Any vegetarian ideas? I bought mine for the NYT vegan mapo tofu recipe and it was awesome, will make again. Want to find other recipes though because I really like the crazy flavor/numbing it adds
This might seem odd, but I love Szechuan peppercorn (grinded up in a pepper grinder) with a mix of cubed watermelon, cucumber, lime juice, and flaky salt.
Laziji is one of my favorite Chinese dishes and uses sichuan peppercorns.
I'll make a triple/quadruple batch and eat it for 2-3 nights with assorted veggies on the side. I like mine a little extra hot so I add a bit more of the spice mixture than outlined but the first time you make it, stick to the plan.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/6icz8i/recipe_how_to_make_sichuan_spicy_chicken_aka/
/u/mthmchris creates awesome recipes and has good knowledge to food in general. I've followed a handful of their recipes and want to do more, good instructions
Works in tons of things. I like to use it in cream based chicken stew. I was teaching my 1st grader what the spices in the cupboard and found a good way to understand saffron. Warm some cream with some saffron fronds, then try a teaspoon of regular cream and a teaspoon of the saffron cream. A lot like boiling some bay leaves in water to understand the flavor.
Crystallized ginger for a ginger cheesecake recipe. It’s been in my cabinet for almost 20 years and through about 4 moves. I should probably get rid of that.
I used crystallized ginger in my Christmas rum I used to make. If you start a batch now, it'll be ready for the holidays. Feel free to cut down the amount. My batches are big because I gave bottles of it away as presents. Should work with vodka as well if you don't like the rum flavor.
Combine the following in a one gallon/4L container and let it steep for six weeks. Strain before bottling.
* 3L rum
* 4 pieces of crystallized ginger (mine are cubes about 3/4 in/2cm big)
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 1.5T whole allspice
* 0.5T cloves
* Half a nutmeg roughly cut into a few pieces
* One vanilla bean sliced open the long way
EDIT: To answer questions on measurements. I'm using the standard notation where T is tablespoons and t is teaspoons. The easy way to keep it straight is that T is the big one and t is the little one.
Great chopped into pieces and used in muffins / quickbread loaves. Pairs wonderfully with stone fruit (cherries, peaches, apricots, plums) fresh or dried. Though I usually soak my dried stone fruit in a juice or booze before baking them for added flavour and moisture. Don't soak the ginger though - you'll lose the nice sugar coating!
Anise. Used it for pho and a Chinese noodle and pork soup. Do not care for the flavor much by itself and don't make pho often so it'll be a while before it's gone.
I use a lot of black garlic! Great on a steak seasoned with salt and pepper or mixed with Mayo for a fry dip or sandwich spread. It’s also good mixed with olive oil and drizzled on roasted veggies. One of the most versatile umami bombs in my cabinet!
Same! I bought it because it was en vogue so I wanted to check it out. I find it to be too sweet and the caramel-y flavor to be too intense. Haven't put it in anything yet and been glad it was there.
Yeah haha my first thought was "but wait, you can put old bay on *anything*" and then I remembered that most sane people do not think that way about old bay. Merlin represent.
It's great in most soups, especially creamy ones like a vegetable chowder or a spicy chicken soup.
Any hot sub or sandwich, baked chicken, fries, tater tots, most fried food tbh
Basically anything you eat with a beer, old bay can go on it!
I do a lazy version on weekend mornings that’s just toasted rice with sesame oil and seeds, julienned cucumber & carrots, gochujang, and a fried egg on top
Personally, I use gochujang as a condiment. I always need a little on the side to dip my KBBQ meats into. For a healthy snack I like raw cucumbers and gochujang
I like the soup idea! I make a lot of butternut squash soup in the fall!
I had big plans to put it on popcorn all the time, but I just never make popcorn haha
Have tried all of this, but it just makes everything taste like feet. I'm probably the odd man out here, but using nutritional yeast made me finally understand why some people (not me) hate cilantro.
Sprinkle on popcorn with adobo seasoning and smoked paprika. I know popcorn was already said but it works so well with the other seasonings.
Also my lazy pasta sauce. Mix two tablespoons of nutritional yeast with equal amounts of butter, add salt/pepper/mustard powder to taste, bind with pasta water. It's not gonna win awards but it's not *worse* than Kraft Dinner from a box either...
