Bengali kitchen tools in the US বাংলা
Rice, fish and mustard. The boti is the one tool you won’t find in an American store. The rest is about cooking rice well and frying in iron.
Boti বটি
The curved blade on a flat base. You sit, steady the base with your foot, and draw the fish or vegetable into the blade.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengali Boti (iron floor blade) | No stove contactHand tool. | Fish, greens and vegetables, cut sitting down | Search on Amazon |
Bhaat ভাত
US 120V rice cookers; no converter needed.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker | 120V680 WMade for USA and Canada | Households that eat rice at every meal | View on Amazon |
| Aroma ARC-914SBD Digital Rice Cooker | 120VMade for USA | A low-cost cooker that also steams | View on Amazon |
Korai কড়াই
Cast iron for fish fry, luchi and deep frying.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Indus Valley Cast Iron Kadai, 10 inch | Works on inductionListed for gas and smooth-surface induction. | Chole, paneer, fish fry and deep frying | Search on Amazon |
Clay pots মাটির হাঁড়ি
Unglazed clay for slow-cooked dal and for setting mishti doi. It needs gas or a microwave.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swadeshi Blessings Clay Handi, 2.5 L | Gas or microwaveClay isn't magnetic. Listed for gas stoves and microwaves. | Slow-cooked dal and setting doi | Search on Amazon |
| Craftsman Black Clay Handi, 3 L | Not for inductionClay isn't magnetic. | Rice, dal and biryani | Search on Amazon |
Shil-nora শিল-নোড়া
A flat grinding stone is hard to find online in the US. A granite mortar works for small amounts.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOMZ Stone Kalvam, Boat Shape | No stove contactHand tool. | Small amounts of chutney, thecha or podi | Search on Amazon |
| MYNAKSHA Granite Mortar and Pestle, Large | No stove contactHand tool. | Heavier grinding; the closest thing to a rolu or shil-nora you can order | Search on Amazon |
Stove notes
Mustard paste without a shil. A mixer grinder’s small chutney jar is the practical substitute. Grind with a pinch of salt and a green chili to keep it from turning bitter.
Clay and induction don’t mix. Clay isn’t magnetic. Use it on gas, or set doi in it without heat.
Also for this kitchen
Other regional kitchens: Tamil, Kerala, Andhra and Telangana, Maharashtrian, Punjabi, North Indian.