Methods of Cooking and Food Preparation
It is preferred that you cook with a gas stove at home (in the event that a person has significant chemical sensitivities, a standard electric or enamel-top electric stove can be used). The electric stoves are not preferred because their burners take longer to come up to temperature, and will retain their heat for a significant amount of time after the burner is turned off. Therefore, delicate cooking is very difficult on an electric stove. Also, when an electric stove is in operation, excessive electromagnetic charges are being generated. For similar reasons, food processors and blenders are seldom used in macrobiotics. Instead, graters and the suribachi provide a more calm energy to the food prepared. Microwaves are to be completely avoided (especially in your home) due to the issues surrounding potential microwave radiation effects, particularly for children, and those with pacemakers. Microwaves have also been known, in some cases, to cause harmful structural modification of the food.
Regular Use (Daily or Often)
- Pressure cooking
- Boiling
- Steaming
- Waterless
- Soup
- Sautéing with oil
- Sautéing with water
- Pickling
- Pressing
Occasional Use (Once or Twice a Week)
- Raw or uncooked
- Stir frying
- Deep frying
- Tempura
- Broiling
- Baking
NOTE: In some cases, the above cooking methods may not be recommended for a short period of time.
Setting Up Your Macrobiotic Kitchen
The following section contains a list of suggested cookware you will need in order to have a fully equiped macrobiotic kitchen so that you can easily create delicious, healthy meals. In stocking your kitchen, it is best to have the finest quality cookware such as stainless steel, ceramic, untreated wood, and glass. Often people will have a variety of plastics, including cooking or serving spoons, and storage containers. Macrobiotics suggests a move away from plastics to stainless steel (for cooking and serving spoons) and glass containers (instead of plastic storage containers).
Good quality stainless steel knives will provide the best utility and duarbility. If you do not already have an excellent knife for preparing vegetables, the preferred is the MAC Vegetable knife. Recently, ceramic utiliy and paring knives have come onto the market. While they perform well, please consider that if they are dropped on the floor or used by an unsuspecting person to pry open a lid, they will break.
POTS, PANS, ETC.
Pressure Cooker (Stainless Steel or Enamel)
Tea kettle
Frying Pan (Cast Iron or Stainless Steel) with Lid
Oil Brush
Pots with Heavy Lids
Steamer Basket
Flame Deflector
FOOD PREPARATION DEVICES
Cutting Board
Knives for Vegetable Cutting
Sharpening Rtone or Rod
Graters (Flat ceramic and Stainless Steel)
Vegetable Brush
Suribachi and Pestle
Hand Food Mill
Sushi Mat (Bamboo)
Cheesecloth (Unbleached 100% Cotton)
CONTAINERS
Rice Container
Serving Bowls
Soup Bowls
Tea Cups
Glass Jars for Storage
Shoyu/Soy Sauce Dispenser
STRAINERS, ETC.
Colander
Fine Mesh Strainer
Pickle Press
Tea Strainer
SPOONS, ETC.
Chopsticks
Mesh Skimmer or Slotted Spoon (for Boiled Salad)
Rice Paddle
Wooden Spoons
Good quality stainless steel knives will provide the best utility and durability. If you do not already have an excellent knife for preparing vegetables, the preferred is the MAC Vegetable knife. Recently, ceramic utility and paring knives have come onto the market. While they perform well, please consider that if they are dropped on the floor or used by an unsuspecting person to pry open a lid, they will break.
