There’s no way you haven’t heard of dosa if you like Indian food. These crispy crepes with a delicious filling have taken the food business by storm.
Dosas come in a variety of textures and flavors, including soft, crunchy, spicy, and healthful options. But one thing all of these variations have in common is how they are manufactured.
No matter what sort of batter you use to create dosa, the appropriate pan is required for it to turn out perfectly.
You can’t get that crispy surface with a chewy middle without the greatest dosa pan. So, if you want to make dosas at home, you must first get the appropriate appliance.
Choosing the appropriate tawa or pan for this culinary chore may be more difficult than it appears. This is where we come in to assist you in locating the appropriate tool.
What Is A Tawa Or Tava?
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Tawas have the appearance of a wok or a cooking pan. The unit is a typical culinary equipment in India. Although they are most commonly seen in Asian cultures, they may also be found in Caribbean or Balkan cultures.
A traditional dosa tawa is composed of hefty cast iron. A tawa may survive for a long time if properly maintained.
Nowadays, there are more contemporary choices available that are composed of stainless steel or copper. However, they are not as long-lasting as the black cast iron ones.
The item is available in a range of sizes. It might be as tiny as 10 inches or as large as 30 inches.
You may use the gadget to cook veggies, meat, stir fry, dosas, and even bread.
Tawas can also be utilized in an inverted posture. In Asian communities, many people still prepare flatbreads on the reversed side of a tawa.
A tawa may be used to cook anything that requires a high, even heat.
Our Top 5 Best Dosa Pan Reviews For The Money
1. Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Pan for Dosa Making
The first product in our quest to identify the greatest dosa pan is this one from Lodge.
Lodge has been producing high-quality pans for many years. So when you buy a pan from them, you can be confident that it is of high quality.
This product is at the top of our list since it is pre-seasoned. With this foundry seasoned device, you won’t have to smoke out oil in your home.
Pre-seasoned and nonstick products are extremely simple to use. Beginners who are just starting out in the realm of cooking might benefit greatly from this instrument.
The product is suitable for use on any type of cooking surface. You may even bring this pan with you when you travel. The device is also compatible with outdoor barbecues, campfires, and standard portable stoves.
Because the tawa can be used in the oven, it may be used for more than only producing dosas. All of your meat, veggies, and eggs can be roasted in this one pan!
A large 10.5-inch cooking surface provides lots of room to move your food around. The product is made of high-quality cast iron and will last for many years. For more suggestions, you can read about Tapioca Pearls for Bubble Tea.
Highlighted features include:
- A multi-purpose pan that may be used for stir-frying, sautéing, and baking.
- 5-inch wide cooking space
- The unit is safe to use in the oven.
- Pre-seasoned from the foundry
- Cast iron structure of the highest quality
2. Hawkins/Futura Nonstick Dosa Tava/Griddle
When it comes to buying a dosa pan, aluminum is a terrific material to go for. The only issue that individuals have with the material is corrosion.
The Hawkins griddle is made of anodized aluminum and will not rust. While aluminum has the advantage of being lightweight, you can avoid corrosion.
Products with a thicker build, like this one, are great for dosa. Because a thicker design promotes consistent heating, there is no risk of overheating or your food burning on the model.
The product’s handle has a stay-cool function to keep items secure. As a result, the handle may be handled without becoming burned.
You can prepare healthy dishes with the tawa’s nonstick function. There’s no need to smother your meal with oil.
A 13-inch diameter allows you to effortlessly move the dosa batter around. You may make larger dosas by adding extra filling! The product’s flat surface is ideal for manufacturing Indian flatbread, crepes, and chapatis.
The model is easy to transport, weighing only approximately 3 pounds. These lightweight devices are also more secure when stored in hanging locations. To many, the combination of all of these diverse characteristics makes this the ideal tawa for dosa. Additionally, you can check our review on Pastry Mat for Rolling Dough.
Highlighted features include:
- Rust-free anodized aluminum structure
- Heat-resistant grips with burn-protection
- 13-inch diameter for larger dosas
- The item weighs roughly 3 pounds and is lightweight.
- Thick construction for consistent heating
3. Cuisinel Cast Iron Dosa Tawa
If you are a skilled chef, a cast-iron dosa pan is preferable than aluminum or stainless steel equivalents. Dosas cooked in cast iron pans may be much superior with the appropriate seasoning.
