What's in my cupboards?
Today let's take a little guided tour of my cupboards, fridge, and freezer to discover the ingredients I use to cook.
Not all of them are essential, of course, but I thought it would be interesting to introduce them to you.
Sauces and condiments
"Light" soy sauce: this is actually just plain classic soy sauce. The word "light" refers to its lighter colour compared with the dark version.
Dark soy sauce: less salty than the classic version, it is mainly darker in colour and is used to add colour to a dish.
Fish sauce: adds depth and complexity.
Oyster sauce: thick, dark brown, with a subtle taste, this sauce is widely used in Cantonese and Thai cooking.
Wines and vinegars
Shaoxing rice wine: a cooking wine widely used for marinades and sauces.
Black vinegar: rice-based, it's an important ingredient in a good dipping sauce for certain dumplings (xiaolongbao, jiaozi, etc.).
White vinegar: lets you add acidity to a dish.
Pastes
Spicy fermented bean and soy paste ("chili bean paste"): the most interesting version is the Sichuan one, doubanjiang. The one in the photo is the Hong Kong version, "Toban Djan," a little less spicy.
Homemade red curry paste: I use it for my curries of course, but also as an ingredient in other sauces such as spicy satay sauce. Here's my recipe: Red curry paste.
Shrimp paste: very pronounced taste and smell. Adds depth and complexity to a dish.
Oils and chillies
Homemade chili oil: a must-have to lift and colour your dishes. Here's my recipe: Asian chili oil.
Black sesame oil: simply delicious. Used at the end of cooking, it brings a captivating flavour close to roasted hazelnut. (Doesn't appear in the photo because I just finished the bottle.)
Dried chillies: used rehydrated in cooking, or blended into chili powder.
Thai chillies: I keep them in the freezer so I always have some on hand.
Stocks and thickeners
Homemade beef stock: enhances dishes and sauces. Here's my recipe: Homemade Asian beef stock.
Homemade chicken stock: widely used in Chinese cooking. You should always have some on hand. Here's my recipe: Homemade Asian chicken stock.
Cornstarch: known in France as Maïzena. Used at the end of cooking (first mixed with an equal amount of water) to thicken a sauce. You can also use potato starch instead, which has the advantage of leaving the sauce clearer.
Sugars and other
Cane sugar: this is the Thai block version. Really tasty, but can be replaced perfectly well with brown or even white sugar.
Fried shallots: great for adding a bit of crunch to a Thai or Vietnamese salad.
The balance of flavours
In Chinese cooking, everything is about balance between the primary flavours: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami*.
We generally use the following ingredients to play with flavours:
- Sweet: white sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, honey.
- Salty: salt, soy sauce, fish sauce.
- Bitter: found in some foods (garlic, star anise, cabbage, okra, etc.).
- Sour: white vinegar, black vinegar.
- Umami: soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp paste, or MSG powder (which I don't use).
* Umami, considered the 5th flavour, is also known as monosodium glutamate and means "essence of deliciousness" in Japanese. Its taste is often described as the meaty, savoury delight that deepens flavour.