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Baking
dish. Used for roasting, and to cook gratins, pies and
pasta bakes like lasagna. The all-purpose versions that can
go straight from the oven to table to fridge or freezer save
the extra work of transferring and storing the contents.
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Chef's
knife. A good quality chef's knife is indispensable in
a MediterrAsian kitchen. To prepare Mediterranean and Asian
recipes, ingredients are usually cut into small pieces for
cooking in a variety of ways, like stir-frying and sautéing,
so it helps to use the best knife for the job. A chef's knife
is an all-purpose tool used for chopping, cutting, slicing
and dicing.
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Chopping
board. A large chopping board is essential in a MediterrAsian
kitchen because most recipes involve at least some chopping.
In our experience, a bamboo chopping board is the most durable. |
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Colander.
Perfect for draining pasta and noodles, and handy for rinsing
vegetables. |
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Food
processor. A useful appliance for puréeing soups
and sauces, making fresh breadcrumbs, and grinding nuts and
spices. A food processor is also a quick and easy alternative
to a traditional mortar and pestle for making pesto, hummus
and curry pastes.
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Skillet/frying pan. A large, heavy-based skillet/frying
pan has almost unlimited uses including searing foods like salmon
or chicken, sautéing and poaching, and it's ideal for
making frittatas and omelets. A pre-seasoned cast-iron pan is
best because it heats quickly and evenly. |
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Wok.
An invaluable addition to your MediterrAsian kitchen for stir-frying,
braising and steaming. Use a traditional wok on your stovetop
(flat-bottomed for electric stovetops, round-bottomed with stand
for gas). |
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Grater.
Get one which has a few grating options for fine, medium and
coarse grating to suit different ingredients like cheese, carrots
and apples. |
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Measuring
cup. It's useful to have a measuring cup marked with ¼,
½ and ¾ graduations.
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Mortar
and pestle. Used for grinding and crushing herbs, nuts,
and spices. Can also be used to make pastes and sauces. |
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Paella
pan. Essential for a perfectly cooked paella. The large,
shallow pan allows the rice to cook evenly and maximizes the
flavor. |
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Mixing
bowls. Any type of bowl will do—glass, ceramic, stainless-steel
or plastic (the more presentable types can also be used as serving
dishes). It's useful to have one large bowl, a medium-sized
bowl and a small sized bowl. |
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Pastry
brush. Ideal for brushing olive oil onto bread to make bruschetta,
croutons, and pan-fried sandwiches. It's also useful for brushing
food like chicken or fish with oil before cooking and to baste
foods with marinades during grilling. |
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Pepper
grinder. To transform whole peppercorns into freshly ground
pepper. |
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Pots
& Pans. Heavy-based saucepans (complete with tight-fitting
lids) are a good choice because the contents can simmer gently
on the stovetop without the bottom burning. A large pot is perfect
for making batches of soups, stews and curries, and doubles
as a pasta cooking pot. A medium-sized pot is useful for preparing
rice and sauces, and boiling eggs among an endless list of other
uses. |
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Turner.
The perfect utensil for lifting and tossing foods. Ideal for
flipping fish and chicken fillets, tossing eggs, and stir-frying. |
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Measuring
Spoons. You'll need a teaspoon and a tablespoon for measuring
ingredients. |
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Storage
containers. Air-tight containers of various sizes serve
many purposes. They're great for storing leftovers in the
fridge or freezer. Containers are also ideal to transport
food to picnics and barbecues, and for taking packed lunches
to work or school. Use see-through glass or plastic containers
to store dried foods like cereals, nuts and spices so you
can see the contents without opening the lid.
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Sushi
mat (makisu). This inexpensive bamboo mat is essential
for making Japanese sushi rolls.
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Vegetable
peeler. A handy utensil for all kinds of peeling tasks.
Y-shaped peelers are best. |
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Citrus
zester and citrus juicer. The zest and juice of citrus
fruits, particularly lemons and limes, really adds a delicate
zing to dishes such as pastas, curries, marinades and salad
dressings. Both utensils save you time and effort, and produce
the best results. |
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Garlic
press. A handy item which makes mincing garlic a breeze. |
Kitchen Essentials
