The Hawkins Contura Black Pressure Cooker – 3.5 Litre is the most popular mid-size in the Contura Black range — a versatile hard anodised cooker suited for families of 4 to 5 people who want the premium build quality of the Contura series for their primary daily cooking. The body is hard anodised to 60 microns thickness inside and outside, creating a deep black finish that is integral to the aluminium surface itself rather than being a paint or coating — making it permanently scratch-proof, corrosion-resistant, and chemically inert. The stainless steel lid pairs with this hard anodised body to deliver the highest hygiene standards in Hawkins' full cooker lineup. At 3.5 litres, this cooker handles rice, dal, biryani, rajma, and meat dishes for the average Indian family without needing to batch-cook. Recommended for use on gas stoves only. Hawkins backs it with a 5-year guarantee.
The 3.5L Contura Black's curved Contura body is its most distinctive feature — rounded sides that curve inward in the familiar handi shape make stirring during pre-lid cooking significantly easier, prevent food from sticking in the corners during pressurised cooking, and make cleaning faster and more complete than straight-sided bodies. This makes the 3.5L Contura Black especially well-suited for biryani, meat curries, and any dish involving a long sauté stage before pressure cooking. The dark hard anodised surface absorbs heat from a gas flame faster than standard aluminium, building pressure more quickly. All Hawkins safety features are standard: pressure-locked inner lid, improved vent weight (reduces dal sprouting, faster cooking, saves fuel), shielded safety valve, and stay-cool handles with durable metal pivots. Every unit is 100% leak-tested before dispatch. Note: One Amazon.in reviewer flagged a finish issue after first wash — while isolated, buyers should dry the cooker thoroughly after washing rather than soaking it to maintain the hard anodised surface at its best.
3.5 litres is the sweet spot for families of 4 to 5 people — large enough for a full family meal of rice, dal, and sabzi in one batch, compact enough for daily handling and storage. The most recommended Contura Black size for Indian households.
60 microns of hard anodising transforms the aluminium surface itself — not a paint or coating. The result is a scratch-proof, corrosion-resistant, food-safe black finish that will not flake, chip, or dull through years of daily cooking and washing.
The rounded handi shape makes stirring easier during sauté, prevents food from burning in corners during pressure cooking, and speeds up cleaning. Particularly valued for biryani, meat curries, rajma, and dishes requiring extensive pre-cooking stirring.
Stainless steel lid combined with a hard anodised body — both non-reactive, corrosion-resistant, and food-safe — provides the highest hygiene standard of any Hawkins pressure cooker surface combination.
The inside-fitting lid is pressure-locked and cannot open while there is internal pressure. Improved vent weight, shielded safety valve, and 100% factory leak testing complete the safety package. Backed by a 5-year Hawkins guarantee.
The Hawkins Contura Black 3.5 Litre is available at Girdhar Das & Sons, Varanasi's authorised Hawkins dealer since 1970. The induction-compatible Contura Black XT 3.5L is also in stock for households using induction cooktops. Visit us at W.H. Smith School Road, Sigra, Varanasi, or shop at gdsons.co.in.