Hardware for Indian Cookery

[Suvir Saran]

We seem to go into amazing detail about spices, herbs and other culinary ingredients.

Can we also spend some time touching on what would be considered essentials for the Indian kitchen. Lets talk pots, pans, implements, and all other stuff that helps in the preparation of these edibles we enjoy.

Are there things that one must buy that are Indian? If so, what are they? Where does one get them? What do you use them for?

Are there Western Counterparts for certain pots and pans that would be used in Indian kitchens that work just as well? What are they? What recipes do you use them for?

What would be the bare essentials you would suggest a kitchen ought to have before you cook Indian food?

[whippy]

what about grinders?

i use a big mortar/pestle, a small mortar/pestle, a coffee grinder, a food processor and a vita-prep blender for grinding. i think i've got most tasks covered, but that's five tools for one job. online, i've noticed various indian-made grinders that i don't recognize. can anyone describe some of these grinders and how they work? are there any really good all-in-one wet/dry grinders? is a sil-batta the final answer?

what about coconut graters?

my routine involves removing the shell, then peeling the coconut with a peeler and finally micro-grating or grating/freezing it. kind of a pain in the butt. indian coconut graters i've seen seem to disregard the shelling/peeling aspect of things. but what about the brown skin??

any other thoughts on region-specific pots? steamers? fryers?

just a couple of tiny questions.

whippy

[gingerly]

[what about coconut graters?

a version of the one shown here is what i use.

mine has a suction cup on the base so i can tuck it away when i'm done but i think there are versions that clamp onto the countertop.split the coconut,hold a half to the serrated blades and twirl your way to lovely grated coconut.stop when you get to the brown bit.really easy and if you want a creamier texture toss the feathery shavings in the blender.

[scott123]

4 bucks for a coconut grater?!?! And it works?

[gingerly]

beautifully!i just remembered -you can see the thing in action over in the egci-Monica and chef Vinod's class on south indian breads features the same kind of grater as well as the traditional one it's based on-the serrated tongue of metal in a fixed base. the coconut would be scraped on one of these and then ground together on/in a grinding stone with spices for a chutney or masala.nothing to beat that combination for the most extraction of flavour and the best texture!

[andiesenji]

I have a friend up in Bakersfield, from Punjab.

She has a deep. heavy wooden bowl, about 15 inches in diameter, with a very thick bottom into which is pounded what looks like a railroad spike, with the head that is exended on one side (to hold the rail in place).

The extension has been cut with a file so that it has teeth or serrations. She cracks the coconuts in half, holds the bowl between her knees and rubs the meat against the "teeth" and the nut meat comes off in shreds very rapidly. She can clean out a coconut shell in about the time it has takne me to type this note.

She said her grandfather made it for her when she was just a girl and learning to cook.

The odd thing about this is that our cook, when I was a child, had a similar thing for grating coconut.

[Milagai]

I have a friend up in Bakersfield, from Punjab.

She has a deep. heavy wooden bowl, about 15 inches in diameter, with a very thick bottom into which is pounded what looks like a railroad spike, with the head that is exended on one side (to hold the rail in place).

The extension has been cut with a file so that it has teeth or serrations. She cracks the coconuts in half, holds the bowl between her knees and rubs the meat against the "teeth" and the nut meat comes off in shreds very rapidly. She can clean out a coconut shell in about the time it has takne me to type this note.

She said her grandfather made it for her when she was just a girl and learning to cook.

The odd thing about this is that our cook, when I was a child, had a similar thing for grating coconut.

the traditional "aravaamanai" chopper / slicer in tamilian kitchens

(fixed blade; you sit on the seat part and move the veggies to slice / dice / shred)

(similar to bonthi in bangla i think) had that spiked circular

thingy at the top for coconut grating.

the fancy new electric tabletop dosaimaavu grinders also have a

detachable piece that's a WICKED looking spiked circular grater

so you fix it onto the central shaft instead of the grinder and

hold the half-coconut (still in shell) on it, and it whirs super quick and

grates for you.

i'm still too scared to try it and have visions of self in ER with

mangled hands. so i stick the method described by whippy:

dig out chunks from shell, food processor, freeze.

milagai

[Episure]

How many of you all have used the ubiquitous 'FIXWELL' knives.?

