Basil, common herbs, spices, and the likes are already found in most kitchens. However, if you’re the type of person that gets easily tired of the same old ingredients, then you should take a look into spicing up your ingredient rack.
The world has evolved quite a lot and, given the wide selection of products we can now enjoy in supermarkets, it would be a shame to rely only on classic ingredients!
As such, in the following article, we’ll present you with some of the more modern ingredients that everyone should have in their kitchen – or try at least once.
Thai Curry Paste
Curry paste is, without a doubt, a modern ingredient that not many people know about or know how to use. The truth is that most people run away from exotic ingredients, thinking that the dishes behind them are difficult to prepare.
However, curry paste can be simply poured over a mixture of roasted/fried vegetables and that’s pretty much it! After all, it’s all about the taste – curry paste is known to have some of the most eccentric taste combinations and flavor profiles out there.
Sambal Oelek
Obviously, most ingredients that we perceive as modern are actually quite old within the culture they come from. Sambal Oelek, for example, is basically just a chili sauce, but with a Southeast-Asian twist.
It’s not the same as the good-old Sriracha and, unlike the latter, it’s less painful on the tastebuds. Usually, people use it to add a simple splash of heat and depth to dishes.
Soy Sauce
For many people, soy sauce is the ideal replacement for the common table salt. It’s the super salty sauce that’s used in almost any exotic food out there and, thanks to its extreme saltiness, you’ll never feel like you’re overusing it.
On top of that, soy sauce is also completely natural, as it’s made just out of fermented soybeans – nothing more (usually and hopefully)! If you don’t like your rice as it is, a dash of soy sauce will change the way you eat it forever!
Fish Sauce
Since raw salt is often considered bad for the heart, here’s an ingredient that comes with some vitamins from regular fish oil and has some saltiness as well.
Fish sauce is yet another ingredient specific to Asia and, like many spices/ingredients that come from that cuisine, it comes with a lot of benefits – for those that haven’t tried it yet, it’s helpful for those with a diet that’s low in fish as well as having many other benefits!
The Bottom Line
As you can see, most modern and exquisite ingredients come from the Eastern part of the world. This is because, until now, people weren’t too keen on trying actual natural foods from there. Usually, due to laziness or fear, they settled for the casual box rice/ramen and called it a day.
However, since classic Asian recipes are fairly easier to make at home now, one shouldn’t skip out on having any of the ingredients above in their kitchen. But if you come across something too spicy and develop an allergic reaction or rash, keep in mind to have a CBD salve from Joy nearby, as it does wonders for such things – and it allows you to keep on cooking/eating as well!