Cooking on a chulha | what is a chulha?
What is a Chulha?
Chulha is a traditional Indian cooking stove used for Indoor cooking. Chulha is a U-shaped mud stove made from local clay, mud and cow dung.
After the clay formation is complete, it is finished by covering it with a coat of mud and cow dung mixture.
In the past, clay chulha used to be a significant part of Indian kitchens. That economical chulha is now often used as a quintessential and exotic image of Indian villages.
The old times were all about cooking with patience to get the best results without affecting the nutrition profile of the food. The smokey flavour that can be achieved only through a clay stove is something people now pay for in restaurants.
With the change in time, the humble chulha got replaced with the fancy and one-touch cooking range that is supported by a chimney and keeps the home smoke-free.
What is the shape of a chulha?
The thickness of the walls is not as important as the dimensions of the fire side are. The front of the chulha has an apron. This apron helps hold the fuel to be burnt (usually wood, sticks, cow dung patties, straw, crop waste etc).
Once the process of cooking is complete the apron holds the ashes, which are removed later.
Benefits of Cooking on a Chulha
More Flavour – Food cooked in earthen pots is nutrient-rich, as they help maintain the moisture and the aroma of the cooked food.
More Nutrition – The slow cooking process on a chulha keeps all the minerals intact.
More Cleansing – The mud chulha used in the open courtyard for cooking with cow dung cakes helps purify the house and air. It also keeps the house free from mosquitoes and insects.