Zaru

The Zaru (Japanese: 笊 or ざる) is a draining basket made from bamboo used in the preparation and presentation of Japanese cuisine. It can be used similar to a sieve or colander in western cooking. Additionally, well designed zaru can be used to present food directly, as for example zaru soba. Recently, plastic and metal versions have come into use for cooking, but are rarely used to present the food, as traditional bamboo usually has much more pleasing aesthetics.

Similar to the makisu, a zaru should be allowed to dry well after use and stored in a dry place to extend the lifespan of the tool and to avoid the growth of bacteria and fungi on the mat. However, they should not be dried too much and drying by the sunlight should be done carefully as this would crack the zaru.