Indian Idli or Cake Pan

Enter a shallow dish on three round feet, with a loop handle curving up like a question.

This brass idli or cake pan is from India, and dates to the early 20th century. Idli pans typically have several shallow round hollows in a rack, so that steam circulates around each cake and cooks the batter evenly. Here, a wide bowl with a flared rim and a looped handle on each side, shown tilted to reveal round cups sunk into the floor. The surface is dark with brassy yellow showing on the rim and inside edge. It is 3 inches high and 6.5 in diameter.

Equipped for many small portions and fussy about each one.