Below you can find a list and description of some of my favourite kitchen tools that I frequently use.
Electronic Spice grinder & pestle and mortar
My new favourite Kitchen tool is an electronic spice grinder- I almost use it daily! I often roast whole spices for my lunch (2-3 mins on a pan) then freshly grind them before adding them to whatever meal I am cooking (the taste of the spices seems fresher and stronger). I also have a traditional pestle and mortar made from stone, which I now use a lot less often :)
Luxurious Option
This spice grinder is slightly more expensive than what you usually find, however it has many advantages. What I like about this specific spice grinder is that you can easily remove the containers and wash them. Additionally, it comes with 2 containers, so you have an extra one to store a spice mix or nut butter in (it also comes with a plastic lid). You can also grind small portions of wet ingredients (in most coffee grinders you should only grind dry ingredients). This is great for when I make my own mini portion of fresh almond milk/paste which I add to my morning porridge. I have also used it recently to make oat flour (which I add to veggie burgers), and it quickly made a super fine powder (much better than with my large food processor).
Where to buy my favourite spice grinder: Bol.com
Affordable option
Before I buy things, I can over research. This usually involves spending a lot of time reading too many reviews, blog posts etc and this is exactly what happened with the spice grinder :) So below you can also find my tip for a more affordable coffee grinder. To grind spices, you don't specifically need a spice grinder and can use a coffee grinder- these are great for grinding dry spices and coffee. My mother uses her coffee grinder for grinding things like freshly roasted flaxseeds (delicious!). In general you can also find decent quality coffee grinders at places like blokker.
Where to buy a good affordable coffee grinder: Bol.com
Lunch/Breakfast thermos flask
In Ayurveda it's recommended to eat freshly cooked and warm meals. Sometimes I will prepare a quick lunch in the morning and keep it in a flask. This is both handy if you want to have a warm lunch with you outside of the house (for example, take it to work or eat outside) and also if you simply want to have a warm meal ready for you at home. I have also used this flask for breakfast porridge on days when I need to be out of the house early.
Thermos flask for at home & travel
In Ayurveda it’s also recommended to drink warm water in small amounts throughout the day. I like to have a flask of warm water close to me, so that I don't forget to drink. I also use them to make a batch of tea as well e.g. hot water with ginger slices and the famous CCF tea (coriander, cumin and fennel seeds).
Wooden spoons
I prefer cooking with wooden spatulas/spoons. I usually oil mine before use (I use grapeseed oil) in order to keep liquids out. I try to keep around 2 of them for dishes where I use a lot of spices (including tumeric).
Where to buy wooden spoons: I bought these from Kookpunt, a really nice kitchen equipment store with both a physical store in Rotterdam and online store. Wooden spoons are widely available in cooking supply stores such as Dille en Kamille.
Glass jars
I now prefer to buy whole spices, and roast and grind them myself before use. I like storing these in glass jars where you can easily see what you have and also helpful for maintaining freshness. I also store many different types of grains, pulses, seeds and nuts in larger versions of the jars. You can buy jars, or simply reuse jars from other items you have bought (or from friends and family!)- for example, I also reuse the jars from store bought nut butters and tahini.
Where to buy glass storage jars:
Small jars for spices on Amazon.nl, Kilner jars on Amazon.nl
small jars (125ml) on Bol.com & medium/large jars (1 litre) on Bol.com
Cast iron pot
Not necessary, but definitely nice to have. A big investment, cast iron pots are great for making stews, soup, oven dishes and more. Added bonus is that its also pretty to look at :)
Where to buy Le Cruset pot : Amazon.nl
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