There was a time when everyone lived in massive homes with kitchen cabinets that can hold dozens of pots and pans. But with more couples living in units, the rise of the so-called ‘tiny homes’ and the trend for many pensioners to downsize, it’s time to be more selective with your cookware.

We asked Judith Viado, the Australian-Filipina co-founder of premium cookware business, Nutricraft Cookware, to tell us what are the most important pots and pans in the kitchen if you love cooking Filipino dishes. Here are her tips.

1. The small-size fry pan

This pan is ideal for frying, browning and sautéing with its curved sides allowing you to toss and flip foods with ease.

The smallest cookware on this list, this fry pan is perfect for a small bacon-and-egg serving in the morning before you start your day.

You can also use this for a small serving of ‘garlic peanuts’, a classic Pinoy snack, to satisfy your craving without going overboard.

2. The medium-size fry pan

The modern Filipino palate can appreciate roast mushrooms or tortang talong (eggplant omelette) for the great Australian tradition of brunch. This medium-size fry pan is perfect for this.

And as long as you put the exhaust fan on blast, the occasional daing is perfect to cook on this, too!

 

3.    The Large Skillet with Cover

If you love Paris but can’t travel there just yet because of the restrictions, this is the skillet you need to make perfect crepes, French toast and grilled sandwiches.

And yes, this skillet is perfect for braising so for a small family, you can use this to cook adobo, pinakbet and a small serving of pancit (because, you know, carbs!)

4. 1.5 Qt. Pan with cover

This pan is perfect for couples. You can cook three different vegetables in the same pan at the same time. This is also a small meal preparation pan if you feel like ‘bistek’.  

5. 3 Qt. Pan and Cover 2.8L

This is the perfect pan for Filipinos who want to include more vegetables in their diet or go completely vegetarian. This pan can hold a half-head of cabbage or a whole head of broccoli or cauliflower without crowding.

But if you can’t resist the occasional chicken adobo or kare-kare, this pan is also the go-to for small meals.

Finally, among its multiple uses is for storage in the refrigerator if you want to retain the freshness and flavour of your fruits and vegetables, thanks to this pan’s airtight cover.

6.    12 qt. Roaster/Stock Pot and Cover 11L

There is a Filipino saying that “soup is life”. Winter in Australia is not complete without nilagang baka (beef and vegetables soup), sinigang na hipon (king prawns in sour soup) and tinolang manok (chicken soup with vegetables).

That’s why a Filipino kitchen is not a kitchen without a big stock pot. This pot is perfect for cooking large quantities of soups, stews and stocks.

You can also use it for roasting, on the days that you want roast lamb, roast turkey or roast chicken in your life!

Healthy cooking is the new Filo way

And with the daily or frequent use of all these pots and frying pans, Viado recommends investing in high-quality cookware. She recommends ‘stainless steel’ products with Titanium to help preserve the food flavours, seal in the moistures but avoid chemicals from leaching into your cooked meals.

“The titanium grade is used by medical professionals because it doesn't react with foods or alter their taste,” she said.

She warns hobby chefs and cooking enthusiasts from using the aluminum cookware that is popular in the Philippines. “It’s prone to chemical reaction and scratches or dents easily,” she said, meaning you lose out on both flavour and the cost.

And with only six cookware items needed in your kitchen, you can declutter your cabinets knowing you will always have a pot or pan for that Pinoy dish you want to prepare.

Photo credit: All pots and pans featured here are by Nutricraft cookware, a proud sponsor of The Australian Filipina ‘Let’s Eat’ (Kain na tayo) series. Check out their website for pricing and latest promos.