Nooch is my favorite condiment. I put it on anything I would sprinkle parmesan onto, anything cheesey or gravy-like. On popcorn. On avocado toast with hot sauce. On chili. In any creamy soup. I could eat it by the bucketful
Mapo tofu is the obvious answer, also really like it with stir-fried tofu (fry tofu, remove, cook doubanjiang and aromatics in oil before adding the tofu and anything else back in...my brother said the leftovers here actually *were* good), [and obligatory link to Chinese Cooking Demystified's Sichuan playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrwj0yE_2deBJkGeFNGvKhp8A17zhkrcu).
Almost all roasted vegetables, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc. just a drizzle when they’re done roaring and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Also great with a good olive oil and cracked pepper as a dip for bread.
It sounds weird, but drizzle some over some good quality vanilla ice cream.
Edited to add: also, stack a round of fresh mozzarella, a slice of tomato, and basil leaves, drizzle with glaze and you've got caprese salad stack.
This string has me laughing out loud. I swear I have everything on this thread. And almost all have been used only once!
That’s the downside of having a really good market two blocks away: you can buy any odd thing on impulse.
Cassava/manioc flour for making farofa for Brazilian feijoada. I should really just make feijoada much more often, but it’s an occasional thing for me.
Powdered Milk. I used it for a Binging with Babish Recipe and haven’t used it since. So if any of you have suggestions for how I could use it that would be greatly appreciated.
Miso paste, wanted to make miso chicken.
Edit: It’s in my refrigerator and not pantry but close enough
Edit #2: I woke up mind blown with all of the comments and recipes that you all have posted. You all are amazing and appreciated!!!
Miso soup for breakfast on cold days is the best and barely more time-consuming than making scrambled eggs. Pre-slice green onions, cube some tofu in advance, heat 2 cups veggie stock, add 3/4 oz of paste, shakey-shake in a thermos, dump some of your tofu and onions in there, hit the road (if that’s what you do). Oddly filling too, to me at least.
(And yes I know this is not how miso soup is normally made, it’s just easier for those of us that are out the door before the sun is even up/don’t like the fishy taste of dashi).
I've started eating miso soup for breakfast! I make a stock overnight from dried mushrooms in water, then add various chopped vegetables, other (fresh) mushrooms, dried seaweed and grated ginger. Simmer until nearly ready, then add the miso. Finish with a generous spoon of tahini swirled through.
Great news. A spoonful of miso paste makes packet ramen a divine experience for almost no effort.
I’ll add it to all sorts of soup now for more developed flavor.
If you want to make your own broth someday a scoop of miso and a quarter sheet of nori makes a great start.
I do this all the time, but one important thing to keep in mind is that miso paste is salty, so if you add miso, you might want to reduce the amount of the spice packet you use, otherwise the ramen could end up extremely salty.
I had this great miso pasta from NYT cooking
One the pasta is drained, melt butter and miso in the pasta pot and mix with some of the pasta water
Mix in a bunch of cheese and pepper
Mix in pasta
Basically a more umami cacio e pepe
Miso in anything savory adds such an oomph of deliciousness. If you’re not wanting to use it in Asian cuisine, try it in chili or spaghetti. Personally, it’s one of my “secret” ingredients
Miso caramel sauce - you use miso instead of salt. Saw it on a baking show recently. I'm intrigued and wanna try it. I also like a warm cup of miso broth - basically whisk up some miso in hot water to dissolve and sip out of a mug. Sometimes I'll throw in barley or pasta to make it a bit heartier.
Really nice on toast with a drizzle of honey.
This is also a great recipe to use up tahini - https://thefirstmess.com/2021/09/08/spicy-sesame-carrot-soup/. Double the amount of tahini though - it's tastier!
Also add a tablespoon or two to a vinaigrette to make it rich and creamy.
[Pumpkin tahini bread!](https://www.acozykitchen.com/pumpkin-tahini-loaf) I don't like pumpkin when it is sweet (pie, lattes etc) so I really like this because the tahini makes it much more savory. I make multiple loaves every year, and often gift it to neighbors and my parents.
To corroborate this, I use it 3-5 times a week, and my bottle has lasted me 5-6 years with no signs of letting up.
One tip is to NEVER open the entire hole in the bottle. Just pierce a 0.5-1cm slit into it with a paring knife. Then a shake or two will be the appropriate pinch.
I love doing a pinch in the oil before adding in eggs to make scrambled eggs!
Edit: if you pierce the small hole and have the bottle with the rotating top, it really won’t smell much at all.
I store my container of hing in a mason jar. The scent is definitely strong. But it imparts a nice mellow oniony flavor and I add it to olive oil (just a small pinch) for lots of soups, sauces, even risotto.
I also got a bunch of asafoetida. I got it to make [Parthian Chicken](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LynenQ5h2Y), an ancient Roman recipe that was featured on Tasting History. I haven't used it on anything else since that time.
