There are just certain items you cannot do without in your kitchen. Health is wealth, and in Lagos this statement cannot be over emphasized, if you consider the hustle and bustle we go through week-in-week-out.
Everyone loves to have a lush kitchen, well ventilated, with air vents or air conditioners most recently, just like we see in the movies you know.. Yeah right! Sadly I have to break your heart and welcome you back to reality LOL! To enable you have a seamless and stress free kitchen-time in Lagos, with the rush hours and barely enough sleep time before the cock crows or the alarms cry, these items 10 items are life-savers and must-have in every Lagos kitchen.
In no particular order they are;
- A Blender: See this as a multipurpose tool, that you could use as a small grinder for major meals or to make a quick puree. Believe me, you wouldn’t know what you have been missing till you have one in your kitchen.
2. Mortar and Pestle: My oh my! I really cannot start to tell you tales of how loads of African dishes and meals have been manufactured and revamped in this simple looking but energy consuming tool. Just like a pen is to paper, so is the mortar to the pestle, and is quite famous for the timeless meal “Pounded yam”.
3. Gas Cooker: No offence to those of us using the stove, or electric, but right here is as reliable as water is to man. Making sure that meals come out properly and well cooked. Differs in size and number of burners or design, but one of this in your kitchen cannot be overlooked.
4. Kettle: Electric or not, a kettle is one of the foremost items I still vividly remember from my candle nights while in the kitchen with mom as a child. Very efficient, and these days we have the whistling kettles which helps us know when our water is ready for use.
5. Sandwich maker: This helps to make quick a breakfast or dinner for the house. Allows you to bring out your creativity while also, making sure you can multitask with other prior matters and still put a smile on everyone’s face.
6. Mixer: This is very essential for the rainy day, days when you have the luxury of time on a weekend to make pancakes, or cake batters or pastry to showcase some skills.
7. A small over: Typically most big gas cookers come with an oven underneath, but having a small electric oven would do the trick mostly. These ovens are the real “Most Valuable Players” in the kitchen, helps you out with baking small cakes, toasting bread, grills, making the famous “Boli” (roasted plantain) etc…
8. Microwave: Durable and efficient if you handle with care, treat it like a baby and it would take perfect care of you without stress. Has a multi-functional use, and even you would understand its essence when you get it.
9. Grinding stone: If I start to talk, we wouldn’t leave here. LOL! In Lagos this a very priced possession, and in some traditions is given to the bride as a wedding gift to help her in settling down in her new home. Used for grinding mostly pepper, and basically any other thing you feel the need for in the absence of electricity.
10. Ijabe (Ewedu Broom): I am so sure you never knew the real name. That’s why I saved the best for last right? This is to ewedu which a core Yoruba soup in Lagos, as cream is to salad in diaspora. No ewedu is complete without this being used to turn it, and truly…the difference is in the taste.
Make sure to stuff your kitchen with these must-have’s in Lagos, as a first timer or a resident and you will surely thank me later.
(All images were gotten via google images)
