From Kewpie mayo to chicken powder: The ‘underrated’ staples chefs say deserve a spot in your pantry
You’ve heard it a million times: good staples go a long, long way in the world of home cooking, especially when your pantry and kitchen shelves are otherwise looking barren.
From pasta and rice to tinned veggies and sauces, everyone has those failsafe go-to items they always reach for to jazz up a meal. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have room for some new options in your culinary life.
We all have our go-to pantry staples, but chances are some are flying under our radars. iStock
In fact, there are likely some staples you’ve overlooked while browsing the aisles at the supermarket that are more useful day-to-day than you realise. But don’t fret, we’ve brought in the pros.
Below, the stars of Chefs Ahoy name the pantry staples they feel are underrated and deserving of a spot in your cooking armoury, and why.
Khanh Ong
“Tomato paste. It works in so many different cuisines, lasts forever and makes things taste better. Just fry it off properly first.”
Alice Zaslavsky
“Kewpie mayo! I love its savoury-sweet umami-ness in salad dressings (especially potato salad!), stirred through egg dip, squeezed over poke bowls, and smeared on the outside of cheese toasties for a glorious golden crust.”
Vincent Yeow Lim
“Chicken powder. It’s one of those ingredients that instantly gives a dish more flavour and depth. I use it in everything from stir-fries and fried rice to soups and marinades.”
Fried chili oil, Kewpie mayonnaise and chicken powder were all name-checked as handy, underrated pantry staples. Woolworths, Coles
Courtney Roulston
“Dijon mustard. It’s an underrated emulsifier for zingy salad dressings, but also a flavour booster for pan sauces, to use as a marinade on chicken, pork or lamb, to spread onto sandwiches and toasties, to use as a background flavour in casseroles, serve a dollop next to a big juicy steak and even spread onto the base of savoury pastries and tarts to add a subtle warmth.”
Dan Hong
“Vietnamese anchovy salt! It’s a great flavour enhancer for soups, sauces, curries, stir fries, pasta dishes, and I also use it to marinate meats and seafood.”
Mark LaBrooy
“Fried chilli oil, literally can be put on everything.”
Watch Chefs Ahoy on Channel 9 and 9Now
