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You are here: Home / How to's / How to season new iron dosa tawa, Tips to maintain iron tawa

How to season new iron dosa tawa, Tips to maintain iron tawa

July 16, 2018 by Sharmilee J 39 Comments

bisi bele bath recipe

How to season new iron dosa tawa, How to season cast iron dosa tawa for first time use, Tips to maintain dosa tawa.

This is a long time pending post, I had my dosa and chapathi tawa already seasoned and that is another reason too for the delay of this post.So when I got this new dosa tawa recently thought to season and click to post it here.

First of all let me introduce my dosa and chapathi tawas.I have 2 dosa tawas and 1 chapathi tawa(the one with wooden handle).Of them one tawa is cast iron and other 2 are normal iron.

From the days I started cooking I had no craze in buying nonstick pans even before I knew about its health hazards  as I didn’t like the taste and texture of dosas /chapathis cooked in nonstick.The few ones I had were gifts/ free items that came with my induction.But I am crazy about collecting traditional cookwares these days so more seasoning posts coming up soon. 🙂

Trust me, a well seasoned iron tawa works better than nonstick and the crispy texture it gives is worth all the effort we put in.

I was searching for a flat dosa tawa and happy to find it in a local shop here in Coimbatore years back.

There are many different ways to season iron tawa.The tips and tricks I have given here can be used for any unseasoned iron utensils either kadai or pan or tawa.You can use these steps to re-season an old iron tawa too.

I have given both how to season iron dosa tawa for first time use and how to maintain it regularly.

Tips:

  • It is always better to have separate tawa for dosa and chapathi.
  • Do not let water stay on the tawa for a long time after washing.Either heat it up or wipe with dry cloth.
  • A layer of oil on the tawa avoids rusting so while storing always brush with oil and keep.If you can heat it for few mins then store its best.But I do the heating only once in 15 days not on a daily basis.
  • Always rinse it with water everyday as there are chances for insects to sit on them.Once washed wipe with a cloth then heat and start using it.

Cast iron dosa tawa which is 5 yrs old and I use it on a daily basis.I bought it from a local whole sale shop and it costed 300Rs.

bisi bele bath recipe

Chapathi Tawa I use regularly which is also almost 4 yrs old.I bought it from a local whole sale shop and it costed 100Rs.I find online and even shops expensive so look out for local whole sale shops where it is damn cheap and no compromise in quality also.

bisi bele bath recipe

Dosa pizza

bisi bele bath recipe

You might have seen these pics of my dosa and chapathi tawa in my earlier posts too.

bisi bele bath recipe

HOW TO SEASON NEW DOSA TAWA:

    1. First rinse the new dosa tawa with dishwasher soap or liquid and a metal scrubber.Scrub it well and wash it.Dry it completely.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step1
    2. Now add 2 tsp of oil and 2 tsp salt to the tawa.Adjust the quantity of oil and salt according to the size of the tawa.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step2
    3. Spread it with well so that the oil salt mixture is evenly spread over the entire dosa tawa completely.Leave it aside for 1 day.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step3
    4. Next day scrub again to remove any rust or dirt.Now we need starch water(rice cooked water) or you can used rice washed water too.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step4
    5. Soak in starch water or rice washed water.If you dont have enough mix starch water with water and add.Soak it for 2 days.Change the starch water the next day and then leave aside.Wash it again.Now heat it up.Add 2 tsp of oil.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step5
    6. Add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds,1/4 tsp of urad dal and let it splutter.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step6
    7. Using a spatula spread the tempering all over the dosa tawa,Now add 1 -2 tbsp chopped onion and fry until golden… spread and saute to cover the entire dosa tawa.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step7
    8. Remove it and wipe off with a clean tissue or a cloth.Now your dosa tawa is ready to use.The first 2 dosas may slightly stick at the edges but after making 3-4 dosas it will work perfectly.These steps are needed only for new dosa tawa and can be used for re-seasoning tawas which you haven’t used for a long time too.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step7

    HOW TO MAINTAIN IRON DOSA TAWA :

