Don't you think we all enjoy a healthy Indian meal? There is a lot going on in an Indian kitchen every day, from the aroma of sizzling tadka on top of various dals to the soothing whistle of the pressure cooker or the sound of bangles while preparing delectable rotis. Your kitchen is without a doubt outfitted with the newest technological advancements, from induction cooktops to Teflon-coated everything. While that's fantastic, how about including a classic element while still giving it a modern twist? Even if traditional old-fashioned kitchen appliances from India have been superseded by modern tools, certain vintage home appliances never stop being obsolete. We decided to sneak a peek at several contemporary utensils that are still used in kitchen.
Mortar and Pestle
Hamam/mortar is a bowl-shaped tool used to crush dry condiments or spices to enhance their flavour. Earlier, the pestle and mortar were both constructed of stone or wood. It could be used for a variety of kitchen tasks, including wet grinding dals for vada and pounding dried red chilies. The huge versions, however, have been replaced by delicate successors. In addition, they are currently employed for grinding cardamom, green chilies, garlic, ginger, and other ingredients. These days, they can be found constructed of wood, marble, granite, stainless steel, or brass.
Sil Batta
Formerly used in Indian households as a wet grinder to make chutneys and wet pastes. To facilitate grinding, a flat stone slab called Sil is chiselled to make it rough. The grinding is done with a cylindrical stone called a batta. With the use of a batta, which is held in the hands and moved back and forth to speed up the grinding process, herbs are placed on sil and ground. The earthiness it adds to chutneys and masalas for cooking curries is praised by everyone.
Churner
The traditional Indian muddler, which was once fashioned of wood and included a long handle and a circular base with openings large enough to allow air to flow for that frothy, fuzzy lassi. Use it to thicken soups and to muddle lentils or buttermilk as well. It has different sizes for different functions. Today, a variant in gleaming stainless steel with a reverse push action is available.
Kal chatti
One of the traditional culinary tools used in Kerala, kal means stone and chatti means cooking pot. The soap stone, a type of metamorphic rock, is used to carve a pot. Before using it for ordinary cooking, season it for a few days with hot rice water. To prevent the pot from catching fire, this is done. Sambar, aviyal, fish curries, etc. all benefit from the addition of kal chatti's flavour.
Coconut scraper
A coconut scraper is an essential piece of cooking equipment that is more prevalent in South Indian households. Without having to struggle to remove the coconut's shell, this ingeniously constructed device easily grates the interior of a coconut. For instance, the scraping function is performed by a circular blade. Depending on the situation, one can select either the mechanical or the manual alternative.
Handi
It is a dish with a small mouth and a broad, thick base. It is among the first cooking implements used in Indian kitchens. Formerly fashioned of earthenware, modern cookware manufacturers have adopted the design of the handi. In order to maintain their distinctiveness and earthiness, they are also available in steel, cast iron, non-stick, copper, brass, etc. This utensil's scientific design preserves the flavour of veggies and the aroma of seasonings.
Lagan
Muslim homes frequently utilise this Indian utensil. It is also a shallow, thick-walled, concave-bottom utensil that is widely used in the Hyderabad region. Commonly used for preparing large chunks of meat, biryanis, pulao, etc. when heat is delivered from both ends and used for slow cooking. These materials are typically found in copper and aluminium.