| There are many types of pots and pans and each | | | | suggests the food is steamed in very little water, so |
| tend to have a specific use. The most widely used | | | | therefore very little of the nutrients are lost. There are |
| pan is the saucepan. The saucepan is used for | | | | several types of steamers. The cheapest is a flower |
| everyday cooking for the likes of vegetables, rice, | | | | steamer which expands to fit into most types of |
| pasta, soups etc. A good pan should have a close | | | | saucepan, or you can get an electric steamer which |
| fitting lid and strong secure handles. Ideally the knob | | | | you can plug into your electricity supply and use |
| and handle should be made of a heat resistant | | | | independently from your hob. Electric steamers also |
| material. Saucepans can be made of stainless steel, | | | | have the benefit of having stacking units so you can |
| which is probably the best type to buy as there are | | | | cook larger quantities in them. |
| very durable. You can also get enamelled cast iron | | | | Frying pans are also very useful. These tend to be |
| which is excellent for retaining the heat. Less | | | | made of the same materials as saucepans. When |
| expensive pans such as glass, ceramic and non stick | | | | cooking meat it is generally a good idea to cook the |
| are not quite as good at conducting heat, but will serve | | | | meat in a frying pan first, with a little oil, to seal in the |
| the purpose. | | | | nutrients. They are also an excellent way of crisping |
| Pressure cookers are an excellent way of cooking | | | | up vegetables. |
| food quickly. These work by trapping the steam and | | | | Omelette pans are very similar to a frying pan: the |
| increasing the pressure, thus raising the temperature to | | | | main difference being there size. Omelette pans tend |
| above boiling point very quickly so the food cooks | | | | to be about 10cm in diameter and are used solely for |
| faster. These are ideal for making steamed puddings | | | | the cooking of omelettes. |
| and casseroles. This way of cooking tends to | | | | Woks are used for stir frying. These are made of |
| preserve the nutrients in the food as they are cooked | | | | fairly thin metal which heats up quickly. Woks need |
| quickly. | | | | only very little oil in them due to their shape so |
| Slow cookers are at the other end of the spectrum to | | | | consequently are a more health way of cooking than |
| pressure cookers and, as the name implies, these | | | | frying pans. Because they are made of thin metal the |
| cook the food very slowly. Slow cookers run off the | | | | food heats quickly and because of this the nutrients |
| electricity supply and are very economical to use, even | | | | have little time to escape. |
| though they take several hours for the food to cook. | | | | Each of these types of pot and pan will serve their |
| They are ideal for casseroles and soups because the | | | | own use in your kitchen. If you cannot afford them all, |
| meat cooks slowly and is therefore tenderer. You can | | | | the basic essentials are a couple of saucepans, a |
| also cook dried fruit and grains in them. | | | | frying pan and a wok, but over time it is good to |
| Steamers are an excellent way of conserving | | | | accumulate them all. |
| nutrients when cooking vegetables. As the name | | | | |