A strainer is a kitchen tool made with fine mesh that catches solids and particles. It is used to separate liquids from fine solids in cooking. Strainers often have a long handle that can be used with one hand, which comes in handy when you need to remove pulp, seeds, or other solid material from your dishes. Here are some common uses for a strainer:

• Straining: The most common use for a strainer is to separate solids from liquids. It can be used to drain pasta, rinse canned ingredients, and strain the solids from stocks and broths.

• Removing Seeds and Pulp: A strainer can be used to remove seeds and pulp from fruit-based sauces or liquids.

• Removing Herbs, Tea Leaves, or Spices: Use a strainer to catch sprigs of herbs, soup bones, and whole spices in your stocks or broths. You can also strain tea leaves from your brewed tea.

• Rinsing Rice: Rice grains fall through the large perforated holes of a colander, so the mesh of a strainer is more suitable for rinsing rice before you cook it.

• Skimming Solids from Hot Oil: Some strainers are made to be dipped into hot oil to lift and strain foods.

• Blanching Pasta or Vegetables: Strainer baskets can be dipped into boiling water to cook or blanch vegetables and pasta.

In addition to these common uses, a strainer can also be used for dusting a countertop for rolling out a pie crust or fresh pasta, and for creating fancy-looking powdered effects on cakes and cookies.