What it means
قابلمه (qâblame) is a pot or saucepan, the cylindrical metal cooking vessel with a lid and handle used to boil, stew, and simmer food on the stovetop. The word is borrowed from Turkish, ultimately from Proto-Turkic *kāplama, from the verb kaplamak (to cover or coat), and entered Persian through the long Ottoman and Safavid-era cultural exchange. In daily speech, قابلمه covers everything from a small milk pot to a large rice-cooking vessel. A close near-synonym is دیگ (dig), which tends to refer to a larger, heavier cauldron used for big-batch cooking or ceremonial dishes.
How to use it
- قابلمه رو روی گاز بذار. (qâblame ro rui gâz bezâr.) “Put the pot on the stove.”
- این قابلمه برای دو نفر کوچیکه. (in qâblame barâye do nafar kuchike.) “This pot is too small for two people.”
- درِ قابلمه رو ببند تا زودتر بپزه. (dar-e qâblame ro beband tâ zudtar bepaze.) “Close the lid of the pot so it cooks faster.”
- قابلمه تفلون دیگه نمیچسبه. (qâblame-ye teflon dige nemi-chasbe.) “A Teflon pot won’t stick anymore.”
Cultural note
The قابلمه برنج, the rice pot, holds a near-sacred status in Iranian cooking. The most prized outcome is the tahdig (تهدیگ), the golden crispy crust that forms at the bottom of the pot. Achieving a perfect tahdig depends on the weight and heat distribution of the قابلمه, which is why heavy-bottomed pots, and even dedicated tahdig rice cookers, are among the most cherished kitchen items in Iranian households. Families emigrating from Iran frequently bring their قابلمه برنج as one of the few kitchen items worth the luggage weight.