[gingerly]

the fancy new electric tabletop dosaimaavu grinders also have a

detachable piece that's a WICKED looking spiked circular grater

so you fix it onto the central shaft instead of the grinder and

hold the half-coconut (still in shell) on it, and it whirs super quick and

grates for you.

i'm still too scared to try it and have visions of self in ER with

mangled hands.  so i stick the method described by whippy:

dig out chunks from shell, food processor, freeze.

milagai

sounds like a wise desicion Milagai-http://www.innoconcepts.com/prideplus.htm

We do not sell the coconut scraper attachment.  We believe the coconut scraper is not a safe product to use in this country.  We do not recommend or approve the use of coconut scrapers with ULTRA grinders.  Customer assumes the responsibility for any unapproved use of coconut scraper

.

worth trying one of those hand cranked ones though-they really work!

[Milagai]

sounds like a wise desicion Milagai-http://www.innoconcepts.com/prideplus.htm

We do not sell the coconut scraper attachment.   We believe the coconut scraper is not a safe product to use in this country.  We do not recommend or approve the use of coconut scrapers with ULTRA grinders.  Customer assumes the responsibility for any unapproved use of coconut scraper

.

worth trying one of those hand cranked ones though-they really work!

i'll be damned!

wonder what number of injuries (and maybe

threatened lawsuits?) it took for the manufacturer to come out

with that statement?

or maybe i am wronging them deeply and they are genuinely

looking out for customer.

i'll keep an eye out for the hand cranked grater next time i am

in a store and will give it a try...

milagai

[JumpinJude]

I am new to the forums, and love that there is a topic all about Indian cuisine!

Any hints/suggestions on idli steamers? I have seen entire set-ups, and then I have seen just the actual idli "mold" itself, and am wondering which is best.

Thanks!

[tryska]

id get the entire setup, unless you have a pot that can snugly fit the idli mold stand.

also i'm surprised pressure cookers haven't been mentioned.

[JumpinJude]

Thanks for the suggestion on the idli makers. I think I have something that would fit snugly, but I'd have to bring the holder itself home with me to be sure. The guy that runs my Indian grocery is wonderful, and I bet he would let me.

OK, now, what about grinders? Are they truly necessary as some say, or can you really use a food processer like, for instance, Julie Sahni's books suggest.

[Episure]

A tadka ladle. Essentially like a soup ladle but must be hardy enough to take high heat. You use it to fry spices in a little oil/ghee and stir it into the finished dish.

[Vikram]

A chimta - those tongs made from a long thin flat strip of metal. Unless you have palms of leather, they're invaluable for tossing chappatis, and I find myself using them for all sorts of other things. Like I have been burdened with a most annoying oven which the top and botton heating elements cannot be separately adjusted, so I basically have the choice of an underdone base and perfect crust or perfect base and burned crust. The answer I've found is an elaborate routine using covers of crumpled foil that keep having to be put on and take off and the chimta is hugely helpful here.

Vikram

[Milagai]

also i'm surprised pressure cookers haven't been mentioned.

very true.

for the whole daal scene, including the sabut ones,

there is nothing else that does the job.

why do the crock pot thing for hours and hours

when 10 minutes and 1 whish later, it's all done?

my other favorites:

kadhai, idli steamers, chimtas of various kinds, graters,

idli grinders, but best of all:

someone else to cook for you.

i envy those who live in more south asian dense areas of the

US who can advertise and hire an entity known as a "gujju lady"

who'll come, cook, and fill the fridge with yummy home-made dishes.

milagai