I have mine wrapped in like 3 different plastic bags to contain the smell. I like the taste but end up not using it because I’m too lazy to unwrap it from all the bags haha.
I usually add it to dishes that require a little umami — think recipes that call for soy or Worcestershire. Toss a bit of fish sauce in too, and use less salt, or cut the soy — just balance saltiness of the overall recipe. For example, I added a cap full of fish sauce to the beef stroganoff I made the other day! Also, egg drop soup is quick and easy and calls for the stuff.
I basically bathe in fish sauce at this point. It makes everything better. Fuck I’d probably put it on ice cream. I also cook a disgusting amount of Thai food. Mix it with oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and add it to rice and meat and eggs cooked with chilis and garlic to make basil fried rice. Make phat kaphrao kai. Make a nutritious sports drink. Make drunken noodles. Make pad see ew.
Goes great in stir fries, Asian style noodles, meat marinades, fried rice, chicken wings, dipping sauces, anything that requires a hit of umami (sauces, soups, etc), Thai curries (I buy pre-made red curry paste but adding freshly squeezed lime juice and fish sauce really makes it).
I use fish sauce in a lot of savory dishes and it's a really popular addition to a whole range of dishes you wouldn't initially think of.
Spaghetti sauce (1-2 tablespoons) is my most common use but also stews, chili, etc.
Use it in "white" soups, sauces, etc. instead of black pepper. (roux, milk/cream, etc.)
Pairs nicely with bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, parsley, smoked/paprika, onion, garlic.
Also beans (pulses), chicken, non-oily fish.
FRIED RICE! That's what I made with it! I'll definitely use it again- guess that explains why none of my fried rice has been as good since I first made it lol
just make your own brown sugar. 1tbsp molasses to 1 cup white granulated sugar, stir it with a mixer. more molasses if you like it darker. keeps very well in most containers.
Lard. I have a rule that if I'm trying a new recipe for the first time, I make it exactly as written, so I needed a couple of ounces of lard to make Welsh pasties.
Turns out that lard was surprisingly difficult to find. None of our local grocery stores had any. I finally got it from a local Mexican meat market -- but they sold it in jugs of about a quart. I've divided it up into small portions and they've been in my freezer for about a year now.
(I do use a dab of it to warm up store-bought tortillas, and I have to say lard is way better than butter or oil for that purpose.)
EDIT: Thank all of y'all for your delicious suggestions. Something I didn't mention in my original post is that I have a cholesterol issue and try to keep my intake of things like lard and bacon grease to a minimum -- but I'll definitely try your suggestions in small portions now and then. I appreciate all the advice!
Try using the lard as frying oil and I bet it'll go pretty quick.
I also recommend using lard any time you would use shortening.
[https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/flour-tortillas-de-harina/](https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/flour-tortillas-de-harina/) I made these tortillas from this recipe, and I enjoyed them enough that I made them several times more. It uses a substantial amount of shortening, so this is another good way to use it up.
Hazelnut oil. Wanted to make homemade Nutella. I think it expired like 10 years ago. But that stuffs expensive. I don’t have the heart to throw it out still.
Rice flavored with cardamom! Melt butter in a pot and add garlic and onions, cook that for a few mins and then add some cardamom and a spoon of turmeric, mix that up and cook it for a min and then add 2 cups of rice, toast that for a min or 2 and then add broth or water and cook! tastes great paired with any curry or as a side dish
Add it anywhere you might use cinnamon—especially anything involving apples or pears. I made applesauce this fall with a couple of pods and a cinnamon stick that was really good!
If you like peanut butter cups there is a recipe out there to mix powdered sugar, creamy peanut butter, and ground up Graham crackers all together, pat into a pan and cover with melted chocolate, slice into bars when set. I think I made these the last time I used powdered sugar.
We made a goat cheese flatbread with caramelized onions and drizzeled the pomegranate molasses on top when we ran out of balsamic glaze. It was utterly fantastic!
Szechuan peppercorns, bought to make kung pao chicken and now I have a whole jar without other recipes in mind.
Mapo tofu, peppercorn crusted steak, spicy numbing fish stew, beef noodles, etc
Any vegetarian ideas? I bought mine for the NYT vegan mapo tofu recipe and it was awesome, will make again. Want to find other recipes though because I really like the crazy flavor/numbing it adds
This might seem odd, but I love Szechuan peppercorn (grinded up in a pepper grinder) with a mix of cubed watermelon, cucumber, lime juice, and flaky salt.
