What's an unusual ingredient, spice, or food item that you can't live without?
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Speaking of roasted sesame oil, ever since moving to Japan I have fallen in love with roasted sesame dressing and now I won’t eat salads with anything else.
For me I really like minced dried onion when cooking ground beef.
I also make my own cinnamon sugar, which gets used in a lot of stuff.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
I make a veggie version which is just fresh lime juice, thinly sliced red onions, thinly sliced habaneros, and fresh cilantro. It can be used to make ceviche, which is a delicious cold-cooked fish dish (and Latino counterpart to sashimi), or just use it as a zesty side that can be added to just about anything non-sweet.
Simple to make, stores for weeks, low cal and super-healthy.
-
Fresh mint, not ridiculously uncommon or anything but I never see people buying it and its rarely called for in recipes I encounter. I use it in a ton of soups, salads, and dressings. Also its like my favorite flavor ever.
I grow my own!
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Capers are more useful than one might think.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
A classic home-made/canned chili sauce. It goes into any hearty sauce that’s tomato based (some that aren’t), tacos, eggs, and a bunch more in probably forgetting.
Just adds a nice sweetness and complexity from the peppers etc.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Lemon pepper. It’s surprising what a little sweet kick can do for food. My personal favorite is to put lemon pepper on cream cheese on a bagel.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
I have a deep, torrid addiction to Sriracha (‘rooster’) sauce.
It’s awesome.
-
Tony Chachere's Creole
I’m surprised by how much I use this stuff, and the competitor Slap Ya Mama. I started buying a can for red beans and rice, but it’s just perfect for seasoning eggs, marinating chicken, etc.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Gochujang and Miso. They are very versatile ingredients.
-
I have a deep, torrid addiction to Sriracha (‘rooster’) sauce.
It’s awesome.
I use it instead of ketchup.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Maggi seasoning:
The flavor is a little bit like soy sauce, but it has ‘umami’ taste too.
It’s pretty unique, but fucking delicious in things like banh mi sandwiches or stir fry.
A tiny little bit goes a long way - don’t overdo it!
-
I’m surprised by how much I use this stuff, and the competitor Slap Ya Mama. I started buying a can for red beans and rice, but it’s just perfect for seasoning eggs, marinating chicken, etc.
For about seven years, I lived as a traveling software guy. Extended Stays were my preferred hotels: with a full sized fridge, and an okay stove - it's not a bad life. I would make up big batches of land gumbo and freeze most of it.
-
Maggi seasoning:
The flavor is a little bit like soy sauce, but it has ‘umami’ taste too.
It’s pretty unique, but fucking delicious in things like banh mi sandwiches or stir fry.
A tiny little bit goes a long way - don’t overdo it!
Check out the similar Knorr Seasoning. I like the flavor much more than Maggi.
-
For about seven years, I lived as a traveling software guy. Extended Stays were my preferred hotels: with a full sized fridge, and an okay stove - it's not a bad life. I would make up big batches of land gumbo and freeze most of it.
For soups and chilis, big batches and freezers is the only way to go.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Canned chipotles in adobo are really good additions to anything savory. Add it to mayo or mac n cheese for a smoky & tangy depth of flavor. Plus where I live it’s like 70¢ a can, which is a great price for how much it upgrades the dish.
-
Fresh mint, not ridiculously uncommon or anything but I never see people buying it and its rarely called for in recipes I encounter. I use it in a ton of soups, salads, and dressings. Also its like my favorite flavor ever.
I don’t love mint as a food ingredient, but it’s good to have on-hand because you never know when you’re gonna need an emergency mojito.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Mushroom bouillon for sure. Toss it into any rice and get an amazing flavor.
-
Basically the title. I want to learn more about some ingredients or food items that you use frequently in your cooking and that aren’t super common where you live.
Example: Roasted sesame oil. Didn’t know there was such a thing until a year ago, and I never want to miss it again.
Smoked paprika
-
Smoked paprika
So amazing! Apparently there’s a lady at the grocery store that will literally buy out the entire stock when it comes in sometimes.
That lady is not me, because I’m a sad lady when it happens and I can’t buy any lol
-
Will do!
