Moving out of your parents' house for studies or work is a common story of every household in today's time. 'Moving out', no matter how interesting it sounds, is a real struggle. From finding a new nest to settling up the place, to taking care of every small thing- the process can be very tiring. Among all these, one of the biggest struggles a person goes through is settling up the kitchen. For most of us, it is a totally unexplored territory at parents' home. Till we move out of our houses, most of us remain unaware of what all our parents used to cook and how they served those delicious foods every day.
To set up a kitchen, one of the most important factors a person should keep in mind is - proper planning. One should first think about what all he/she will cook on a regular basis, and accordingly buy utensils and other kitchenware. We bring to you a list of utensils one generally has in an Indian kitchen for regular use.
Utensils That Every Indian Kitchen Must Have
Knife, Peeler and Chopping Board
To start with, a sharp knife, a good chopping board and a peeler is a must to cut all the fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
Spoons And Forks
Try to have a mix of all kinds and sizes of teaspoons and tablespoons and fruit forks, but keep it to a minimal number. Some of them can be used for multiple uses. For example, a tablespoon can also be used to have soup, and a teaspoon for dessert.
Plates and Dishes
Buy both big plates and small dishes to have your everyday food. You should have at least two small plates and two big plates at home. You can also use the small plates as lids for your bowl.
Bowls
You should have at least one mixing bowl, two serving bowls and few smaller ones in the kitchen. These bowls are of great use. From serving food to storing them, bowls are needed, always.
(Also Read: Kitchen Hacks: How To Remove Garlic Smell From Utensils And Your Hands After Cooking)
Kadhai
A mid-sized kadhai is a must, or else, cooking food will become impossible. From deep frying to making curries, kadhai is of multi-use. Just make sure, the kadhai you buy has a deep base.
Fry Pan
Sometimes a kadhai cannot fulfill every cooking purpose. Hence, you also need a fry pan. For example, making your regular omelette or for even giving tadka to your dish, fry pan comes to the rescue.
Sauce Pan
From boiling milk to making your everyday tea, sauce pan is a must. Sometimes, you can even make rice in it, if the latter is in small quantity. Try to buy a sauce pan with a lid, so that you can also store milk for later use.
Cups, Mugs And Glasses
Buy a few cups, mugs and glasses to have your tea, coffee, juice and water. You can have a few extra because surely your family and friends will come and visit you often. You should be ready to offer them at least a cup of tea.
Mortar And Pestle Set
Cooking becomes fun with a mortar and pesters, as they are needed to grind spices, though in small amount. It is better to invest in this utensil before buying a grinder. It will also help in saving electricity as mixer grinder needs electricity to work.
Pressure Cooker
When you are in super hurry, pressure cooker comes to rescue. It fastens the cooking process- be it vegetable or rice or even non-veg dishes that are to be cooked. So, never underestimate the power of a pressure cooker. Try to buy a mid-sized or a bigger one, because if people come over, you can easily cook food for few more people too.
Chakla Belan Set/ Rolling Pin And Board
You need this for rolling your roti out of dough. Initially, the roti won't be round; but don't lose hope. Keep practicing my friend, your rotis will be round one day!
Tawa
It is a must to make rotis and dosas and even for making toasts. It can initially work well as an alternative to a bread toaster. Before investing in a toaster, you can toast the breads for your breakfast on tawa.
Ladle Set
You need to buy a few ladles for cooking and serving purpose. Different ladles are of different use; slotted ladle is important for deep frying, whereas, flat laddle is good for making parathas. Likewise, even serving ladles are of various types to serve different kind of foods.
Cooking Tools/Utilities
Some must-have cooking tools are pot holder (pakad), chimta, lemon squeezer and tea strainer. These look small, but they are much needed for all the above utensils to work. So make sure you have them at home.
Now, do not worry before moving out. Just plan your kitchen set-up ahead and get the utensils from a nearby store. Happy growing up!