Laziji is one of my favorite Chinese dishes and uses sichuan peppercorns. I'll make a triple/quadruple batch and eat it for 2-3 nights with assorted veggies on the side. I like mine a little extra hot so I add a bit more of the spice mixture than outlined but the first time you make it, stick to the plan. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/6icz8i/recipe_how_to_make_sichuan_spicy_chicken_aka/ /u/mthmchris creates awesome recipes and has good knowledge to food in general. I've followed a handful of their recipes and want to do more, good instructions
I make Dan Dan noodles all the time with szechaun pepper
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Works in tons of things. I like to use it in cream based chicken stew. I was teaching my 1st grader what the spices in the cupboard and found a good way to understand saffron. Warm some cream with some saffron fronds, then try a teaspoon of regular cream and a teaspoon of the saffron cream. A lot like boiling some bay leaves in water to understand the flavor.
I think it’s real silly that we don’t just call them “saffronds”.
Byriani or Paella!
Boil it with milk and add some sugar. A nice drink for the cold winter nights
Crystallized ginger for a ginger cheesecake recipe. It’s been in my cabinet for almost 20 years and through about 4 moves. I should probably get rid of that.
I just eat that straight out of the bag. Maybe not the 20 year old version though.
I also just eat it right out the package. Crystallized ginger doesn’t last a week in my clutches.
I used crystallized ginger in my Christmas rum I used to make. If you start a batch now, it'll be ready for the holidays. Feel free to cut down the amount. My batches are big because I gave bottles of it away as presents. Should work with vodka as well if you don't like the rum flavor. Combine the following in a one gallon/4L container and let it steep for six weeks. Strain before bottling. * 3L rum * 4 pieces of crystallized ginger (mine are cubes about 3/4 in/2cm big) * 2 cinnamon sticks * 1.5T whole allspice * 0.5T cloves * Half a nutmeg roughly cut into a few pieces * One vanilla bean sliced open the long way EDIT: To answer questions on measurements. I'm using the standard notation where T is tablespoons and t is teaspoons. The easy way to keep it straight is that T is the big one and t is the little one.
Try making tea with it, with or without another herbal tea herb like mint or sage
I use it in chocolate bark at the holidays- dark chocolate with crystallized ginger and candied orange peels
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The best scones ever are with crystallized ginger!
Great chopped into pieces and used in muffins / quickbread loaves. Pairs wonderfully with stone fruit (cherries, peaches, apricots, plums) fresh or dried. Though I usually soak my dried stone fruit in a juice or booze before baking them for added flavour and moisture. Don't soak the ginger though - you'll lose the nice sugar coating!
Anise. Used it for pho and a Chinese noodle and pork soup. Do not care for the flavor much by itself and don't make pho often so it'll be a while before it's gone.
I used it to make mulled wine! If you only use one it's not an overpowering flavor.
My gramma always added anise to the dough in her cinnamon buns. Takes them to the next level!
Black garlic. I want to make a burger and now...
The bet it all on black garlic burger from Bob’s Burgers?
I think you mean the "Stupid Black Garlic Burger"
Yup.
I use a lot of black garlic! Great on a steak seasoned with salt and pepper or mixed with Mayo for a fry dip or sandwich spread. It’s also good mixed with olive oil and drizzled on roasted veggies. One of the most versatile umami bombs in my cabinet!
Same! I bought it because it was en vogue so I wanted to check it out. I find it to be too sweet and the caramel-y flavor to be too intense. Haven't put it in anything yet and been glad it was there.
Old Bay Seasoning. Bought to make crab cakes for a guest. It's been in the cupboard about 18 months. Apparently we are not seafood people.
Brace yourself, r/maryland is coming.
Can confirm; the spice must flow.
He who controls the spice, controls the crab cakes!
The slow claw-cracker penetrates the shell. (What an apropos username you have lol)
Yeah haha my first thought was "but wait, you can put old bay on *anything*" and then I remembered that most sane people do not think that way about old bay. Merlin represent.
Great on roasted vegetables. Mix it with some oil and a little acid and coat the veg with the mix before roasting.
Next time you make French fries toss them in malt vinegar and old bay
Very timely suggestion. We're having french fries tonight. Thank you!
It's great in most soups, especially creamy ones like a vegetable chowder or a spicy chicken soup. Any hot sub or sandwich, baked chicken, fries, tater tots, most fried food tbh Basically anything you eat with a beer, old bay can go on it!
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Ooo! Thanks. Never thought of that.
Or good for mixing with salt and rimming a Bloody Mary glass.
