Other Equipment

I love my mortar and pestle. In fact, I have two – one large at 26 cm (10½ inches) and another 22 cm (8½ inches) in diameter. They are granite and are available cheaply from Chinatown. I use them to make pesto and salsas, pound marinades and grind spices, but they are great for lots of uses, easy to clean and look beautiful. I also have a food mill and a potato ricer. They are suitable for many uses, too, and are worth the outlay. I also think a rice cooker is a must. Then, you need stainless steel bowls for mixing, a salad spinner, spoons (solid and slotted), tongs, fish lifters, wooden spoons, rolling pins and things of that nature, a large colander for draining pasta, and a sauce and drum sieve for improving the texture of puréed things. You need a grater for grating cheese on pasta and other dishes and a citrus zester. Have a couple of bamboo steamers that fit the pans you have and make sure you clean them well, as you don’t want to introduce flavours to dishes where they are not welcome. Then there is a long list of moulds, cake tins and things you need if you embark on the dessert section.