There are some kitchen utensils and
equipment that you will need and there are plenty that you absolutely don’t.
These days, stores are flooded with specialized kitchen tools that are supposed
to make your life easier but chances are you’ll never use them more than once.
But there are other kitchen tools that you won’t be able to live without, that
you’ll use every day, and will probably become your best friends. We’ve listed
some of those essential tools below so that you’ll know them when you see them.
Chef’s Knife
The chef’s knife is an all-around knife
that you can use for just about everything and is the one knife that you truly
need. There are plenty of cooks that have rows of knives or even knife bags
with the latest blades in the market. Commercial cooks on the other hand know
that extra knives are nice but the one indispensible knife is a chef’s knife
that you can use to peel a melon, chop garlic, dice cucumbers, and cut oranges
into wedges. If you plan on spending time in the kitchen, a good chef’s knife
is a great investment. For an entry-level low price chef’s knife, I would recommend
a Victorinox Fibrox; it holds its edge well and is durable enough to last for
years.
Stainless Steel Pan
One good stainless steel pan with a
stainless steel handle will serve you well for years. Why the metal handle?
It’s because you’re going to want to be able to stick the whole pan into an
oven without worrying about burning the handle (if it’s wooden or plastic).
Non-stick Pan
There’s no need to worry about the
handle of a non-stick pan because you aren’t going to be sticking it into an
oven; at least not if you want it to last. A good non-stick, Teflon pan can
make your life easier and it’ll last you for quite a while. Just be careful not
to use scratch the surface with metal utensils; use a silicon spatula or a
wooden spoon instead.
Sauce pan
One sauce pan, medium sized, will go a
long way when preparing sauces, soup for two or three people, and for reducing
glazes or poaching fruit. When buying a sauce pan, go for durability and a
thick bottom with a solid ‘thunk’ sound when you knock your knuckles against
it. That goes for the stainless steel pan too. Sauce pans aren’t expensive but
can also last you a very long time.
Salad Spinner
As a vegetarian, you’re going to be
preparing a lot of salads. Spare yourself the trouble of wet greens and get yourself
a salad spinner. You can buy a good salad spinner for $11; less if you don’t
care too much about quality.
Whisk
Yes, a good, solid whisk. When you’re on
a vegetarian diet, a whisk is something that will come in very handy in
preparing sauces like vinaigrettes, salad dressings, and cold emulsions like
aioli. Or who knows, you might even want to try your hand at making your own
mayonnaise! Whichever sauce or dressing you might feel like whipping up, a
whisk is the tool for the job.
Peeler
Let’s not forget the one tool that you
will absolutely need when working with fruits and vegetables – the common
peeler. A Swiss peeler will set you back for all of $4 and you can use it for
more than just actually peeling the fruit. Think thin slices of cucumber instead
of thick chunks for your next salad. If you want to splurge, you can also grab
a julienne peeler which handles like a peeler but cuts your fruits and
vegetables into long, beautiful thin strips.
This is an excerpt from the book: The Ultimate Easy to Prepare Vegetarian Recipes Cookbook
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