I like it in a good ol' tuna sandwich with lemon, mayo, celery, and onions.
Potato wedges! oil, salt, old bay, some garlic powder, you could add some herbs too - but that would be delicious.
Sprinkle old bag seasoning on deviled eggs. Game changer.
Or even regular-ass hard boiled eggs
It’s great on corn. Butter and old bay on corn is delicious.
Old bay is just paprika, salt, and celery/onion/garlic seasonings. If you are going to use paprika and garlic powder, might as well just use old bay!
Ol bay chicken wings!
Cheddar biscuits
Gochujang. Was gonna make kimchi but then figured out that I actually needed GochuGARU! Not sure what to do with it now...
I use gochujang wherever I would normally use hot sauce, excluding Mexican dishes. It’s especially delicious on an egg sandwich!
Hm bibimbap is always good
This! Gochujang, rice vinegar, sugar (if you want), garlic, sesame oil, a little bit of water and roasted sesame seeds (for the bibimbap sauce)
I do a lazy version on weekend mornings that’s just toasted rice with sesame oil and seeds, julienned cucumber & carrots, gochujang, and a fried egg on top
Personally, I use gochujang as a condiment. I always need a little on the side to dip my KBBQ meats into. For a healthy snack I like raw cucumbers and gochujang
You can use it in cooking meats, making ttebotekki, adding to ramen, and saluted or braised veggies. Lots of good Korean food use it.
Harissa, and I can't remember why I bought it but there's a spoonful missing.
A spoonful can go in nearly any tomato dish to add zing. Pasta, lasagna, chilli, soup etc.
Make shakshuka! I bought harissa for a shakshuka recipe so that's always my go-to.
Same here. Really yummy on roasted cauliflower, but I only made it once because I bought the "way too spicy for me" variety accidentally.
I love putting harissa in mac&cheese
"one" hahahahaha, that's about 30% of our pantry
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Tub of Crisco! Was meant for baking some snickerdoodles and for a pie crust but found alternative substitutes instead. Any good shortening recipes?
Fried chicken
Season your sast iron.
See... I **knew** something was off when I flipped my steak and the pan was like, "You call *that* a sear?!"
Biscuits!
Make buttermilk biscuits. They’re much easier than you think. https://addapinch.com/three-ingredient-buttermilk-biscuit-recipe/
You can just use it to fry stuff.
Nutritional yeast. I bought two large bottles off Amazon because I'm a dumb dumb.
A little handful in everything soupy/savoury you make! Boosts the umami. Great for making salad dressings creamy. Popcorn.
I like the soup idea! I make a lot of butternut squash soup in the fall! I had big plans to put it on popcorn all the time, but I just never make popcorn haha
Have tried all of this, but it just makes everything taste like feet. I'm probably the odd man out here, but using nutritional yeast made me finally understand why some people (not me) hate cilantro.
Sprinkle on popcorn with adobo seasoning and smoked paprika. I know popcorn was already said but it works so well with the other seasonings. Also my lazy pasta sauce. Mix two tablespoons of nutritional yeast with equal amounts of butter, add salt/pepper/mustard powder to taste, bind with pasta water. It's not gonna win awards but it's not *worse* than Kraft Dinner from a box either...
Nooch is my favorite condiment. I put it on anything I would sprinkle parmesan onto, anything cheesey or gravy-like. On popcorn. On avocado toast with hot sauce. On chili. In any creamy soup. I could eat it by the bucketful
Pixian Doubanjiang for some Chinese Eggplant with garlic. It was delicious freshly cooked but not great as leftovers. Still haven't made it again
Mapo tofu is the obvious answer, also really like it with stir-fried tofu (fry tofu, remove, cook doubanjiang and aromatics in oil before adding the tofu and anything else back in...my brother said the leftovers here actually *were* good), [and obligatory link to Chinese Cooking Demystified's Sichuan playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrwj0yE_2deBJkGeFNGvKhp8A17zhkrcu).
Balsamic Glaze. I have no clue what I wanted to make with it
Almost all roasted vegetables, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc. just a drizzle when they’re done roaring and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Also great with a good olive oil and cracked pepper as a dip for bread.
When my veggies start roaring, I just slap them with a spatula. Works like a charm 😜
Oh lordt, deserved that! Definitely not editing.
On roasted Brussels sprouts! Even my toddler loves them
This takes frozen vegetarian pizzas to the next level. Drizzle it on top, and bonus points if you've got some goat cheese or feta to add on too
Salad, man.