This is the greatest dosa pan for evenly distributing heat. The thickness of the unit is ideal, since it is neither too thick nor too thin. As a result, even when the pan heats up quickly, your food will not be burned.
Your handmade dosas will taste as crispy as those served in restaurants, thanks to the regulated heat distribution.
Another advantage of the Cuisinel cast iron pizza pan is that it can be used on open flames, barbeque grills, and standard home stoves. It’s fantastic to have such varied cookware on hand.
Handles on both sides of the product make it easy to carry the pan. Because the cooking surface is not completely flat, the device may also be used as a pizza plate or for stir fry.
You may season the model further if necessary, but it comes pre-seasoned. The unit’s nonstick performance improves with each usage.
Highlighted features include:
- Tawa with a little bend that may also be used as a pizza dish
- Cast iron construction
- Both sides of the device now have handles.
- Cookware that may be used over an open flame or on a barbecue grill
- Factory seasoned for convenience.
- The nonstick property improves with usage.
4. Cuisinart 623-24
Having this tiny dosa pan in your kitchen may be handy for a variety of reasons. For starters, it is lighter and easier to store.
Second, the tawa may be used to make single-serving dosas, crepes, or fried eggs, making it a flexible device with various applications!
The fact that the model is made of aluminum does not imply that the tawa is weak. The metal utilized in the product’s construction is nonporous and anodised. No need to worry about water damage with this Tawa.
A large stainless steel handle makes it easy to transport the device from one location to another. When cooking, their handles remain cold to the touch.
People who enjoy cooking nutritious meals will appreciate the product. Because the internal surface is strengthened with quantanium, you don’t need much oil to keep your food and pan apart.
Side rims that are slightly raised prevent all of the fluids from leaking. While the flat cooking surface remains, the tapered rims aid in keeping your kitchen clean.
One of the key advantages of aluminum-constructed pans is their ease of cleaning. Regular dish soap may be used to clean the Cuisinart pan.
Highlighted features include:
- Quantanium has been added to the inside for smoother nonstick cooking.
- Stay-cool stainless steel handles
- 10-inch dosa tawa for personal use
- Anodized aluminum and nonporous construction
- Dish soap and warm water make cleaning up a breeze.
- A slightly raised rim prevents spills.
5. Victoria Cast Iron Pan
People sometimes avoid purchasing cast iron skillets or pans because they must be seasoned. Fortunately, this model comes pre-seasoned, so you won’t have to go to all that trouble.
This unit has been seasoned at many high heats using high-quality and fresh flaxseed oil. The oil utilized by the producers is non-GMO and completely safe for you. The use of flaxseed oil enhances the natural taste of the pan.
Flaxseed oil seasoning improves the pan’s capacity to form a natural nonstick coating with each usage.
The Victoria cast iron pan’s loop handle features make it easy to use. You may move the tawa around on the stove and have better control over it. With this product on hand, you won’t need any more utensils to spread your dosa.
If you have a large group to serve, a large dosa pan might come in handy. Making huge dosas all at once will save you time.
Because this is a huge 15-inch cast iron pan, you may use it to make pizzas, lasagnas, cookies, and a variety of other items.
The flexible equipment may be used to prepare any type of dish in an oven, on a grill, or on a cooktop.
Highlighted features include:
- Cast iron cooking surface 15″
- Handle with a loop for convenience
- seasoned with flaxseed oil
- Ensures uniform heat distribution throughout the cooking process.
- 6-inch wide grip
What To Look Before Buying a Dosa Pan?
Material Pans are currently constructed from a wide range of materials. The following are some of the most prevalent tawa materials:
Forged iron
If you want something that will last, a cast iron dosa pan is the way to go. It’s powerful and solid. With uniform heat distribution, units composed of this material will never offer you an imperfect dosa.
However, the added weight comes at the expense of durability. Moving a cast iron tawa from one location to another in the kitchen might be difficult. Also, washing, seasoning, and maintaining the pan might take a long time.
Despite its drawbacks, the material is still regarded as the greatest dosa pan material due to its ability to produce flawlessly crispy dosas every time.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel pans are not as durable. They are one of the most recent varieties created to address the issue of heavy weight in cast iron ones.
