I just bought a new "traditional" tawa from a small local shop. It's heavy, dark gray, but it some scratches reveal a much lighter gray colour underneath the surface. And after scrubbing it with a scourer, dark dust still comes off on my finger.
I was wondering if it's really cast iron and if it's safe to use.
Edit: found it online. Apparently it's "iron alloy", but that doesn't add much.
Both cast iron and steel (commonly called "carbon steel" in the kitchen line, but steel (unqualified) is specifically an alloy of iron and carbon, so that's redundant. Amusingly, cast iron actually has more carbon than typical steels) are widely considered safe to eat from. Iron is an essential nutrient - it's why your blood is red.
The picture seems to show a thin pan, so likely it's steel.
Follow the common advice for cleaning and seasoning carbon steel or cast iron (mostly the same, some details differ) pans. One does have to beware of "not traditional" teflon coatings but the picture does not appear to show one of those.
Use the search function here, they have been widely and extensively discussed.