    1. Sometimes we might overheat the dosa tawa which makes dosas stick or any other reasons which may cause the dosas to stick.In that case either do this step 1 or step 2 to avoid dosa sticking.Heat the dosa tawa keep in low flame, add oil and salt spread using a laddle, keep spreading and cooking for 2 mins.Switch off, wipe it with a cloth then start using.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step7
    2. This is the recent method amma read in a book and it works like a charm.Heat dosa tawa in low flame, roughly tear 2 small red chillies and put it on the tawa,spread to cover the entire dosa tawa and saute for 2mins.Switch off, wipe it with a cloth then start using.Alternatively you can use half onion prick with a fork and use it on the pan to wipe it off.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step7
    3. After using the dosa tawa, just rinse and wash it NO NEED TO USE SOAP.Wipe off well without any moisture.Brush it with little oil and store.If you want you can heat the tawa for 2 mins with oil then store.I do the heating only once in 2 weeks or so not daily but I wipe it off without any moisture and just apply oil and keep so it does not rust.In case if you use non veg or egg then you can use soap to wash it.
      How to make bisi bele bath recipe - Step7

    Next day you can either wipe off with a cloth and start using or rinse it once with water and start using.

    bisi bele bath recipe

    I use my dosa / chapathi tawa for roasting veggies too.

  1. bisi bele bath recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Raji says

    July 16, 2018 at 12:34 pm

    Hi Sharmi ! Great to see this post ! Your site brought the interest for cooking in me . I even looked if there was an article about seasoning the pan a couple of weeks earlier in this site …really surprised to see this post today😃 Was having a very hard time with my new iron pan for the past 3 weeks … and now I’m sure I can make it work with your tips …
    Thanku so much 😃😃

    Reply
  2. Lakshmi says

    July 18, 2018 at 9:03 am

    This is such a lovely post Sharmi:) Can’t Thank You enough !!

    Reply
  3. sunitha says

    July 18, 2018 at 12:18 pm

    hi sharmi,
    much awaited post….thnks for ur detailed notes…even though i was aware of the ways to season a new iron pan, i was ignorant of its maintenance part…thus my iron dosa tawa got oil residue built up in its sides…do you know any method to clear this or shud i go for a new one?
    thnk you

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      July 21, 2018 at 8:53 am

      You can scrap the residue and see if it comes out then try seasoning

      Reply
      • Ammu says

        February 6, 2019 at 10:10 am

        It scraps off easily when tawa is hot

        Reply
  4. venkat says

    August 24, 2018 at 3:47 pm

    I bought a cast iron tawa and seasoned it. the conventional dosa made with rice and urad and fermented comes out perfectly. But godhuma dosa (wheat dosa) or rava dosa sticks. any soltion

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      November 1, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      Not really sure use it for a while then try rava dosa and wheat dosa.

      Reply
  5. Puvan says

    October 15, 2018 at 9:20 am

    Thank you so much for this post. I am now having problem with my panniyaram pan…..mom bought an aluminium type (I think) for me…can’t seem to season it well. Will the same method work?

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      November 1, 2018 at 6:06 pm

      sorry not sure of aluminium pan seasoning but you can try and see

      Reply
  6. Girish says

    December 20, 2018 at 10:33 am

    Too good

    Reply
  7. Pratibha says

    January 18, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Dear Sharmila,
    1) Want to know how to seasoned New Cast Iron Paniyarappam Appam pan having halves?
    2) From which Local Market you buy your Chapati Tawa?
    Thank you.
    Pratibha

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      October 29, 2019 at 10:05 am

      1.I use the same method only for all iron pans
      2.I bought both my dosa and chapathi tawa from townhall 5 corner

      Reply
  8. varsh says

    February 21, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    wr did u get dosa iron tawa in coimbatore?

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      April 9, 2019 at 6:57 am

      in town hall 5 corner

      Reply
  9. SHWETA says

    March 21, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    I have a cast iron tawa which I bought to make neer dosas but could never use it well. The dosas will always stick to it. I was told that I need to cook onions in loads of oil and then use it.. That didn’t work either. I stored the tawa for over 2 yrs now and recently saw that it has rust. Would the method that you suggested work on that too?

