item you’re cooking is done, portion it out into one or more containers and serve it up while it’s nice and hot. Use a spoon, ladle, or similar utensil to scrape out any traces of food, sauce, or oil left behind. For best results, you want to start with as few remnants left in the pan as possible. The longer you wait to remove the food from your kadai, the more likely it will be to stick or congeal, ultimately making the pan harder to clean.
Wait for the kadai to cool down to the point where it’s safe to handle. This may take anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour, depending on the size of the pan and the temperature it was heated to previously. Feel free to sit down and enjoy your meal in the meantime. You can always finish cleaning up afterwards. If you’re not sure whether or not your kadai is cool enough to clean, trickle one or two drops of water onto it. If it sizzles, it’s still too hot! An iron kadai can easily reach temperatures of several hundred degrees. Needless to say, it’s not a good idea to grab hold of one one immediately after removing it from its heat source.
Wipe out the pan with a damp paper towel. Fold a heavy-duty paper towel in half and wet it under the faucet. Then, wring out the excess water and run it over every part of the kadai’s inner surface. Be sure to hit the sloping sides as well as the bottom. Be careful not to oversaturate the paper towel. Too much water can cause iron cookware to deteriorate prematurely. In many cases, a simple wipedown may be all you need to get your kadai clean and ready for your next delicious meal.
Use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad to dislodge any bits of stuck-on food. If a quick once-over with a paper towel isn’t enough to get your pan spic and span, reach for a soft kitchen sponge, soft-bristled nylon brush, or folded towel. With some gentle pressure and a little patience, you’ll be able to take care of all but the most stubborn residue. Stay away from harsh scrubbers like steel wool or the rough side of your kitchen sponge. These sorts of tools could easily scratch the surface of your kadai.Warning: It's generally okay to use a small amount of mild liquid soap to increase your cleaning power, but too much may take the seasoning right off your kadai, since most soaps are designed to cut right through grease and oil.
Dealing with Tough Residue
Pour 1/2-1 cup (150-300 g) of coarse-ground salt onto the bottom of the pan. That’s roughly equivalent to 3 or 4 heaping spoonfuls, if you don’t feel like measuring it out. The salt will serve as a mild abrasive to clean and polish the iron without harming it. Regular table salt can also do the trick, but you may need to use more of it since the grains are so fine. You can also use baking soda if you don’t happen to have any salt on hand. Baking soda is especially useful for busting up burnt-on residue.
Drizzle in 1–2 fluid ounces (30–59 mL) of water to form a thick paste. Add your water a little at a time to make sure you get just the right consistency. The resulting paste should be wet, but not overly watery, similar in texture to a handful of sand scooped up from out of the surf at the beach. Again, it’s important not to let large quantities of water sit in your kadai for extended periods of time. Doing so is practically guaranteed to bring about rapid deterioration.
Scrub the salted pan with a soft sponge or folded towel. Move your scrubber over the bottom and sides of the kadai in tight circular motions, applying firm pressure. Vigorous scrubbing will work the salt particles into the surface of the pan, scouring away any clinging pieces of food that refuse to budge. Don’t be afraid to really dig in here. Salt is gritty enough to grind away solidified food, but not hard enough to damage your kadai.Tip: Believe it or not, a sliced potato can make an excellent scrubber, since it’s easy to grip and offers just enough moisture to create a perfect paste. Just coat the cut side in salt and rub it directly onto the pan instead of adding water separately.
Rinse the pan out thoroughly with hot water. When your kadai is completely free of leftover food and unwanted residue, turn on the tap, fill the pan with water, swish it around, and dump it. Repeat as many times as it takes to do away with the last of the salt paste, along with any food residue it helped to loosen. You’ll know you’ve done a satisfactory job of rinsing when the water begins to run clear. Hot water will do a better job of dissolving and flushing out the salt and other substances than cold or lukewarm water.
Drying and Re-seasoning Your Kadai
Hand-dry the kadai with an absorbent towel. Fold the towel into a thick pad and use it to wipe down both the inside and outside of the pan. Concentrate on soaking up as much standing water as you can. This goes for the bottom surface, rim, and handles, too. If necessary, fold your towel again after your first few passes so you’re not going over the metal with the wet part. Don’t be tempted to let your iron kadai air dry. Even residual moisture can be enough to invite rust and corrosion.
Warm the pan over a low flame to evaporate any remaining moisture. After drying your kadai thoroughly, set it back on its heat source and allow it to heat up again for 5-10 minutes. As the temperature of the iron rises, any water that happens to be hiding inside the tiny pores will be released in the form of vapor. It’s always wise to heat iron cookware for a few minutes after getting it wet, even if you’ve already dried it by hand.
Rub a few drops of oil into the kadai’s cooking surface to keep it seasoned. Apply the oil to the inside of the pan, then use a folded paper towel to spread it and “massage” it into the metal. Afterwards, use a separate, clean paper towel to wipe off the excess oil. If you like, you can heat your kadai for another 20-30 minutes after oiling it to help the oil absorb better. Get in the habit of re-oiling your kadai every time you clean it. Doing so will help maintain the metal and prevent food from sticking in the future.Tip: You’re welcome to use any type of cooking oil you like, but grapeseed, flaxseed, and oil are especially well-suited for seasoning cast iron due to their high smoke points.
Store your kadai in a dry place. The best place to leave your kadai is in a covered cabinet or pantry, or on a hanging rack in an area that receives plenty of airflow. There, it will be safe and sound until the next time you get the urge to whip up a steaming plate of paneer, balti, or chole. Keep the pan away from sinks and other water sources, as well as areas where abundant moisture may pose a problem, like near the dishwasher or above your stovetop. If you're putting away more than one kadai, you can stack them to save space. Just be sure to separate each pan with a layer of folded paper towels to absorb lingering moisture and protect against scratches.
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