If you cook dosas occasionally, this is a good investment. A stainless steel tawa, on the other hand, is likely to need to be replaced every 8 months. Aside from that, they are easy to maintain.
Aluminum
This substance is an excellent heat conductor. Because of its consistent heating, an aluminum pan aids in the preparation of high-quality dosas.
Nonetheless, putting anything acidic on an aluminum pan increases the risk of rusting.
Anodized aluminum, on the other hand, is often bathed in an electrolyte. Because an electric current is sent through the metal, it does not rust quickly.
The major reason people invest in aluminum or anodized aluminum is that it is lightweight and easy to deal with.
Non-Stick
Dosas were traditionally cooked on a nonstick pan. A towel drenched in oil is run over the Tawa to ensure that the dosa’s outside is crispy.
The technique, however, resulted in the removal of the pan’s top layer. This would pose several health dangers to the human digestive system.
That is why many nowadays choose to buy nonstick cookware. A nonstick pan also enables you to produce healthier versions of foods since it requires less oil.
If you want healthy alternatives with restaurant-quality crispiness, we recommend investing in a nonstick pan.
Diameter And Thickness
Pans purchased for domestic usage come in a wide range of sizes.
A big pan is required for producing dosa. The batter has to be stretched out a little on the pan. With little room, this may be difficult.
When it comes to cooking dosas, a larger size is a much better alternative.
However, when shopping, keep the size of your stove in mind. A pan that is too big may be incompatible with your home stove.
Heating products that are excessively thick can take longer. Tawas that are excessively thin, on the other hand, can overheat and burn your dosa.
Health Metrics
When purchasing a nonstick pan, be sure it is PFOA-free. This was a common chemical used in nonstick coatings. Eventually, research revealed its drawbacks.
Long-term PFOA exposure can cause health problems, including cancer. Although high heat volatilizes PFOA, you should avoid taking any chances and opt for safer options when your health is at stake.
Handles that are secure
When cooking, it is very likely that you will contact the tawa handles with your bare hands. When you’re in a rush, this is frequent.
Cooking utensils with heat-resistant handles are always preferable. If your chosen pan lacks this feature, make sure the handle is long.
The lean handle makes it simple to grip and move the pan. Simply ensure that the handle can support the weight of the pan.
FAQs
1. What Tawa Is Best For Making Dosa?
A nonstick tawa with a medium thickness works well for preparing dosas. Nonstick means your dosa will not stick to the pan and make a mess. It also means you’ll need less oil when cooking.
The medium thickness ensures that the pan heats up fast without overheating and burning your food.
2. How Should You Care For A Cast-Iron Pan?
Soaking a cast-iron pan in hot water overnight is the safest way to clean it. The next morning, use a combination of water and kosher or coarse salt to remove any food that has become trapped on the pan.
On your cast iron cookware, avoid using strong dish soaps, detergent, or steel wool.
3. Why is my dosa always breaking?
Not to worry, your dosa is not breaking due to a defective pan. If the batter is overly watery, the dosas may shatter. If you get the rice flour and spice to water ratio right, you should have perfectly intact, circular dosas.
4. How Do You Make Dosa On A Nonstick Pan?
This is a challenging assignment, but it is not impossible.
Cooking on a nonstick pan with plenty of oil is still possible. Season your pan ahead of time to prevent overcooking.
When you don’t have access to a nonstick Tawa, this method comes in handy.
5. Can I Make Dosa in a Granite Pan?
When making dosas, a granite or ceramic dosa pan can come in handy. Flipping and folding dosas on such tawas is much easier due to their nonstick nature.
6. Which Dosa Is the Healthiest?
Any dosa that replaces the flour ingredient with something healthier will be healthier for you. Some people make dosas with oat flour or coconut flour instead of rice or all-purpose flour.
A sada dosa is a dosa made only of rice and lentils that is considered a healthy alternative.
Last Words
A good quality cooking appliance is required to make a good quality dosa. There’s no point in wasting time making and fermenting the batter if you don’t have the right dosa appliance.
Without the best pan for dosa, it is nearly impossible to achieve a flawless result.
We’ve included a variety of sizes and material options in our tawa list in this article. Hopefully, you’ll find the one that’s just right for you.
So, what are you holding out for? Purchase a new tawa and begin flipping perfect dosas at home!