Topic: seasoning a pan

[diverdil]

i have been lurking in the background for some time reading and taking note of all your hard work discovering the secret to home made currys. i am most grateful for all your work. its time now for me to raise my ugly head and ask a few questions if thats ok

i live near portsmouth and finally made the effort to venture into my asian store and buy a chefs spoon and frying pan. i have been using a non stick wok and wooden spoon but keep reading about the Caramelization process on metal pans. i have had some success but wanted to step my game up and really venture into the pro game.
so i bought a metal pan like in many of the videos, not an ali pan but iron. i'm very happy and want to treat it well as i hope it cooks me some great food. my only issue is the seasoning of a pan. i am aware of the seasoning process for a wok but what do you do for an indian frying pan? also what is the after care for a pan?

[DalPuri]

Hi diverdil, When i've finished using an iron pan, i'll wash it out with water, then stick it back on the hob.
Let it dry off and when it starts smoking, i add a tsp or two of oil and wipe it all over with some paper towel leaving a thin oil film on the surface.
Some people will say it has to be ali only for curries, but an iron pan is fine. The only problem with cooking curries in iron, is the use of tomatoes in most dishes, so it will never stay fully seasoned like a wok.
But you should have no problem with it, there are plenty of BIR's using them for all curries. 

Cheers, Frank. 

[spiceyokooko]

Some people will say it has to be ali, but an iron pan is fine

Not sure I entirely agree with you there, it's not that important, but a bare non-stick aluminium pan or stainless steel one for that matter will behave slightly differently to a seasoned wok or iron one.

The seasoning effectively coats the iron with a non stick surface, an aluminium pan does not have a non stick surface to it which is why the sauce sticks to the bottom of the pan and caramelises. That's not to say it won't caramelise in a non stick pan, the effect just won't be quite the same.

[DalPuri]

Or maybe the iron pans do act the same as ali because they cant be fully seasoned due to acidic ingredients?   

[diverdil]

so nothing to do before i start? i was told somewhere long ago about oiling buring hot letting it dry and rubbing it with salt....... maybe another old wives tale

thanks for the advice guys and hope to quiz you more with my questions

[DalPuri]

so nothing to do before i start? i was told somewhere long ago about oiling buring hot letting it dry and rubbing it with salt....... maybe another old wives tale

thanks for the advice guys and hope to quiz you more with my questions

Sorry, yes. Treat it the same as a wok to start with. Always season a new iron pan when you first get it, then a quick heat and oiling in between uses.

[spiceyokooko]

Or maybe the iron pans do act the same as ali because they cant be fully seasoned due to acidic ingredients?   

They can be fully seasoned, specially if you build up the seasoned coating over time. The acidity in tomatoes will simply try and break down the seasoned surface but as long as they're cleaned properly (you shouldn't really wash seasoned pans in detergent, which affects the coating) and recoated with oil the seasoned coating shouldn't break down.

Just don't cook spinach in an unseasoned iron pan, the oxalic acid in it turns the spinach black!

[spiceyokooko]

so nothing to do before i start?

If it came with a wax protective coating, you need to get rid of that first by scrubbing it in soapy water. Then I'd suggest doing a search on youtube for wok seasoning, there's loads of good videos there that will show you the best way to season it.

I'd suggest using a high smoke point oil such as peanut/groundnut oil to season it with because you need fairly high temperatures to season properly.

[curryhell]

Hi diverdil, When i've finished using an iron pan, i'll wash it out with water, then stick it back on the hob.
Let it dry off and when it starts smoking, i add a tsp or two of oil and wipe it all over with some paper towel leaving a thin oil film on the surface.
Some people will say it has to be ali only for curries, but an iron pan is fine. The only problem with cooking curries in iron, is the use of tomatoes in most dishes, so it will never stay fully seasoned like a wok.
But you should have no problem with it, there are plenty of BIR's using them for all curries. 

Cheers, Frank. 

Welcome Diverdil.  I will post the instructions which came with my black iron pan some 20 odd years ago.  Have used them on all of my three pans and they're all great at producing good results.  But i have to confess after 20 odd years at this game ali pans will take you one step futher to achieving what you're looking for.  Will post up the original instructions i have tomorrow.  It's not that different from what other posters have said.

[curryhell]

The original instructions that came with my first black iron pan from Dentons in Clapham some 24 years ago, safely tucked away in the back of Pat Chapman's Favourite Restaurant Curries  ;D
I've always just rinsed my pans out, put back on the heat till dry and then coated with a thin film of oil.  They've serve me well over the last 20 years or so