Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner: 10 Basic kitchen appliances you'll need
Make your yu sheng, pen cai, steamboat preparations less stressful with these kitchen appliances
By Ho Guo Xiong -
As much as we love the positive, celebratory vibes of Chinese New Year, prepping for festive meals (such as the reunion dinner) can be harrowing and stressful, to say the least. Yu sheng, pen cai and steamboat are but some of the centrepieces we’ve all come to expect this time of year.
Conversely, these spectacular dishes can be rather labour-intensive to make, especially with staple dishes featuring fish, chicken and more that you have to cook too. As such, we’ve rounded up 9 kitchen appliances that will not only make your Chinese New Year cooking (and celebrations) much easier and less stressful. Phew!
Spiralizer 5-Blade Vegetable Slicer, $54.16
Everybody loves the sweet, tangy taste of yu sheng. But prepping it isn't exactly the easiest, especially since there are so many vegetables to shred. This spiraliser makes quick work of it and can be used to make vegetable noodles too.
Shop the Spiralizer 5-Blade Vegetable Slicer here.
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Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart Smart Pressure Cook, $211
The Instant Pot can be used to steam, cook rice, slow cook, pressure cook and more. Use it to make tough cuts of meat tender in no time (like a braised meat dish) or make a rich stock while you're asleep.
Shop the Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart Smart Pressure Cooker here.
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Sona Steamboat Multi-Purpose Cooker, $35.50
This appliance shouldn't be unfamiliar to those of us who love steamboat. With its removable non-stick inner pot that's easy to clean, the multi-purpose cooker can also be used to steam, stir-fry, slow cook and make soups.
Shop the Sona Steamboat Multi-Purpose Cooker SMP 2318 here.
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hecef 8-Inch Chinese Cleaver, $29.99
Knives might not be one of the slickest kitchen tools to purchase, but it is one of the most important. A great, sharp knife will make prep work easier and safer. The hecef blade is made with strong and durable 410 stainless steel with a handle made of non-slip natural cuibourtia material.
Shop the hecef 8-Inch Chinese Cleaver Kitchen Knife here.
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Zwilling Vitality Stock Pot, $120.93
Made with stainless steel and suitable for induction cookers, this medium-sized Zwilling pot is great for making stocks that will serve as an umami base to cook steamboats, pen cai and more. Past CNY, use it to make a hearty soup for you and your family.
Shop the Zwilling Vitality Stock Pot 20 cm 3.5L here.
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Philips Daily Collection Induction Cooker, $87.99
Free up precious stove space with the Philips induction cooker as it affords you another cooking surface. You can also complement it with a pot to cook your steamboat or pen cai without needing to buy a separate machine.
Shop the Philips Daily Collection Induction Cooker here.
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Ninja Foodi Deluxe Airfryer AF160, $195
Say goodbye to the stress and clean up of deep-frying by switching to the Ninja air fryer. The air fryer is also useful for those with small kitchens who need an oven to roast, toast, bake or heat up food.
Shop the Ninja Foodi Deluxe Airfryer AF160 here.
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Zojirushi Rice Cooker 1.8L, $301.27
What's an Asian meal without our precious rice? Zojirushi is known for its rice cooker technology that will get you fluffy, well-cooked rice to please any crowd.
Shop the Zojirushi NS-ZAQ18 Rice Cooker 1.8L here.
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Philips Viva Collection Kettle, $45.60
With so many things to prep for the Chinese New Year meals, waiting for a large pot of water to boil is one of the few items that you can outsource to an appliance. And that's where the Philips electric kettle comes in. You can also quickly make tea or coffee when guests unexpectedly pop by.
Shop the Philips Viva Collection Kettle HD9316/03 1.7L here.
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