Brass (pital) utensils

Bhuleshwar and Kalbadevi in South Mumbai are known today for utensil wholesale shops. We are close by, at Jawahar Mansion, Thakurdwar Road, Mumbai 400002. Buyers who cannot visit can send codes and quantities from anywhere in India.

Some brass alloys contain a little lead, mostly those made for plumbing and machining. We ensure the purity of the metal in every piece we supply for the kitchen and the table. Brass and copper cooking surfaces are still tin-lined (kalai), the traditional practice for cooking. If you need a test report on paper, ask for it with your enquiry.

Kalai is a thin layer of pure tin wiped over the inside of brass and copper vessels. It keeps food from touching the brass or copper directly. A tinsmith heats the vessel and rubs molten tin over the surface. The lining wears with use and is renewed periodically.

Rub the outside with tamarind pulp, lemon and salt, or a paste of vinegar, salt and flour. A traditional powder such as pitambari also works. Rinse well and dry completely, so no water spots form. Never scour a tin-lined inside with acid or abrasives.

Periodically, depending on how often the vessel is used for cooking. Re-tin it sooner if brass or copper shows through the silver lining. The work is done by kalaiwalas, traditional tinsmiths; ask at a utensil market for one nearby. If you need cooking vessels supplied tinned, say so in your enquiry.

No to both. Brass, copper and kansa are not magnetic, and they do not rust as iron does. They tarnish instead: air and moisture darken the surface, and the darkening cleans off.