GB2376425A - Colander which can serve as a bowl - Google Patents

Abstract

A colander is provided with means operable to prevent flow of liquid through the holes, so that liquid can be poured into it and retained for a while, before being released. The colander consists of two colanders one inside the other, joined at the base by a bolt, each colander having a handle. When the handles are together (Fig 2), the holes in each colander are misaligned and the utensil acts as a bowl and retains the liquid. When the handles are rotated in opposite directions, as shown, the holes become aligned and the liquid is released. This allows vegetables to be strained from stock without using another saucepan.

Description

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WATER SAVING COLANDER Whilst straining some rice for dinner one evening I thought that it would be useful to catch the cooking/rinsing water to rinse the rice a second time. I did not wish to make another saucepan dirty and therefore thought that it would be convenient if there was a time delay between pouring the water into the colander and the colander releasing it.

With this enhanced kitchen utensil in mind I decided that it would be particularly useful in preparing home made soup. After cooking the vegetables in the stock it is often necessary to puree the solid vegetables whilst retaining the stock to mix with the puree later. Currently the vegetables are removed from the stock with a slotted spoon-a task that is time consuming and not 100% accurate as often a few solid vegetables remain in the liquid. With my water saving colander all the stock and vegetables could be poured into the colander, the saucepan placed below the now full colander and the stock released into the saucepan thus retaining all the solid vegetables in the colander but also retaining the stock.

The method used to enable a time delay between the liquid entering and leaving the colander is as follows. Essentially the colander is made up of two colanders one, marginally smaller, set inside the other (see Figure 1). These are joined at the base via a small bolt. Each colander has a handle. When the handles are together (see Figure 2) the holes are not in alignment and therefore the colander acts essentially as a bowl ie the liquid is retained When the handles are rotated in opposite directions (see Figure 3) the holes become aligned and the liquid is released thus creating a time delay of your preference.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS My invention is a kitchen utensil which enables you to strain vegetables or rice etc whilst retaining the cooking liquid and returning it to the saucepan in which the vegetables or rice etc has been cooked.