A noodle strainer is a safer and more convenient alternative to a colander for separating water from noodles and vegetables. It is available in various sizes and materials, and can also be used to remove meats from stock and skim fat off soups.
A noodle strainer is a common utensil in kitchens around the world. The first filters were probably developed in Asia and featured long bamboo handles. You can still find filters with bamboo handles on the market today, but plastic, metal, and other handles are also common. Many find the noodle strainer to be much easier to use than a colander, usually a large metal or plastic bowl with holes that can be used to separate water from noodles, boiled potatoes or other vegetables.
Instead of having to pour an entire pot of boiling hot water into a colander, the noodle strainer lets you remove the noodles directly from the pot by straining them. Since cooked noodles usually float to the top of the pot, the long-handled strainer with an attached fine-mesh cup lets you flick the noodles from the top. You can then turn off the boiling water and wait for it to cool before pouring it. You won’t get steamed or risk burning yourself, like when using a colander. The noodle strainer definitely gets a vote as safer and more convenient to use.
Occasionally, the occasional spaghetti strainer isn’t as easy to use as a colander. Some chunks of noodles can stick to the bottom of a pot, and even with the long handle, you may not be able to pull them all the way out turning the noodles into a colander. You can still choose to use the strainer and give up a few missed noodles at the bottom of the pot, or you can switch tactics depending on the type of noodles you’re cooking.
You can also use a colander to cut simmering vegetables or remove meats from stock. It’s much easier to use a noodle strainer to lift chunks of chicken out of chicken broth than it is to place a strainer over a bowl and hope you don’t lose any of your precious broth. Strainers can also help skim fat off the top of soups or stews.
Noodle strainers are available in various sizes. Choose one or more that will give you some wiggle room inside the pots you usually use to boil noodles or vegetables. Try to find ones that are about an inch (2.54-5.08cm) smaller in diameter than your favorite “boiling” pots. The price varies according to the materials used and the dimensions. Expect to pay anywhere from about $5 United States Dollars (USD) to over $30 USD for the fanciest types with brand names. You’ll find a huge variety of these in cooking supply stores, department and department stores, and on the Internet.
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