Tava
Encyclopedia
A tava, tawa(h), saj, or sac is a large, flat or convex disc-shaped griddle
(UK frying pan) made from metal, usually sheet iron
, cast iron
, sheet steel or aluminium
. It is used in south, central, and west Asia for cooking a variety of flatbread
s and as a griddle
for meat. It also sometimes refers to ceramic griddles.
In west Asia, tava/saj are invariably convex, while in south Asia, both flat and convex versions are found.
name tava(h)/tawa(h) is used in South Asia
; while the Turkic
name saj (lit. sheet-metal and written saç or sac in Turkish and in Arabic) is used in Southwest Asia, with overlap in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The word tava is also used in Turkish, but refers to any kind of frying pan
.
In Bulgaria, flat ceramic сач or сачѐ (sach/sache) are used for table-top cooking of thin slices of vegetables and meat; тава (tava), on the other hand, are metal baking dishes with sides.
, chapati
, paratha
, chaap, pao bhaaji, chaat
, dosa
, and pesarattu
.
In Pakistan, especially in rural areas, large saj are used to cook several breads at a same time or to make romali roti.
foods called tava fry, taka tak bhaji, tawa bhaji, tawa masala, etc..
Griddle
A griddle is a cooking device consisting of a broad flat surface that can be heated using a variety of means, and is used in both residential and commercial applications for a variety of cooking operations. Most commonly, the griddle consists of a flat metal plate, but in the non-industrialized...
(UK frying pan) made from metal, usually sheet iron
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
, cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
, sheet steel or aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
. It is used in south, central, and west Asia for cooking a variety of flatbread
Flatbread
A flatbread is a simple bread made with flour, water, and salt and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened: made without yeast or sourdough culture: although some flatbread is made with yeast, such as pita bread....
s and as a griddle
Griddle
A griddle is a cooking device consisting of a broad flat surface that can be heated using a variety of means, and is used in both residential and commercial applications for a variety of cooking operations. Most commonly, the griddle consists of a flat metal plate, but in the non-industrialized...
for meat. It also sometimes refers to ceramic griddles.
In west Asia, tava/saj are invariably convex, while in south Asia, both flat and convex versions are found.
Etymology
The Persian languagePersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
name tava(h)/tawa(h) is used in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
; while the Turkic
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
name saj (lit. sheet-metal and written saç or sac in Turkish and in Arabic) is used in Southwest Asia, with overlap in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The word tava is also used in Turkish, but refers to any kind of frying pan
Frying pan
A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. Larger pans may have a small grab handle opposite the main handle...
.
In Bulgaria, flat ceramic сач or сачѐ (sach/sache) are used for table-top cooking of thin slices of vegetables and meat; тава (tava), on the other hand, are metal baking dishes with sides.
Breads
A tava or saj is used to cook a variety of leavened and unleavened flatbreads and crepes across the broad region: saj bread, rotiRoti
Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...
, chapati
Chapati
Chapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...
, paratha
Paratha
A paratha/parantha/parauntha is an Indian flat-bread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat and atta which literally means layers of cooked dough...
, chaap, pao bhaaji, chaat
Chaat
Chaat is a term describing savoury snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or carts in India. With its origins in east India, chaat has become immensely popular in the rest of India and the rest of South Asia...
, dosa
Dosa
Dosa or Dhosai is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is indigenous to and is a staple dish in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as being popular in Sri Lanka...
, and pesarattu
Pesarattu
Pesarattu is a crepe-like bread unique to Telugu cuisine that is similar to dosa. It is made with batter of green gram , but unlike a dosa, it does not contain rice. Pesarattu is eaten both in breakfast and as snack that popular in Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is typically served with ginger...
.
In Pakistan, especially in rural areas, large saj are used to cook several breads at a same time or to make romali roti.
General cooking
In south Asia, tavas are also used to fryFry
-Food and cooking:* Frying, the act of cooking food in oil or fat** Pan frying, frying food in a flat pan** Stir frying, frying food in a wok and stirring it while it cooks* Full breakfast, a traditional cooked meal, also called a fry-up or Ulster fry...
foods called tava fry, taka tak bhaji, tawa bhaji, tawa masala, etc..
See also
- SačSAC-People:* Stuart Adam Campbell, a famous gamer who got 30 days playtime within two months of MW2's release in 2009-Computers:* Symposium on Applied Computing, an annual conference sponsored by the ACM Special Interest Group on Applied Computing...
, a cooking utensil used in the Balkans with a saj-shaped lid - Mongolian barbecueMongolian barbecueMongolian barbecue is a stir fried dish that was developed in Taiwanese restaurants in the 1970s. Meat and vegetables are cooked in large, round, solid iron griddles at temperatures of up to 300 °C...
, a Taiwanese grill dish sometimes using a saj-like griddle. - Comal (cookware)Comal (cookware)A comal is a smooth, flat griddle typically used in Mexico to cook tortillas, toast spices, sear meat, and generally prepare food. Similar cookware is called a budare in South America. Some comals are concave and made of "barro" . These are still made and used by the indigenous peoples of Mexico...
, a similar utensil in Mexican cuisine