Kansa Handi with Domed Lid, 1.1 kg

Name: Kansa Handi with Domed Lid, 1.1 kg
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-KA-KAN-HAN-197
Price: 7399.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A kansa handi with a domed lid on a turned knob and a belly that draws in at the base.

Rs. 7,399.00

Rs. 7,399.00 Rs. 9,599.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 1,100g

Material: Kansa (bronze), unlacquered
Finish: Brushed satin, turned on a lathe
Lid: Domed, dropping onto a stepped shoulder, with a turned baluster knob
Base: Flat and drawn in below the belly, no foot ring

In the box

1 kansa handi
1 kansa lid

Check delivery to your PIN code

Estimated, not a guarantee. Dispatched from Guwahati, Monday to Saturday.

Each piece is shaped and finished by hand, so small differences in weight, size, finish and surface marking are normal and no two are identical. Colour on screen can differ from the metal in daylight. Handmade in India.

The lid is domed rather than flat and drops onto a shoulder that steps in to take it, so the two meet in a line visible from across a table. Its knob is turned in a small baluster, waisted at the middle and wide enough to lift with two fingers. Turning lines run the full height of the body in fine parallel bands, and the belly draws in below its widest point to a flat base narrower than the mouth. No handles are fitted. At 1,100 g the pot holds a slow dish steady and still lifts with a cloth.

What is it?

A handi is the round-bellied lidded pot of the Indian kitchen, wide at the waist and drawn in at the mouth so a slow dish holds its heat, and made to go from the flame to the table.

Also known as a bronze handi, kansya handi, degchi, bell metal cooking pot or haandi.

What is in the box?

1 kansa handi
1 kansa lid

How do I look after it?

Kansa is an alloy of copper and tin, known in English as bell metal or bronze. It is dense, hard, and heavier in the hand than steel of the same size.
Wash by hand with a mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge straight after eating. Dry fully.
Kansa darkens with use and reacts to sour food faster than brass does. Serve lemon, curd, tamarind and pickle fresh rather than leaving them standing in the vessel.
To restore the shine: tamarind pulp, or lemon and salt. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
Do not use steel wool, harsh detergent or bleach.
Not dishwasher safe. Not microwave safe.
Kansa is hard but it is not forgiving — a fall onto stone can dent or crack the rim. Store it where it will not knock against other metal.

Handmade in India

Every piece finished by hand

Solid metal

No plating, nothing to chip

Weighed and listed

In grams, on almost every page

Tin lining stated

Where a vessel is lined, we say so

Questions about this piece

Is this kansa solid or plated?

Solid. The pot and its lid weigh 1,100 g between them, which is metal thickness rather than a coating, and a kitchen scale gives you the same answer the day it arrives.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

No. The body is spun and turned by hand, so the depth of the dome, the profile of the knob and the run of the lathe lines shift a little from one pot to the next.

Is kansa the same as brass?

No. Kansa is bronze, copper alloyed with tin, and brass is copper alloyed with zinc. Kansa is denser and harder, and beside a brass pot it reads paler and slightly cooler in tone.

Will it discolour with sour food?

Yes. Tamarind, tomato, curd and lemon pull at the surface of the alloy and leave patches. Keep sour dishes short in the pot, empty it after the meal, then rinse and dry it.

Can I cook in it on a flame?

On a low flame, yes, and the shape is made for a slow dish that then goes to the table. Keep the heat gentle, keep anything sour out of it, and never leave the pot empty over a burner.

Does the lid seal?

No. It rests on a stepped shoulder rather than clamping down, so steam escapes at the join. That suits slow cooking and serving, and it means the pot is not a pressure vessel.

How do I clean it?

Warm water, a soft sponge and a dry cloth after every use. For a dull patch, a cut lemon with salt, rinsed off at once and dried, brings the tone back without scouring the surface.