Mini food processor, blender, spice grinder

Many households in India rely on an appliance called a “mixie” or “mixer-blender,” a combination food processor, blender, and wet-and-dry spice grinder for the various puréeing and grinding required in some recipes. A mini food processor, blender, and/or electric spice grinder can handle all of these tasks just as well—and there’s always the simple mortar and pestle for quickly grinding small batches of whole spices. If you’re short on space, you might consider using a regular countertop blender with a one-cup “food processor” jar attachment for blending batters and puréeing small quantities of wet ingredients (chiles, cilantro, ginger, and so on) for seasoning pastes, and a coffee grinder for spices.