For a smart kitchen

There was a time when domestic helps would manually pound spices into a paste or when specialised butchers would cut chunks of meat into specific dish-appropriate shapes and sizes. With the widespread availability of kitchen appliances, preparing mouth-watering, restaurant-styled food has become easier. These gadgets save time and effort and serve multiple purposes to create a modern, 'intelligent' kitchen.

The appliance market both at home and abroad offers a mind-boggling range of options to choose from. Blenders, grinders, mixers, and food processors are the most common as well as the most useful gadgets.
In the local market, these are available with numerous features, mainly for mincing meat, grinding spices, extracting pure juice, chopping vegetables and other food ingredients, and whipping cream. These appliances fall within the price range of Tk. 3,000 –10,000.

Magic Bullets, advertised by several 'sky-shops,' can be easily found in Dhaka city. Equipped with various types of blades and containers, Magic Bullets are ideal for grinding almost every food item. They are not only cheap at Tk.1,500, but are also compact and therefore, space-efficient.

One can purchase a rice-cooker or a pressure-cooker to not only boil rice, but also to prepare curries and desserts, such as rice or caramel pudding. There are appliances, which aid cooking by cutting the ingredients in certain shapes and sizes. For instance, the meat grinder is popular at the moment for its ability to produce sausage-like pieces of meat, minced meat, fine or round slices of meat, and more.

Devices specifically designed to chop vegetables or to deep-fry potato wedges and other food ingredients are also available in the local market. These multi-functional appliances fall in the upscale range of products.

The most expensive and space-consuming gadget is the stove-cum-oven, which will allow you to multitask and prepare grilled items, baked treats, and more. It will cost you approximately Tk.80,000. Lastly, although they qualify as tools rather than full-fledged devices, handheld mesh strainers of varying sizes are indispensable items of any kitchen, whether traditional or contemporary. Costing you only Tk. 200 or less, these tools are ideal for straining, steaming rice, and rinsing vegetables. Another cheap yet handy tool is the multi-purpose knife set, which comprises of several knives, peeler, grater, and the likes.

Some of the brands available in Dhaka city are Kenwood, Philips, Miyako (Japanese brand), Walton, Jaipan (Indian brand), and Bosch. Electrolux, Whirlpool, and KitchenAid are other globally-acclaimed brands available locally.

While buying from authorised dealers or brand showrooms ensures quality, it is also a practice that is heavy on the wallet. Similar original products are often available at a much lower price in smaller shops, which stock several brands under one roof. All these tools and appliances are available on the ground floor of Gulshan-1 D.C.C. Market, Unimart, and Dubai Market behind New Market.

As many of the sales representatives in these shops are hardly conversant about the minute details of each appliance and brand, it is wiser to learn more about these gadgets by researching from websites or speaking to your valued family and friends.

Photo courtesy: Nazneen Haque Mimi