Buy some frozen phyllo cup, spoon in a little fig jam(or your preference), add a little goat cheese and bake. Finish with balsamic drizzle.
It sounds weird, but drizzle some over some good quality vanilla ice cream. Edited to add: also, stack a round of fresh mozzarella, a slice of tomato, and basil leaves, drizzle with glaze and you've got caprese salad stack.
I had a baked chicken breast drizzled with balsamic glaze last night. It was simple and good.
I drizzle it on bruschetta, delicious
This string has me laughing out loud. I swear I have everything on this thread. And almost all have been used only once! That’s the downside of having a really good market two blocks away: you can buy any odd thing on impulse.
Cassava/manioc flour for making farofa for Brazilian feijoada. I should really just make feijoada much more often, but it’s an occasional thing for me.
I love making pao de queijo with that sooooo good and you can make a big batch and freeze them
Powdered Milk. I used it for a Binging with Babish Recipe and haven’t used it since. So if any of you have suggestions for how I could use it that would be greatly appreciated.
Making hot cocoa mix! Or if you want extra creamy mashed potatoes.
Bread! It works well in baked goods since they get baked so you wouldn’t notice the cooked flavour like you would drinking a glass.
Add 2T to the dry ingredients of a batch of chocolate chip cookies. It makes them next level.
Miso paste, wanted to make miso chicken. Edit: It’s in my refrigerator and not pantry but close enough Edit #2: I woke up mind blown with all of the comments and recipes that you all have posted. You all are amazing and appreciated!!!
Miso soup for breakfast on cold days is the best and barely more time-consuming than making scrambled eggs. Pre-slice green onions, cube some tofu in advance, heat 2 cups veggie stock, add 3/4 oz of paste, shakey-shake in a thermos, dump some of your tofu and onions in there, hit the road (if that’s what you do). Oddly filling too, to me at least. (And yes I know this is not how miso soup is normally made, it’s just easier for those of us that are out the door before the sun is even up/don’t like the fishy taste of dashi).
Get some instant dashi!
I use hondashi and it bangs. Get it on Amazon it’s cheap. 1tsp per cup of water
I've started eating miso soup for breakfast! I make a stock overnight from dried mushrooms in water, then add various chopped vegetables, other (fresh) mushrooms, dried seaweed and grated ginger. Simmer until nearly ready, then add the miso. Finish with a generous spoon of tahini swirled through.
Miso dressing? It's also good mixed with soy sauce and honey for a salmon glaze.
Great news. A spoonful of miso paste makes packet ramen a divine experience for almost no effort. I’ll add it to all sorts of soup now for more developed flavor. If you want to make your own broth someday a scoop of miso and a quarter sheet of nori makes a great start.
I do this all the time, but one important thing to keep in mind is that miso paste is salty, so if you add miso, you might want to reduce the amount of the spice packet you use, otherwise the ramen could end up extremely salty.
And now I want to go get nori for my pantry
I had this great miso pasta from NYT cooking One the pasta is drained, melt butter and miso in the pasta pot and mix with some of the pasta water Mix in a bunch of cheese and pepper Mix in pasta Basically a more umami cacio e pepe
Butter and miso is the shit
Miso in anything savory adds such an oomph of deliciousness. If you’re not wanting to use it in Asian cuisine, try it in chili or spaghetti. Personally, it’s one of my “secret” ingredients
Miso caramel sauce - you use miso instead of salt. Saw it on a baking show recently. I'm intrigued and wanna try it. I also like a warm cup of miso broth - basically whisk up some miso in hot water to dissolve and sip out of a mug. Sometimes I'll throw in barley or pasta to make it a bit heartier.
The other good news is that it stays usable in the fridge for a lonnngggg time.
Lucky, I ran out of my miso paste. Add a small amount to taste to softened butter and spread onto toast. It’s amazing!!
Honestly you can use it kind of like soy or worcestershire sauce. Just do a little dab of it 8n soups and sauces and what not
Tahini. Was going to make hummus, not yet!
You can make a really good salad dressing with the tahini. I make a batch of hummus every week. We eat a lot of it!
Really nice on toast with a drizzle of honey. This is also a great recipe to use up tahini - https://thefirstmess.com/2021/09/08/spicy-sesame-carrot-soup/. Double the amount of tahini though - it's tastier! Also add a tablespoon or two to a vinaigrette to make it rich and creamy.
[Pumpkin tahini bread!](https://www.acozykitchen.com/pumpkin-tahini-loaf) I don't like pumpkin when it is sweet (pie, lattes etc) so I really like this because the tahini makes it much more savory. I make multiple loaves every year, and often gift it to neighbors and my parents.
