Asian Pantry Necessities
This is not a complete list of Asian ingredients that you need in every recipe you will face, but is the utmost basic requirements. The list I have curated is from experience (my eyes will say I have a life time knowledge), and if you have these in your arsenal, you will most likely just need to purchase meat/seafood/poultry for any Oriental dish you would like to make! I do not want you purchasing things that will expire before you can even use them! So here you go!
Light and Dark Soy Sauce
Light: Thinner (marinades, cold appetizers, soups)
Dark: THICCK (with two c’s), (Think of it as like a cornstarch with flavor. It is used as a thickener that adds color to the plate, used for coating noodles and things like pork belly)
Fish Sauce
An essential to Southeast Asian cooking! An umami bomb of flavors, can be used as a flavoring in hot and cold foods. My personal favorite is the Viet Huong Three Crabs brand.
Toasted Sesame Oil
It has a deep, nutty flavor. Just make sure to be careful when adding to hot foods because it has a very low smoking point.
Oyster Sauce
An asian barbecue sauce if you will. If you are vegetarian you can use hoisin sauce in its place, but it will be a bit sweeter. My preferred brand is Lee Kum Kee because the flavor is a lot more rounded.
Rice Vinegar:
Used for pickling and for salads. I prefer having rice vinegar in my cabinet as opposed to just mirin, because in a pinch you can just add a bit of sugar and you will have its rice wine counterpart.
Miso Paste:
A really definite flavor profile for flavoring things like soups, dressings, marinades and can be tasted as more of a cheesy flavor with the right seasonings! Great with most fish.
Ginger
You can keep it in a jar, minced, or whole as a root in your fridge.
Vinegar
A staple in Filipino cooking, regular eco friendly house cleaning, and an overall “zing” factor in most food recipes.
Turmeric
The absolute star in curries!
Cinnamon
Needed for a sweetness factor in a lot of asian cooking while adding more depth.
White Pepper
Has an overall heartier “bite” than black pepper. Has a more powdery finish and is much more fragrant.
Corn Starch
A necessary ingredient to thicken soups and sauces.
Chili Sauce
Important for adding heat to any asian dish. Huy Fong (The one with the rooster) is a good sauce to have. A chili oil is also a good pantry item as well, such as Laoganma.
Gochuchang
Speaking of spicy, this hot pepper paste is the predominant factor in Korean cooking. It has a very subtle sweet tone and cooks well on high heat and gives kimchi its spicy flavor.
The pantry:
Jasmine Rice
(Any) Dried Noodles
Garnishes:
Red Pepper Flakes (can also be used mid cooking)
White/Black Sesame Seeds
Furikake Seasoning
Seaweed
Scallions/Green onions (When you’re done with your green onion, add the roots sitting upright in a cup of water, and it will grow!)
Optional Essentials:
Canned Coconut Milk (Very important in most Thai cooking, but if you’re experimenting in vegan/vegetarian style cooking, this is a MUST!)
Basil
Important in Southeast cooking, used for its aromatics and freshness
Cilantro
Used in Southeast cooking and Indian garnishes.
I use this herb holder to keep my refrigerator organized, and to keep my herbs fresh for more than two weeks!
