The Making of Kanakam Dosa Trio
Venturing from seasonings to kitchenware was a bold new step for us at PODI life. Although we had no background in product design, we recognized a significant gap in the market—despite the love many hold for dosas, making them at home was often cumbersome with existing tools.
Our mission became clear: create something that not only simplifies the process of making the crispiest dosas but also transforms the experience into one of joy and ease. Thus began our journey to develop the Kanakam Dosa Trio, an heirloom-worthy set consisting of a 12" triple-seasoned cast iron pan and artisanally hand-forged brass utensils.
This project was not without its trials. Starting from scratch we went through rigorous testing and multiple phases of experimentation. We didn’t just break the mold; in many instances, we had to invent it! This journey took us back and forth to India, where we worked alongside skilled artisans, investing significant time and resources without any certainty of the outcome.
Our commitment to excellence led us to Moradabad—the renowned brass capital of India—to collaborate with third-generation artisanal brass makers. Crafting the perfect brass utensils proved to be an art steeped in challenges. Achieving the right alloy composition was crucial to avoid impurities that affect durability and appearance. Temperature control during forging was critical; too hot, and the brass became brittle, too cool, and it wouldn’t form properly. Moreover, polishing brass to the lustrous sheen expected of heirloom-quality pieces required meticulous handwork and an eye for detail.
As we fine-tuned the brass utensils, each piece underwent its own unique set of challenges, shaping them into culinary stars. Crafting the ladle, in particular, was a journey of precise adjustments and innovative tweaks.
The initial prototype of our ladle drew inspiration from the flat-bottomed katoris or bowls some use to spread dosa batter. However, its flat base failed to create the thin, even layer essential for perfect dosas, leading us back to the drawing board. The second iteration brought us a ladle with a scoop that was too heavy and disproportionately large, making it cumbersome to handle. In our third attempt, we corrected the size of the scoop but discovered that the stem's attachment point—the neck—needed reinforcement to withstand the motions of dosa-making. The fourth prototype saw improvements, but the neck still proved too fragile; we needed to thin the walls of the scoop to strike the right balance between strength and agility. Finally, after these iterative refinements, we achieved the ideal ladle—perfectly weighted, with a scoop size that neatly produces one large dosa. Its stem now rests comfortably in the palm, designed for effortless handling.
The development of the flipper faced its own trials. The initial design featured a stem that was too long, leading to awkward handling and reduced control. Our second design iteration focused on strengthening the neck to withstand the pressures of flipping and scraping without breaking. Finally, we crafted a flipper with a tapered head—thicker at the neck for strength, yet thin at the edges to expertly slide under dosas. The robust stem, now perfectly proportioned, rests comfortably in the palm, enabling precise control and effortless flipping.
Each piece was not just made; it was mastered, designed to feel right in the hand, balance perfectly, and perform like a culinary star. The development took over two years, but a simple Instagram story about our prototype trio drew an incredible number of messages and inquiries, affirming that we were on the right track. Your enthusiastic feedback provided the final push we needed to bring this vision to life.
Now, after extensive development and achieving a product that even my mother—our co-founder and toughest critic—could endorse, we are thrilled to share the Kanakam Dosa Trio with you. Thank you for being such an integral part of our journey. We look forward to continuing this adventure together and can't wait to see how our dosa kit brings joy and ease to your culinary experiences.
Over a span of 2 years, we've gone through 10 prototypes, rigorous testing across India and US. We’ve refined every piece until we were sure you’d fall in love at first sight and with every use. We are SO DAMN PROUD of what we've created in collaboration with other women-owned businesses! This trio has brought immense joy to our dosa making routine. We're excited to make this available to you.
Each pan is painstakingly seasoned THREE times with cold-pressed, organic grapeseed oil before it is shipped out to you, getting it perfectly non-sticky ready so you can make the best crispiest foods.
Did you know we took a year long break after making the perfect prototype trio?
