Seasoning Your Clay Pot
If you want to get the most out of your pots and pans, seasoning them is a must-do! Here’s a simple method for seasoning your cookware:
First things first, give your clay pot a thorough rinse and wipe down with a cotton cloth.
Then, fill it up with water about 1/4 of the way and pop it onto the stovetop with the lid on.
Now, turn on the heat to medium-low and let the water heat up for about 5 minutes.
Once it’s hot, sprinkle in some flour (1 Tbsp, for smaller pots or 2 Tbsp, for larger ones), stir it around, and cover it up.
Keep cooking until it thickens up, which should take about 25–35 minutes on average. Then, turn off the heat, open the lid, and let it cool down.
Once it’s cooled, pour out the thickened flour, give it a wash and rinse, and you’re ready to start cooking with your newly seasoned pot!
If you’re avoiding flour, don’t worry: you can still season your clay pot. Instead of flour, use 1 Tbsp of cooking oil like olive, coconut, or groundnut oil.
Cover it up and cook for about 30 minutes or until you see steam building up inside.
By the way, if you’re using Ekòkò, it’s a good idea to apply some cooking oil to the outside walls of the pot and lid with your hands after seasoning.
This will help it develop a uniform patina as it ages. Just remember, don’t apply oil to the bottom of the pot.
Cleaning Your Ekòkò Pots
Clay pots, with their unique cooking properties and ability to enhance flavours, are treasured kitchen companions. To ensure their longevity and optimal performance, it’s essential to properly clean and care for them.
In this section, we’ll delve into the art of washing and cleaning clay pots, ensuring they remain in pristine condition.
By following these instructions, you’ll be able to maintain the natural qualities of the clay pot and continue to enjoy the delightful dishes it helps create.
So, let’s dive in and discover the best practices for washing and cleaning your beloved clay pot!
- Avoid leaving soap water inside the clay pot for an extended period. After washing, make sure to rinse the pot immediately to remove any soap residue. Clay pots can absorb flavours and odours easily, so thorough rinsing is important.
- Similarly, it’s advisable not to leave cold water inside the clay pot for too long. Sudden temperature changes can cause the pot to crack. If you need to store water in the pot, it’s best to use it within a reasonable time frame.
- When it comes to cleaning the clay pot, opt for a very light soap. Use approximately 1/4 of what you would typically use to clean regular pots. Harsh chemicals or heavy detergents can damage the porous surface of the clay pot and affect its cooking properties.
- Start by rinsing the clay pot with warm water to remove any loose debris or food particles. Avoid using abrasive sponges or brushes that can scratch the surface. Gently scrub the pot using a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge with a small amount of mild soap. Focus on areas that might have food residue or stains.
- Once the pot is clean, rinse it thoroughly with warm water to ensure all the soap is removed. It’s essential to eliminate any soap residue to prevent it from affecting the flavours of your future dishes.
- After rinsing, let the clay pot air dry completely. Placing a damp clay pot directly on heat can cause cracking, so it’s crucial to ensure it’s completely dry before using it again.
Cooking with Ekòkò.ng
Our clay pots are great for cooking non-toxic, nutritious and delicious food that will last you a long time.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
On a Stovetop: The 100% clay material and the unique heat management features make our pots great heat retainers.
However, it’s important to give the pot only as much heat as it needs to cook your food. Because all recipes cook beautifully on just low heat (setting 3 on a scale of 1-10).
If your clay pot is more than 1/2 full of ingredients, you can increase the heat to medium-low, or set to “4” after cooking on ‘low’ for a few minutes.
However, avoid medium or higher than medium settings. If you repeatedly subject the pot to high amounts of heat than what it needs, these pots may crack to release that excess heat. So remember to keep the heat between low and medium-low!
With Electric/Glass Cooktops: For the first few uses (5-7 uses), you may turn the heat up to medium settings—or slightly past medium if the pot is more than half-full—after cooking for 5 minutes on low.
However, as the pot becomes accustomed to cooking on lower heat with multiple uses, you don’t need to go past medium-low.
After the initial seasoning, continue using the pot as often as possible (preferably every day) for a few times cooking water-based recipes. Use it at least 4–5 times in this way before putting it away, if you have to.
Water-based recipes include making rice, tuwo, soups, stews, ogi, custard, efo riro, etc. This helps the pot to shrink slightly and become ‘fully seasoned’.
It’s also recommended to cook non-meat recipes while the pot is getting ‘fully seasoned’. After this, you can then cook any type of food in them.
If You Have a Glass/Ceramic Cook top, Keep These Points in Mind:
Cooking your meals may take 10–12 minutes longer compared to gas stoves.
Some ceramic/glass burners have multiple rings in a single burner (for example: one burner with a 6 inch, 8 inch, and 12 inch diameter ring).
Avoid this kind of burner because they give off too much heat regardless of the setting.
In the Oven — The recommended max temperature is 232°C. Start in a cold oven or at 121°C and increase to the desired temperature after 5–10 minutes.
Hope these tips help you get the most out of your Ekòkò.ng cookware!
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