Tuesday, 19th March 2024
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8 kitchen tools you need to cook better

Being a good cook requires skills and of course using the right equipment to get great results and to make the process of cooking easier. Does anyone really want to spend...

Being a good cook requires skills and of course using the right equipment to get great results and to make the process of cooking easier. Does anyone really want to spend some energy grinding egusi on a grinding stone? Or pounding ewedu with brooms? Even pounded yam, which is known to be a very tedious task can be simplified, you only need to know the right tools to use to achieve desired results. Reduce time and effort spent in the kitchen by investing and equipping yourself with these tools.

Food Processor
Every kitchen should be equipped with a processor because the amount of work this machine does will open your eyes to how good life can be. You can use a processor to chop okra, mix dough, even make pounded yam. Food processors are used for cutting, chopping, mincing, grinding, shredding, mashing, slicing, blending and more.

There are different types of processors. The entry level has basic functions and there are the heavy duty ones that can pound yam enough for a family of six. The more functions, the more expensive they are but it is worth every naira spent.

Cast Iron Skillet
I got a set of cast iron pans recently and it completely changed the game for me. You can use it on your cooker and transfer to the oven. Cast irons are very heavy but what is great about it is that it lasts for years and years, it can even be passed from mother to child depending on how seasoned your cast iron is. Meals like Frittatas become a reality with a cast iron skillet.

Stainless Steel Pots
Good quality stainless steel pots are a great investment for any kitchen. They also can last years and are heavy duty as well.  Stainless steel pots and pans are awesome for sautéing, searing food and more because they can withstand high heat. If you can afford it, buy a stainless steel pot or pan that has copper or aluminium as an added inner core.

Air Fryer
I got the opportunity to try one out and it opened my eyes to the possibilities! If you’re looking for ways to cook and eat healthier, then an air fryer is one tool you need in your kitchen. An air fryer is used to make foods that would typically be deep-fried. The air fryer circulates air around the food and the food is fried without submerging it in oil. An example is air-frying chicken, because chicken already contains some fat; it is similar to baking in the oven. I’ve used an air fryer for meats and chicken and the results were fantastic.

Blender
A good blender will serve you well many years and although one gets the question, why get a blender if you have a processor? Blenders specifically have their work cut out for them. A processor will not blend your beans smooth for moin-moin, but the blender will. Also if you are tired of the rigorous process of peeling your beans with your hands, you need to get on the wave of using your blender to peel beans. In less than a minute it is done! It is advisable to get a blender with a glass jar than one with plastic because the aroma of food blended will always linger on the plastic jar.

Ramekins
Ramekins are ceramic plates used for baking. In the past, I dreaded making moin-moin for two reasons: peeling beans and plating it to cook. With a blender, the beans peel easily in less than 5 minutes. It is a health risk to cook moin-moin with nylon bags or in Non BPA free containers and tins. A ramekin is the best option so far, especially one with a lid. All you do is place your moin-moin in these little ramekins and cook in the oven or steam in a pot. It totally simplifies the process!

Pressure Cooker
Your days of boilng beans and cow leg for hours will end when you invest in a pressure cooker. A pressure cooker uses steam that is sealed within it to cook faster because of the pressure inside. The recommended type of pressure cooker would be the electric pressure cooker because they provide
settings for cooking and easily manageable.

Measurement Cups
It is typical to measure food with your eyes than measure every ingredient, however it helps to have measurement cups because they are useful for baking and for cooking meals to ensure you get the best results every time, especially if you are following a recipe. Measuirng cups are also great for controlling food portions and knowing the amount of food you eat.

Equipped Cooker
One of the best equipment in my kitchen is a 5-burner cooker with oven. I cannot overemphasize how shorter cooking times are now because there are multiple hobs; the rice cooking on one hob, beans boiling on another, stew cooking on a third, dodo frying on one… This multi-tasking really saves me so much time. Imagine if one has a cooker with only one hob, how delayed the cooking process would be.

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