Terracotta Cooking Handi — Traditional Clay Pot with Lid

Long before stainless steel and non-stick pans entered Indian kitchens, food was slow-cooked in handi — rounded clay pots that gently retained heat and let dals, curries, and rice develop a depth of flavour that metal doesn't quite replicate. This handi brings that tradition back to the modern stovetop, with a fitted clay lid and sturdy handles for easy handling while cooking.

Each handi is shaped by hand on a traditional potter's wheel by artisan potters in Udaipur, then sun-dried and kiln-fired at high temperature to make it strong enough for regular cooking use. The rounded belly and narrowing neck are proportioned specifically for even heat distribution, refined over generations of everyday use rather than engineered from scratch.

Terracotta is naturally porous, which lets gentle, even heat circulate through the pot as food cooks slowly, rather than the fast, uneven heat of metal cookware — a large part of why clay-cooked dal, biryani, and curries are often described as tasting noticeably richer. Cooking in terracotta is also free of the chemical coatings found in non-stick cookware.

Before first use, a new handi should be seasoned by soaking it in water and simmering plain water in it, which helps close and strengthen the pores for cooking use.

• Material — Natural terracotta clay, unglazed, chemical-free
• Origin — Handcrafted by artisan potters in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
• Includes — Clay handi with fitted lid and side handles
• Best for — Slow-cooked dal, curry, biryani, rice — stovetop use

Earth, fire, and flame — cooking the way it was always meant to be done.