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      March 25, 2019 at 3:04 pm

      yesyes do try it, should work

      Reply
  10. Himabindu Sornapudi says

    April 23, 2019 at 10:42 pm

    Hii i want to know only on low flame dosa to be made ?

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      October 29, 2019 at 10:02 am

      low medium flame

      Reply
  11. RB says

    April 27, 2019 at 10:40 am

    Do you use the same tawa for dosa, roti, roasting veggies?
    Thought dosa tawa should be exclusively used for dosa?

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      October 29, 2019 at 10:01 am

      I radomly use it for others but have a exclusive tawa for dosa

      Reply
  12. Nisha says

    June 6, 2019 at 10:29 pm

    Hey. I also have the same tawa with wooden stick and i have tried every method of seasoning but when i pour batter it will get pour easily but it will get stick. I have to use scrubber to remove. That is there any other way possible to season it

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      July 3, 2019 at 6:45 am

      did u try with red chillies?

      Reply
    • Anar says

      June 9, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Is the last step of tempering and washing required for chapati iron tawa as well? Thanks for the detailed post!

      Reply
      • Sharmilee J says

        July 8, 2020 at 7:04 am

        First time its better to do it

        Reply
  13. Prashanth Eyyala says

    June 10, 2019 at 8:37 pm

    Thank you for this method. My wife had tried the other nethid using heating oil everyday. It never worked. In fact the dosa tawa was lying unused. I however wanted to stop using my Teflon non stick and tried your method. It worked and am. Having true naadan style dosa. Txs a ton

    Reply
  14. Beata says

    June 12, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    Hi,
    Can I use water with rice flour instead of starch water to soak new tawa?

    Reply
  15. Sowmya Srinevas says

    July 13, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    Hi..please give suggestions that can we get good quality iron tawa online

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      October 29, 2019 at 9:59 am

      I bought most of mine from local shops but try tredyfoods online

      Reply
  16. Supriya says

    July 31, 2019 at 11:06 am

    Seasoning is mandatory for chapathi tawa also or not pls clarify

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      October 29, 2019 at 9:49 am

      all iron tawas needs seasoning

      Reply
  17. Pannaga says

    August 4, 2019 at 7:22 pm

    Hello,

    Thanks for the detailed instructions with pictures. We are using an iron tava for dosas, but have been advised only to wipe it and not wash it. We take extra care to clean it properly. Don’t you have a rusting problem with washing everytime?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      October 29, 2019 at 9:47 am

      It depends on the iron variety some rust some don’t.Initially I washed heated it up then wiped with oil and kept to avoid rusting.But over the years now it is not rusting.

      Reply
  18. Preena says

    February 22, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    Hi Mrs. Sharmi, when I make dosas sometimes I use coconut oil and sometimes if its masala dosa I use ghee. Is it ok to change the kind of oil used in making dosas? When I purchased the tawa shopkeeper told me, dosas should be made with same kind of oil or else dosas will stick on tawa?

    Reply
    • Sharmilee J says

      April 30, 2020 at 6:26 am

      no not at all. if your tawa is seasoned perfectly oil shouldnt matter at all

      Reply
  19. Nisha says

    February 29, 2020 at 9:49 am

    Hi

    Sharmilee

    Thank You Sooooo much its really help

    Reply
  20. CPH says

    March 23, 2020 at 4:16 am

    Thanks for your detailed post! Being stuck inside, it is a good time for such tasks. I’ll look at your recipes as well!

    Reply
  21. Monali says

    April 20, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    You are totally awesome. I had a regular iron tawa from India and I followed your directions to a T and I just now made a perfect dosa without sticking the tawa at all.

    Reply
  22. Sowmya says

    June 29, 2020 at 7:52 am

    I thought cast iron need not be seasoned.after reading your post I feel bad for not seeing your post before 2 years.luckily my dosas and chapathis are coming out very well so far.only thing is oil getting accumulated across the sides and when I scrub,feel coating is coming out.i have got new iron tawa and going to try your seasoning for sure.thanks for the knowledge you have provided.

    Reply
  23. SASIKALA says

    July 30, 2020 at 1:40 pm

    THANKS FOR UR INFORMATION MAM

    Reply

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