In the cupboard next to the stove and above the spices we keep all the bottles that make for juicy cooking. Somehow this cupboard keeps getting fuller and fuller!
Oils
- Olive Oil – We use this for everything.
- Coconut Oil – This is how we deep fry. Also used in anything that a little hint of coconut sounds good with. I think it is the healthiest oil to cook with.
- Sesame Oil – LOVE sesame oil! It is so good in Asian dressings and stir fries.
- Mustard Oil – Used in achari, jhal moodi, and Bengali cooking.
Salty
- Soy Sauce or Tamari – Soy has wheat, tamari is wheat free. I use them interchangeably.
- Dark Soy Sauce – I use Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark Soy Sauce
and love it. They also have a mushroom version
that is great.
- Kecap Manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce) – To die for! Sweet and thick. Used in Indonesian cooking.
- Maggi (Maggi Seasoning Sauce
)- Soy based but with a unique flavor. Used in vegetarian Vietnamese and Thai cooking. Tastes kinda like Braggs.
- Vegetarian Oyster Sauce (here
)- Substitute for regular oyster sauce.
Vinegars & Cooking Wine
- White Vinegar – Especially for marinating onions as a Indian condiment. Also used in achari and other dishes.
- Rice Vinegar – Good vinegar for Asian dressings and other Asian dishes.
- Balsamic Vinegar – For salad dressings and glazes. Oh and great with extra virgin olive oil and a crusty loaf of bread.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Great for salads.
- Black Vinegar – Great for Chinese dipping sauces. I tried a random brand and found it totally unpalatable, so ended up ordering Chinkiang Vinegar
on Amazon. I don’t know if it is the real deal, but it tastes 10 times better to my palate!
- Apple Vinegar – Great in dressings and other recipes.
- Rice Wine – For Chinese dishes.
- Mirin – Japanese sweet rice wine.
Other
- Pomegranate Molasses (here
)- I can eat this stuff from the bottle! I’ve used it in this Fesenjan.
- Liquid Smoke (hickory) – A drop for a smokey flavor.
- Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce – Great little ingredient for random recipes.