Tava

For the PepsiCo beverage, see Tava (soft drink). For the village in Azerbaijan, see Birinci Udullu.

Indian Tawa

A tava(h), tawa(h), saj, or sac is a large, flat or convex disc-shaped griddle 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 flatbreads 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.

Etymology

The Persian language name tava(h)/tawa(h) is used in South Asia, including India and Pakistan; while the Turkic name saj (lit. sheet-metal and written saç or sac in Turkish and صاج in Arabic) is used in Southwest Asia, with overlap in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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.

Breads

A tava or saj is used to cook a variety of leavened and unleavened flatbreads and crepes across the broad region: saj bread, roti, 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 rumali roti.

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  Saj bread being cooked on a 'saj'

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  A Palestinian woman cooking markook bread on a saj in a West Bank village.

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  Markouk being cooked prepared on a saj.

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  A gas-fired saç (rear) in a restaurant near Antalya

Meat

Meat is often cooked on a saj.

General cooking

In South Asia, tavas are also used to fry foods called tava fry, taka tak bhaji, tawa bhaji, tawa masala, etc.

See also

• Sač, a cooking utensil used in the Balkans with a saj-shaped lid
• Mongolian barbecue, a Taiwanese grill dish sometimes using a saj-like griddle.
• Comal (cookware), a similar utensil in Mexican cuisine
• Griddle, a similar utensil used in Scotland and elsewhere

Sources

• "Your Desi (Indian) Kitchen on the Net". Retrieved 2008-04-01. 
• "Pots, Pans, and Griddles". Retrieved 2008-05-01. 
• ""A Fork on the Road" - Miami Herald online". Retrieved February 21, 2008. 
• ""Saj Femmes" - Blog: Land and People". Retrieved February 21, 2008.