Everyday Indian Cooking: Cookware for Breakfast to Dinner

Daily Indian cooking is vibrant, diverse, and deeply rooted in technique. From fluffy breakfast upma to comforting dals at dinner, each dish demands the right cookware to achieve authentic textures and flavours. Choosing high-quality, purpose-driven cookware not only improves results but also reduces cooking time, oil usage, and long-term hassles.

Here’s a complete, meal-wise guide to the best cookware for everyday Indian cooking, with smart recommendations you can use for your kitchen.

Breakfast: Light, Fast & Flavourful Cooking

a) Tawa for Dosas, Rotis & Cheelas

For everyday breakfasts like dosas, moong dal chilla, besan pancakes, or phulkas, a flat, sturdy tawa ensures even heat and crisp textures.

1. A heavy-gauge non-stick tawa works best for oil-free dosas and uttapams.

2. For those who prefer traditional results, a cast iron tawa delivers excellent browning and retains heat beautifully.

Recommended:

1. Meyer Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Tawa – ideal for crisp dosas and long heat retention.
2. Meyer Merlot Non-Stick Tawa – great for low-oil cheelas and daily rotis.

b) Frypan for Upma, Poha & Quick Stir-Fries

A versatile frypan is essential for morning dishes like poha, upma, sabudana khichdi, or sautéed vegetables.
Choose:

1. Stainless steel frypans for sautéing and roasting.

2. Non-stick frypans for low-oil cooking and quick cleaning.

Recommended:

1. Meyer Midnight Non-stick Frypan for healthy, low-oil breakfasts.

Lunch: Balanced, Everyday Indian Meals

a) Kadai for Sabzis, Frying & Tempering

The kadai is the heart of Indian cooking. For everyday sabzis like aloo jeera, bhindi fry, paneer dishes, or mixed vegetables, choose:

1. Tri-ply stainless steel kadai for even heating and flavour-rich cooking.

2. Non-stick kadai for low-oil gravies and dry sabzis.

3. Cast iron kadai for deep frying or robust rustic flavours.

Recommended:

1. Meyer Trivantage Tri-Ply Kadai for consistent heat and long durability.

2. Meyer Cast Iron Kadai for authentic frying and earthy flavour.

b) Saucepan for Dal, Kadhi & Boiling

Saucepans are indispensable for boiling dal, preparing kadhi, heating milk, or cooking pasta and noodles for kids.
Look for:

1. Tri-ply saucepans that distribute heat uniformly and prevent scorching.
2. Stainless steel saucepans with comfortable handles for daily use.

Recommended:

1. Meyer Centennial Stainless Steel Saucepan for perfect simmering and safe, toxin-free cooking.

c) Pressure Cooker for Fast, Nutritious Meals

Daily staples like dal, rajma, chole, khichdi, and steamed rice demand a dependable pressure cooker.
Choose:

1. Stainless steel cookers for durability and hygiene.

2. Triply cookers for faster cooking and fuel efficiency.

Recommended:

1. Meyer Stainless Steel Presta Pressure Cooker for everyday Indian meals.

MEYER 3pcs Cookware Set

Evening Snacks: Crisp, Fresh & Healthy

a) Grill Pan for Cutlets & Tikkis

Instead of deep frying, a grill pan gives flavourful, charred textures with minimal oil.

Great for:

1. Paneer tikka
2. Aloo tikki
3. Vegetable cutlets
4. Grilled sandwiches

Recommended:

1. Meyer Cast Iron Grill Pan for signature sear marks and superior browning.

b) Small Frypan or Mini Tawa for Tadka Snacks

For small portions or tadka-based snacks like:

1. Masala peanuts
2. Mini uttapams
3. Onion fritters (low-oil version)

Choose a compact, non-stick frypan that heats quickly and cleans easily.

Dinner: Comforting Curries, Rotis & One-Pot Meals

a) Deep Kadai or Casserole for Curries & Gravies

Dinner often includes gravies such as paneer butter masala, chicken curry, mixed veg, or dal makhani.
The best cookware for these slow-cooked dishes includes:

1. Tri-ply casseroles for even simmering.
2. Enamelled cast iron for enduring heat and restaurant-style richness.

Recommended:

1. Meyer Enamel Cast Iron Casserole for deep, slow-cooked dishes.

b) Tawa / Roti Pan

Evening rotis require a dedicated, well-seasoned pan that heats quickly and evenly.

Choose:

1. Cast iron roti tawas for puffed phulkas.
2. Non-stick tawas for low-oil parathas.

c) Stockpot or Casserole for One-Pot Dinners

For busy nights, one-pot meals like pulao, vegetable stew, dalia khichdi, millet upma, or tomato rice require a deep stockpot with a strong base.

Recommended:

Meyer Disney Bon Voyage Enameled Cast Iron Casserole for clean, non-reactive cooking.

How to Build a Smart Everyday Cookware Set (Breakfast to Dinner)

To simplify daily cooking, consider these essentials:

1. Tri-ply kadai – multi-purpose for sabzis, curries, frying
2. Cast iron tawa – perfect for rotis, dosas, parathas
3. Non-stick frypan – ideal for low-oil breakfasts and quick snacks
4. Stainless steel saucepan – for dals, milk, tea, boiling
5. Deep pot/stockpot – for soups, pulao, khichdi
6. Pressure cooker – for fast, nutritious meals

When you choose a balance of non-stick, stainless steel, and cast iron cookware, everyday Indian cooking becomes faster, healthier, and far more flavourful.

Conclusion

From breakfast dishes like poha and dosa to dinner curries and rotis, having the right cookware elevates every stage of Indian cooking. Investing in high-quality pans, kadais, tawas, and casseroles—especially premium and thoughtfully designed options like those from Meyer—ensures better results, lower oil usage, and long-lasting performance.