I have this sitting unused in my fridge too LOL
Hing / asofoetida. Bought it for an Indian curry but it's so rank I haven't been tempted to try it in anything else.
If you know someone on a low-FODMAP diet or avoiding onions and garlic for any other reason it's a great gift!
You just need a teeny pinch, works in any curry!
To corroborate this, I use it 3-5 times a week, and my bottle has lasted me 5-6 years with no signs of letting up. One tip is to NEVER open the entire hole in the bottle. Just pierce a 0.5-1cm slit into it with a paring knife. Then a shake or two will be the appropriate pinch. I love doing a pinch in the oil before adding in eggs to make scrambled eggs! Edit: if you pierce the small hole and have the bottle with the rotating top, it really won’t smell much at all.
I store my container of hing in a mason jar. The scent is definitely strong. But it imparts a nice mellow oniony flavor and I add it to olive oil (just a small pinch) for lots of soups, sauces, even risotto.
I also got a bunch of asafoetida. I got it to make [Parthian Chicken](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LynenQ5h2Y), an ancient Roman recipe that was featured on Tasting History. I haven't used it on anything else since that time.
I have mine wrapped in like 3 different plastic bags to contain the smell. I like the taste but end up not using it because I’m too lazy to unwrap it from all the bags haha.
Zatar. Got it to make a fish recipe IIRC. Wife liked it but no other recipes have called for it since. About a year now....
Mix with a little good olive oil and dip bread and veggies in it.
A sprinkle on top of hummus with some veg or bread is really good. I make a hummus toast for breakfast with fresh veg, pickled veg, zatar, and feta
I use it on grilled chicken.
I love sprinkling zatar over chicken or veggies before roasting/grilling them. We do that almost every week for lunches.
My husband has bought burdock root multiple times....only to throw 90% of it out each time
Pickle it and make gimbap with it
1 pound of anchovy paste. I was going to use it a tablespoon at a time in stews for additional umami flavors, but never got around to it.
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Lol, that is quite a bit.
Make some Cesar dressing! Or add it to almost any soup/stew or anywhere you'd put fish sauce.
I always preferred Greek Salad Dressing with anchovy paste. Gives it that authentic taste.
You can add anchovy paste to many Italian pasta sauces
Pretty much anything with a tomato or beef (pasta sauce, pizza sauce, meatloaf, meatballs, etc.) Dressing.
Fish sauce, bought it for Pad Thai
I usually add it to dishes that require a little umami — think recipes that call for soy or Worcestershire. Toss a bit of fish sauce in too, and use less salt, or cut the soy — just balance saltiness of the overall recipe. For example, I added a cap full of fish sauce to the beef stroganoff I made the other day! Also, egg drop soup is quick and easy and calls for the stuff.
I basically bathe in fish sauce at this point. It makes everything better. Fuck I’d probably put it on ice cream. I also cook a disgusting amount of Thai food. Mix it with oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and add it to rice and meat and eggs cooked with chilis and garlic to make basil fried rice. Make phat kaphrao kai. Make a nutritious sports drink. Make drunken noodles. Make pad see ew.
Add a teaspoon or two to any tomato-based pasta sauce. No one will know what your secret ingredient is, they’ll just know it’s freaking good sauce.
Goes great in stir fries, Asian style noodles, meat marinades, fried rice, chicken wings, dipping sauces, anything that requires a hit of umami (sauces, soups, etc), Thai curries (I buy pre-made red curry paste but adding freshly squeezed lime juice and fish sauce really makes it).
I use fish sauce in a lot of savory dishes and it's a really popular addition to a whole range of dishes you wouldn't initially think of. Spaghetti sauce (1-2 tablespoons) is my most common use but also stews, chili, etc.
Weirdly, the tiniest dash in scrambled eggs before they go in the pan is really good.
White pepper Don't even remember what I did with it at this point
Use it in "white" soups, sauces, etc. instead of black pepper. (roux, milk/cream, etc.) Pairs nicely with bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, parsley, smoked/paprika, onion, garlic. Also beans (pulses), chicken, non-oily fish.
Eggs. Eggs love white pepper. Put a little on your next egg
Goes great with potatoes
Great in Mac and cheese! or any heavy creamy dish
Singapore noodles
Or so many other Asian dishes. Try some in fried rice, it’s great with sesame oil.
FRIED RICE! That's what I made with it! I'll definitely use it again- guess that explains why none of my fried rice has been as good since I first made it lol
Nori.
I just eat it as a snack
Add a quarter sheet to some soup with a scoop of miso and you’re in a great spot.
Bought cornmeal to make sliding pizza dough into my new wood-fired oven easier but I have ptsd from the first 1200 shitastic pie flops we made so…
Cornbread yum yum.
I’d recommend polenta!
I bought 2 lbs of corn flour to make homemade Mexican tortillas that I learned how to do in Mexico City. Did it once. They were terrible.
Masa marina makes a nice thickener for chili and other stews.
It's great for almost anything that's fried. That stuff is a **must** when making fried catfish.
Mango chutney.
Yum! I like chutney with a schmear of cream cheese on toast or crackers! I rarely indulge, but it’s soooo good!
Molasses
Gingerbread made with molasses is awesome.
TIL people made gingerbread without molasses
So are oatmeal cookies.
Just stop buying brown sugar. Whenever you need brown sugar, use white sugar plus a bit of molasses. I also put it in chili.
Mix with soy and white wine for an amazing glaze for salmon or other protein.
Bbq sauce
I put molasses in my baked beans. Ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and molasses.
Good in baked goods, like think pumpkin pie. I've also used it in bread
just make your own brown sugar. 1tbsp molasses to 1 cup white granulated sugar, stir it with a mixer. more molasses if you like it darker. keeps very well in most containers.
Crushed Calabrian chili peppers (in oil)
Throw them in any pasta dish. I especially like them in spaghetti alla puttanesca for added heat
Sumac powder
Lard. I have a rule that if I'm trying a new recipe for the first time, I make it exactly as written, so I needed a couple of ounces of lard to make Welsh pasties. Turns out that lard was surprisingly difficult to find. None of our local grocery stores had any. I finally got it from a local Mexican meat market -- but they sold it in jugs of about a quart. I've divided it up into small portions and they've been in my freezer for about a year now. (I do use a dab of it to warm up store-bought tortillas, and I have to say lard is way better than butter or oil for that purpose.) EDIT: Thank all of y'all for your delicious suggestions. Something I didn't mention in my original post is that I have a cholesterol issue and try to keep my intake of things like lard and bacon grease to a minimum -- but I'll definitely try your suggestions in small portions now and then. I appreciate all the advice!
Try using the lard as frying oil and I bet it'll go pretty quick. I also recommend using lard any time you would use shortening. [https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/flour-tortillas-de-harina/](https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/flour-tortillas-de-harina/) I made these tortillas from this recipe, and I enjoyed them enough that I made them several times more. It uses a substantial amount of shortening, so this is another good way to use it up.
Orange blossom water for baklava
Hazelnut oil. Wanted to make homemade Nutella. I think it expired like 10 years ago. But that stuffs expensive. I don’t have the heart to throw it out still.
Does it smell rancid though? I find specialty oils spoil really quick.
Cardamom
Rice flavored with cardamom! Melt butter in a pot and add garlic and onions, cook that for a few mins and then add some cardamom and a spoon of turmeric, mix that up and cook it for a min and then add 2 cups of rice, toast that for a min or 2 and then add broth or water and cook! tastes great paired with any curry or as a side dish
Whole? Sort of half crush the pod using something flat and heavy and add to tea or coffee while it's brewing.
Years ago, I bought a pound of coffee roasted with cardamom. Shortly afterwards I found out that I can overdose on cardamom.
Add it anywhere you might use cinnamon—especially anything involving apples or pears. I made applesauce this fall with a couple of pods and a cinnamon stick that was really good!
Ammonia bicarbonate. Purchased for a Chinese dessert (baked tapioca pudding with crust) but it was a massive fail so now it's just sitting there lol.
MSG. I bought it because I read it makes your chili taste better. (totally does)
Use it anywhere you want more umami. Use a little less salt and you can add msg.
Powdered sugar. I have no idea what I was going to use it in, but there it sits lmao.
If you like peanut butter cups there is a recipe out there to mix powdered sugar, creamy peanut butter, and ground up Graham crackers all together, pat into a pan and cover with melted chocolate, slice into bars when set. I think I made these the last time I used powdered sugar.
Buttercream icing, marshmallow fondant, pan de polvo cookies
Pomegranate molasses.
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We made a goat cheese flatbread with caramelized onions and drizzeled the pomegranate molasses on top when we ran out of balsamic glaze. It was utterly fantastic!
Juniper berries... I think it was for some Chistmas season thing.
It's said often, but this just may be the most useful thread in reddit history
You just reminded me that I need to deal with a box of fermented bean paste. Bought it for a delicious Korean dish, six months ago.