Hello friends,
Last week we have covered a few pre-made (by you) items that I believe belong to every kitchen.
Now we will go through a few items that will make your cooking easier, by simply having them in your kitchen cupboards.
What better way to do this than to describe what exactly I keep in my kitchen at all times.
So here we go:
The essentials
Sunflower seeds - Or any seeds really. Pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds and so on. I put sunflower seeds in stews, on my vegetables on toast, in stir-fries, as a garnish for a soup and anywhere where I feel like a bit of a crunch is needed.
Cashews - While they are often overused in vegan cooking, they make some of the best sauces. Boil them for thirty minutes, strain them and blend with liquid of your choice (milk, stock, etc.), add spices or other seasonings and your quick sauce is ready. I also like to throw in a few of them into my stir fry vegetables. They taste great when they are lightly roasted on a pan.
Can of chickpeas - Chickpeas are two in one. From every can, you get aquafaba and chickpeas. Aquafaba is wonderful for making whipped foam or meringues, and chickpeas are a universal ingredient not only for hummus. I love chickpeas roasted on a pan with some vegetables, and sometimes I blend them with a bit of oat milk and soy sauce to get a quick (very quick) chickpea sauce for anything from rice to pasta. I like to keep my cooking easy when I cook at home.
Lentils - Beluga lentils are my all-time favourite, but red lentils are the ones I reach for when I want to be done in the kitchen in under thirty minutes. They cook really fast and are excellent to use in stews or as a side dish. High in protein so they are filling as well, lentils can save you when you are looking for an alternative to potatoes or rice.
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) - The last touch on most of my meals. You can’t go wrong with olive oil, and if I feel like my dish is a bit ‘dry’, I add a drizzle of olive oil.
Apple cider vinegar - My number one choice from vinegars. Not too sharp, not too sweet, adds just enough acidity. I use it for vinaigrettes, salad dressings, mayonnaise, pickling and in cooking too.
Balsamic vinegar - My favourite vinegar of all. Balsamic vinegar is more complex in flavour than other vinegars and I prefer it in most salads. You can make the quickest side salad by mixing tomatoes, cucumber, baby spinach, balsamic vinegar, EVOO and salt. Done in under two minutes.
Soy sauce - Sometimes the salt just isn’t enough. That’s when soy sauce comes in. The ultimate seasoning for stir-fries, noodles, veggie broth, rice and many more. Pairs well with many vegetables, but use it carefully as it’s easy to end up with over-salted food.
Onion - There must always be an onion at home. The ultimate addition to any savoury cooked dish. No stew can start without frying some onion first, and fried onion is the first step in many recipes, so I always have some onion at home.
Garlic powder - If fresh garlic would be too pungent to use, I reach for garlic powder. It’s also the better option for people like me, who don’t use lots of garlic in cooking and therefore fresh garlic would likely rot before I would have a chance to use it all. So garlic powder it is.
Pasta - Lasts forever in a cupboard. By keeping a pack of pasta at home all the time, there is something to eat even if there is nothing to eat. You can whip up a quick pasta dish only from the ingredients on this list.
Rice - Same as above basically. Versatile to use, can be used as a side dish or main dish, and if you have at least one vegetable at home then you also have a quick stir-fry which can count as a quick lunch or dinner.
Tofu - This one has the shortest shelf life from the ingredients on this list and must be kept in the fridge, but I am adding it here anyway. Cut into small pieces, put in the oven at 190C for 20 minutes and you have an extra ingredient in your dish. I prefer marinated ones for flavour, and I almost never buy a plain white tofu.
Mustard - Doesn’t matter which type, I always have at least one type of mustard at home. Lasts open for months in a fridge so no worries about mustard going bad. Great condiment on its own, good for cooking too and also for making vinaigrettes/mayonnaise/dressing/sauces.
Apart from the tofu and onion, everything on this list lasts for at least a few months in your cupboard before going bad. These few things (and a few other basic ones such as salt/sugar) have a permanent place in my kitchen and will either save your a$$ when there is ‘nothing to cook’ or will make your cooking better.
Add a couple of random vegetables and there is 20+ options for dishes if you have the above ingredients ready to go. Don’t forget that preparation is 80% of your job.
Why I am able to cook with almost zero-waste at home? It’s not because I eat potato peels. It’s because I am prepared. Prepared to upcycle any random bits and leftovers in my fridge before they would go to waste. I am prepared to do so by making the environment around me ready for it.
Always be prepared.
Last part of this series coming at you next week.
Until next time,
Vojtech