Unsung heroes of the kitchen: Reduce strain and improve culinary prowess by keeping these sieves handy

From straining tea leaves to sifting wheat and rice grains, sieves have been an integral part of our grandmothers’ kitchens for decades. If you think mastering culinary prowess is possible without incorporating this essential tool, think again!

Each sieve has its own unique strength, and can help make cooking easier and efficient. Filtration is a crucial step in ensuring food is smooth and devoid of lumps, resulting in lighter, fluffier, and airier baked goods, as well as silky purees and soups.

Sahil Qureshi, Chef at La Villa Medusa in Dubai, called sieves the “unsung heroes of the kitchen.”

“They come in various forms, each suited to a specific task. Mastering these tools can elevate your cooking by separating ingredients, creating smooth textures, and ensuring perfectly drained pasta,” he said.

Here are a few commonly used sieves:

Colander: Its large bowl and wide holes make it ideal for rinsing fruits and vegetables, draining cooked pasta, and removing excess water after blanching. This workhorse is a must-have in Qureshi’s books.

Fine Mesh Strainers: Available in various sizes, these are perfect for sifting dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar to remove lumps and aerate them. They also excel at straining broths or sauces to remove unwanted bits like herbs or peppercorns.

A colander is a workhorse is a must-have in Qureshi’s books. (Source: Freepik)

Food Mill: For a velvety-smooth result, a food mill is the best choice. This device pushes cooked vegetables or fruits through a fine mesh disc and is often used to create purees for soups, sauces, and baby food.

Tamis: This specialised sieve resembles a drum with a fine mesh bottom. Often used in professional kitchens, it excels at sifting extra-fine powders like cocoa or confectioners’ sugar and can also be used to create exceptionally smooth purees.

Cheesecloth: While not technically a sieve, a cheesecloth acts as a versatile strainer for delicate tasks. Its thin, woven cotton fabric is perfect for straining yogurt to remove excess whey, clarifying broths, or pressing tofu.

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