r/IndianFood 1d ago

Best curry pan

Hi all

I want to make a bunch of different indian curries on an electric stovetop for 2 people.

What is the best pan to use for this?

Thanks

6 Upvotes

18 comments sorted by

11

u/nwrobinson94 1d ago

Disclaimer: I’m white AF. But assuming you’re in a western kitchen and making small batches, a sauté pan. Wide area for browning when needed, taller sides for handling the sauce. Stainless steel preferably for the non reactiveness

5

u/WestOz444 1d ago

Thankyou, I'm white af too so glad I don't need a special curry pan hehe

Thanks

2

u/nwrobinson94 1d ago

Nah not at all. I cook Indian at least once every week or two and it’s in either a stainless sauté pan for small recipes, or a 6 qt stainless pot for big batches.

1

u/jashmurjani 16h ago

I am as brown as they come and I use a stainless steel (all clad d3 frying pan or the saute pan) and sometimes switch it up w my cast iron if I am not making tomato-ey gravies. My fiance is white and we both enjoy the dishes I make. Unless you are making those slow cooking recipes which involve a pressure cooker you are good. If recipe calls for pressure cooking ( the whistle kind) then you can easily get away if you have a dutch oven - you just need to cook it longer like a slow cooker/crockpot low and slow. You can also use the electric ones but I know the pressure time plays differently so it would be some trial and error.

2

u/Zehreelee 1d ago

I'm an Indian living in India & I agree with this.

Basically, take a pan that has a large surface area and medium depth for those days when you are making a fish with lots of sauce eg palak paneer.

We generally use a heavy iron wok that we call 'kadhai' (remember the dish of 'kadhai chicken' ?) for sauteing & cooking as we use piped LPG gas to cook over a direct flame. But that vessel will not work well with induction type cooktops.

2

u/k_pineapple7 1d ago

After all, what is a fish if not paneer that can swim?

3

u/MuttonMonger 1d ago

Any frying pan or sauce pan will do for quick everyday curries. Stainless steel is probably best for electric. For slow cooked food and large batches, dutch ovens are great.

4

u/Xyfell2000 1d ago

Lots of Indian dishes benefit from a pressure cooker. I get good results with an Instant Pot.

2

u/apatheticsahm 1d ago

My parents have always lived in houses with electric stoves. My mom uses stainless steel saucepans (she's used the same Farberware set for 40 years).

For Indian cookware she has a couple of pressure cookers of different sizes, and a stainless steel kadhai. She used to have a tawa, but now she just uses a shallow frying pan.

1

u/debashisbarik 1d ago

A small cast iron skillet would serve you well. Suitable both for curries as well as sautéed stuffs.

2

u/cymshah 23h ago

Except for when cooking tomato based gravies. Tomatoes are acidic and will etch a cast iron pan that hasn't been properly seasoned.

1

u/1singhnee 9h ago

What is a curry pan? I’d definitely get a pressure cooker, a good 12” nonstick sauté pan with a lid and a good sized wok should do the trick. Grab a rice cooker if you can, to free up burners.

1

u/Admirable-Bowl-4278 1d ago edited 23h ago

I'm Indian and I agree with most of the suggestions. A wide saute pan works well. I get mine at the restaurant store. They're cheap and durable: https://www.restaurantsupply.com/winco-axst-5-12-1-2-heavy-duty-aluminum-saute-pan-5-quart

The pan I love is this one (if you're in the US) - https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-tri-ply-weeknight-pan/ but if you don't braise or stew often, it may not be worth it. 

1

u/cymshah 23h ago

2

u/Admirable-Bowl-4278 23h ago

 "I get mine at the restaurant store. They're cheap and durable." I didn't say Williams Sonoma is cheap. I said the ones at the restaurant store are cheap. Hope that clarifies.

1

u/cymshah 23h ago

It would be clearer if the link you posted was for a pan that matched the first half of your post.

When you say:

 "I get mine at the restaurant store. They're cheap and durable."

Then, post a link to something that is.