Tawa Buying Guide

While we love curries here at Curry Fayre, this is only one of the many components that makes up an authentic Indian meal. No curry is complete without a good flatbread, and to make authentic Indian flatbread such as chapati, you need a great roti tawa.

With the right tawa, expect to make authentic Indian flatbread like roti without any effort. They produce a wonderful flavour and texture on the bread, while you can also use it for other kinds of recipes, such as sweet treats like an Indian pancake.

Simply put, if you want to make some incredible flatbreads to go alongside your curry, we recommend investing in a quality tawa – they are highly versatile and inexpensive.

Check out the below guide for all the info you need to know to find the best Indian tawa!

What is a Tawa?

A tawa is a type of pan that is a staple in Indian kitchens. The round pan is very flat, featuring just a slight concave at the middle, making it ideal for frying fresh roti. Simply add the dough to the pan at the required heat, and watch it slowly rise into a fresh, fluffy flatbread.

While traditionally made from cast iron, tawa come in various materials, with aluminum tawa being a popular option for their low price and good durability.

Why Buy a Tawa?

The best tawa let you make Indian flatbreads, pancakes, omelettes, and all kinds of delicious foods. It is a basic utensil, essentially being a very flat frying pan, yet it helps to produce some of the most authentic tasting roti (and other Indian flatbreads) for your meals.

Serve a fresh, homemade roti alongside your curry and we guarantee you will wonder why you waited so long to buy a good tawa! Plus, this is a versatile pan that has many uses beyond Indian cuisine.

Choosing the Best Tawa

Here are some things to consdier when looking for a good quality Indian tawa pan:

Size

Tawa pan sizes vary, so make sure you choose one that is suitable for your cooking habits. For example, if you are making lots of chapati for a family-size meal, then an extra-large tawa pan is recommended. This lets you make lots of fresh roti at the same time!

Also, consider the pan size relative to the size of roti you are making. For instance, if you want a large single roti, make sure to choose a large enough pan, with 16-inch pans suitable for large roti or several smaller sized roti.

Eight inch pans are suitable for smaller size roti or making a few flatbreads at one time.

Material

There are two main options for tawa materials – iron and aluminium.

Most people with find an aluminium tawa is fine for their needs, being durable and thin enough to evenly cook an authentic Indian flatbread. Aluminium is also the more affordable option, with most being a non-stick tawa for added convenience when cleaning.

Tawa made from cast iron are stronger and more durable but also heavier and more expensive. They do produce a wonderful flatbread, just bear in mind it will need regularly seasoned to maintain a suitable cooking surface.

Cooker Type

Make sure you choose a tawa that is compatible with your cooker type. For instance, you need induction compatible tawa if using an induction stovetop – a standard iron or non-stick tawa won’t work on these cooker types.