All three of these things I used to think were useless tools that were just a waste of space and not worth my dime. But slowly, one by one, I found myself purchasing each of these guys and my cooking life is better for it. To make your culinary endeavors easier, I highly suggest investing in a salad spinner, a standard collapsible steamer, and a tea or soup stock mesh ball strainer. I think these simple tools even motivate me to cook a little healthier.
Why the salad spinner:
When I make a salad, I make sure the washed lettuce or greens are really dry in order to allow the dressing to properly adhere to them. Most dressings are oil based right? You know the rule about oil and water. They don’t mix, so wet leaves will naturally make for a blander salad since the oil-based dressing will slide right off. Also, keep the washed & dried salad lettuce right in the spinner & store in the fridge until ready to eat. It acts as an instant lettuce crisper.
But I also like to buy fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro, wash them as soon as I get home from the store, spin them until they’re completely dry, wrap them in paper towels and store them in labeled ziplock bags. Then they’re instantly ready to use on demand and you don’t have to worry about washing them last minute right before chopping, where they can get all messy and stuck to your knife, or become clumped together. Practical, no?
Why the collapsible steamer:
It’s a cheap way to go to get nicely steamed vegetables by using any medium to large sized pot, due to the adjustable panels, and without taking up a lot of shelf space. The little metal “feet” on the bottom give it enough lift off of the bottom of the pot to fill with the correct amount of water for the perfect steam. The handle in the center, when opened, makes for easy lifting out of the pot without any fuss.
Try lining cabbage leaves or parchment paper on top of the steamer and using it to steam other things like dumplings and fish! Get gentle cooking without extra fat.
Why the mesh strainer:
Maybe I personally like this guy because it comes in handy for lots of typical Korean cooking where the base starts with a flavorful broth. I don’t like to go fishing in my soup to try to find all the unwanted particles to yank out at the end like whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, or in the case of Korean cooking- dried anchovies and dashi kelp.
This strainer allows you to mimic the French technique of using a bouquet garni, which is done by bundling up some loose herbs, garlic, peppercorns and other aromatics in a cheese cloth and tying it with kitchen twine. It saves you time and trouble and it’s pretty easy to wash. Usually it comes with a long metal chain for easy removal, but sadly mine fell off after a long time of use. But don’t matter, still works fine. I just pluck it out with the help of a spoon and keep on truckin along with clear mess-free stock.
Well those are my thoughts on the matter. Cheers to making life a little easier and having extra motivation for healthier cooking!
