Chef's Tools

The right cooking equipment can actually make all these much easier and yield amazing results. Gone are the days of using the same knife to do all the cutting and chopping. There are specialised knife sets, slicers and choppers available for cutting different fruits, vegetables and meat beautifully, so you feel like a real masterchef and do not need to slog for hours just to get thin enough slices or perfect looking dices.

Simple pots and pans are no longer enough for the stove top; sizzling trays, steamer baskets and grill pans are some requisites to complement cooking popular cuisines and perfecting authentic styles. The ground floor of the Gulshan 2 DCC market and New Market's kitchen section are the best places to get hold of the aforementioned equipment at reasonable prices.

Baking equipment such as grease paper, cupcake moulds, baking trays etc. along with non-stick cookware, spoons, ladles, colanders, strainers, tongs, scissors in all materials and sizes are available here as well. The Dhaka International Trade Fair, and superstores such as Unimart, Agora and Meena Bazar are also good options, however the availability of certain products may be uncertain in these places.

Electronic cooking equipment particularly can be no short of a boon for cooking comfortably. Nowadays, thanks to electronic beater stands, roti makers and food processors, one can enjoy fresh homemade pasta, breads and tarts without developing a serious arm ache from painstaking efforts. These are all available in Bangladesh at select electronics showrooms such as MK Electronics at Kalabagan and Transcom outlets. MK Electronics also has a very wide range of coffee makers, electronic and microwave ovens to choose from according to need, alongside many rare products such as waffle irons, meat tenderisers and electronic fryers that use very little oil. 

If you are not a fan of too much hassle, you can try out shopping for equipment online. Kaymu.com, a Germany based online platform, offers more than 4000 kitchen products to browse and select from. Most purchases can be paid for by a cash on delivery system and the site is trustworthy with a strong and growing client base.

So the next time you see a great recipe, do not be discouraged from trying it out just because the equipment listed intimidates you - finding them may be easier than you think. 

By Abreshmee Haque
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed