Indian kitchens are elaborate, and rightfully so, considering the huge quantities and varieties of food items that are cooked. With so many cultural diversities in a single country, every kitchen in different regions of India has some unique cuisine to offer.
Irrespective, the basic tools and items found in every Indian Kitchen are almost the same.
Here goes our list of essential Indian kitchen items.
- Belan Patli(roller and board)- Used for making flatbreads out of kneaded flour.
- Masala Dabba– The true magic lies in this staple box of spices, the treasure house of taste, the Masala Dabba comprises of the spices and varieties of seeds that are used for tempering the dishes.
- Chimta(tongs)- Primarily used for cooking the flatbreads on the direct flame.
- Tawa (cast Iron pan)– A flat iron plate that is used to cook flatbreads.
- Pressure cooker– From boiling vegetables and lentils to cooking curries, this pressure cooker is a saviour as it cooks quickly and retains the nutritional element of food.
- Kadai- Resembling a ‘wok’, the Kadai is used to cook vegetables, curries and other food preparations. You can fill it with oil and use it for deep frying as well.
- Jhara- A slotted spoon used to make puris and fried items, the slots drain out excess oil from the preparation.
- Stoned Mortar and Pestle– A mortar and pestle is used for grinding spices and herbs for cooking.
Now let’s move to the pantry.
Every kitchen in India is accompanied by a pantry where spices and other kitchen groceries are stored in bulk.
Spices- Indians love to flavor their food with a variety of spices. Red chili powder, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, dry coriander, nutmeg, hing, mace, garlic, and ginger are few of the items that provide a detectable taste to the Indian food items.
Seeds– These include mustard seeds, flaxseeds, cumin, carom, pumpkin, sunflower, and aniseeds are used for tempering the food.
Pulses and dal– A chief source of protein and minerals, Indian meals are incomplete with dal/pulses curries like Rajma, Urad and Toor dal, Chola, Moong, to name a few. Spices, tomatoes, and onions can be added to these dishes to enhance the taste.
Rice– Steamed rice is daily prepared in Indian homes and is relished with cooked vegetables, dals, salads and curd. It can also be cooked as pulao, khichdi, biryani or used as an ingredient in making south Indian dishes. Some varieties include Basmati, Arborio, jasmine, white and brown rice.
Flour- Flour is used to make bread and pancakes. Wheat is primarily used as the flour ingredient. Other grains like maize, barley, ragi flour are also used for grinding into a batter or for making bread.
Ghee– Great for your bones, skin, and hair, clarified butter is smeared on flatbreads and used for tempering vegetables and dals.
Vegetable oil and coconut oil– These two oils are the chief cooking mediums for preparing dishes. Coconut oil is used more down South of the country.
Tamarind is vastly used for adding a tangy flavour to south Indian dishes and the tamarind chutney is a very popular accompaniment to fried snacks and starters.
Condiment items-Condiment like Yoghurt, pickles, salads, papad, and nuts are great appetizers and are eaten along with every Indian meal.
