In a fully functional kitchen space, it is not always possible to accommodate all the tools and cooking apparatus that is ideally needed to create some of the best meals. On most days when cooking is no more than a functional activity, it is important to know that cleaning up after preparing a meal also takes up a considerable amount of time. Even so, in the case of large or expansive cooking tools or utensils, that might need a couple of rounds of washing up before they’re fully clean. Here’s a list of high-utility, small-sized kitchen tools that every kitchen must stash away for days when you’re not cooking for more than two people.
Small Sieve
Apart from being used for straining your morning cup of tea, the tiny sieve can also be used to separate seeds from lemons while squeezing out the juice. Want to retrieve a single piece of vegetable or pasta cooking in boiling water? This small strainer comes handy for situations such as these. Have a couple of them stocked up to use as a strainer for cocktails or to remove spice pouches from soups or simmering stews. Purchase a metal sieve ideally, as they are easy to clean and maintain, as well as a sustainable choice over plastic.
Garlic Press
When you want to mince only a couple of cloves of garlic for a recipe, getting out a cutting board and knife just for this purpose might seem like too much work. Use a garlic press instead and mince small amounts of garlic directly into your pan. When whole cloves of garlic are squeezed through the grid, what you get is a reasonably fine mince of the aromatic, leaving you with just a single tool to wash up for later.
Tiny Whisk
Perfect for whisking salad dressings, making pan sauces or whipping small amounts of egg white or cream, a tiny whisk is one of the best multi-purpose tools to have on hand, in the kitchen. The smaller wired bulge is great to coax ingredients or bits and pieces of food stuck to the corners of your pot, into cooking evenly with the rest of what’s in the pan. Tiny whisks are also gentler to handle compared to the larger ones, with lower chances of spluttering or making a mess, while combining things.
One-Egg Non-Stick Pan
Whether it is cracking an egg for breakfast or sautéing small amounts of vegetables like mushrooms or broccoli, a small frying pan is ideal for those who cook meals for themselves and do not use up a larger volume of ingredients while cooking. Small non-stick pans can also be used to toast spices evenly as well as warm up leftovers for your next meal. Invest in a good quality frying pan that you can use with a wooden spatula.
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Mini Ramekins
Craving some cookie dough pie or want to poach eggs for breakfast? Have a couple of ramekins handy to use for individual dessert portions or making dishes that serve one. A set of mini ramekins also offer a personalised touch to your food when hosting people over, allowing them to experience the comfort of warm, delicious food held in a bowl that serves but one.
Wooden Spoons
Having a set of 4-5 carved wooden spoons are perfect for when you want to check for seasoning in a dish or want to add spices, seeds and salt to a dish. Buy them in varying sizes so they also double up as measuring spoons that are great to utilise for daily cooking tasks. Feeling a bit fancier? Add to your collection with a set of small wooden bowls to match, in which you can serve sauces, dips or chutneys.
Salt Cellar
Why keep a salt shaker on your dining table when you can choose to have a small and cute cellar instead? Although not essentially something that one would typically find in a kitchen, consider the salt cellar to be more of a décor piece rather than something you might actively use on an everyday basis. Get creative with its uses and stash away some seasoning mixes or whole spices instead; and don’t forget to have a spoon close by.
Small Offset Spatula
A small metal offset spatula is a genius invention; in that, it helps with everything, right from detaching cookies on your baking tray to scraping off the sides in a blender jar. If you bake often, use an offset spatula to evenly spread the icing on cupcakes or tea loaves. Smoothen the top surface of flour or sugar in a measuring cup, or spread butter onto dough in a uniform layer to make cinnamon buns or croissants.