Tawa and poukni, utensils from another time
There’s nothing better. A farata cooked on a tawa, placed on the essential "foyé", and fanned by the famous "poukni" has no equal. An exceptional taste. That particular atmosphere, the gentle aroma of burning wood, and the rising smoke awaken memories… Memories of our grandmothers, our dadi or nani, cooking faratas "so so lor tawa" (freshly made on the tawa). Sweet childhood memories, memories from another time.
For decades, the tawa remained an essential kitchen utensil. Made of cast iron or aluminum, it was built to last and to be passed down from one generation to the next. In Mauritius, it is primarily used for cooking faratas and dhal puri. There is great joy in watching the dough puff up on the heated tawa, and with a skilled hand, the farata is flipped and then lightly tapped while still warm "pou ki li rest mou" (so it stays soft).
At the Kistna family home in Roches Noires, we take a step back in time. Santah Kumari invites us into her outdoor kitchen, where the "foyé and poukni remain intact. Though she stopped using them a few years ago due to cataract surgery, she continues to uphold ancestral traditions by cooking faratas on the tawa. “My husband built this "foyé" more than 35 years ago. I used it for over 30 years,” says Santah Kumari with emotion. The poukni, an iconic metal tube, was long used to stoke the embers with the blower’s breath.
For as long as she can remember, she has used the tawa to prepare faratas and dhal puri. “My mother, my dadi… everyone used the tawa. The tawa used on a wood fire is thicker than the one placed on a gas stove. On the "foyé", the heat is more intense, and if the tawa is too thin, the farata will cook too quickly and burn,” explains the septuagenarian. This utensil is known for its weight, a sign of its quality and durability.
The tawa, which originates from India, can have a handle or not. It is about half a centimeter thick. One must “tame” the utensil—it is through repeated use that a non-stick layer forms on its surface. The combination of heat and frequent oiling blackens the metal, gradually transforming it into an indispensable kitchen tool.
Times are changing, and while the "poukni" has faded into history, the tawa still endures. But for how much longer? Some families still own this precious object. However, its production has nearly disappeared, replaced by non-stick frying pans. Yet, "enn tawa rest enn tawa" (a tawa remains a tawa).
ORIGINS
The tawa is commonly found in the Indian subcontinent, but it is also used in parts of Arabia and Turkey. As Indian immigrants settled in the Caribbean, the tawa also made its way to that part of the world.
The shape of the tawa varies from country to country. In Mauritius, it is typically round and flat, but in other regions, it can also be concave. The curved tawa can function as a wok or frying pan, while the flat version is intended for cooking faratas, flatbreads, or pancakes.
ETYMOLOGY
The word tawa or tava originates from the Persian word tave. The term tawaa is widely used in Indo-Aryan languages, including Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu. In Arabic, its equivalent is saj or sac. In the Balkans, tava refers to any type of frying pan. In Serbia and Bulgaria, it describes a metal cooking plate with raised edges, commonly used for cooking, grilling vegetables, or roasting meat.