Pantry Items
This page just lists various items we keep in the pantry or buy regularly.
We're blessed with a multitude of Asian and Indo-pak supermarkets and groceries : Uwajimaya, Asian Food Center, 99 Ranch, H Mart, Thai/Viet Grocery, too many Indian to name.
Tools
- Spice Grinder (repurposed coffee grinder)
- Starting with whole spices gives a more flavorful result and isn't that much more work. Toasting the whole spices before grinding adds depth of flavor as well. A simple Krups is cheap (today $20 at Bed Bath & Beyond) and has lasted years. Whatever you do don't use it to grind spices AND coffee.
- Wand Blender
- Allows blending sauces (or cooked pinto beans) in their cooking pans/etc without creating more dirty dishes. It does take a little practice to avoid throwing a bit of spatter.
- Wok + Wok spoon/shovel
- Asian noodle and rice dishes get done in a wok over highest heat. A wok spoon is 'tuned' to the curvature of the wok to facilitate turning and removing frying food.
- Counter Scraper
- Good for scooping chopped vegetables into bowls, working with dough, cleaning a cutting board/counter, ...
- Steamer
- We never boil any vegetables except potatoes. Cauliflower, Brocolli, Green Beans, Asparagus, Artichokes, etc, get steamed.
- Knives
- Different sizes and uses. Our 2" Chinese cleaver is great for cutting through frozen food and smashing garlic. Keep them sharp.
Spices
- Ancho, ground - I toast and grind my own from grocery store bought whole anchos, easy.
- Cayenne, ground
- Aleppo chile flakes
- Paprika (Spanish Smoked and non-Smoked)
- Black Peppercorns
- Stick Cinnamon
- Nutmeg (whole) - grated as needed
- Cardamom Seed/Pod
- Coriander Seed
- Cumin Seed
- Black Mustard Seed
- Fennel Seed
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Ground Turmeric
- Kosher Salt
Fresh Herbs
- Cilantro - always
- Fresh ginger (refrigerated) - always
- Basil Sweet and/or Thai - on occasion, grow the sweet in summer, otherwise from Trader's. Thai for Thai and Viet dishes.
Prepared Sauces
- Chipotle in Adobo (Embassa)
- I put a cans-worth through the processor, blend, put into a jar and into the freezer. To use I get the jar from the freezer and chip some out with a fork (usually don't need more than a tablespoon at a time). Sometimes needs 20-30s in the microwave to soften.
- Thai/Viet Fish Sauce (3 Crabs?)
- I use in just about every Asian (but not Indian) recipe.
- Kecap Manis (Sweet Soy Molasses)
- I use in many Asian (but not Indian) recipes. There's a somewhat less sweet Thai version they called Black Soy Sauce A (Healthy Boy brand). I keep both around.
- Dark Sesame Oil (Japanese)
- Good for finishing soups and some saute'd vegetables, e.g., greenbeans with garlic.
- Oyster Sauce (Lee Kum Kee Premium)
- I used to use it in many Asian recipes, but not so much lately.
- Sriracha (Shark Brand - Medium)
- This is from Thailand and I consider it superior to the ubiquitous Huy Fong red squeeze bottles you see everywhere, which I used for years before I found Shark Brand some 20 or more years ago. Comes in a glass bottle.
- Sweet Chili Sauce (Mae Ploy, Aroy-D)
- Good on the table for fried foods, easy to make but haven't tried.
- Soy Sauce (Kikkoman)
- I use in many Asian (but not Indian) recipes. Also use it to add a little extra flavor to mushrooms.
- Seasoning Sauce (Golden Mountain)
- Just recently started using it after reading about how it's a ubiquitous flavor in various Asian foods.
- Vinegars
- Cider, red/white wine, Marukan seasoned rice (this and olive oil makes up our salad dressing), Chinese Black (Chinkiang/Zhenjiang)
- Coconut Milk (Chaokoh, Aroy-D)
- Not properly a 'sauce' but, hey. I like the big 19oz cans and the resealable 1L Aroy-D tetra paks with the screw top.
Beans/Rice/Pasta/Etc
- Pinto Beans - for our bean dip, we buy the 20lb sack from Costco.
- Kidney Beans - canned, for chili
- Chickpeas - canned, we've made from scratch, but not much difference wrt canned
- Brown Jasmine Rice
- Basmati Rice
- Japanese Short Grain Rice
- Japanese Sweet Rice
- Fusilli, penne, farfalle pasta - for casseroles, mainly
- Spagetti / Linguini pasta
- Udon noodles
- Fresh rice noodle sheets - for Thai recipes like Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao), they're great except they come in 2lb packages and have a limited refrigerator life (1-2 weeks max).
- Fresh Vietnamese rice udon - recently found these, wonderful. Longer shelf life. Been using instead of noodle sheets, buying 2 packages at a time ;-)
- Masoor Dal
- Chana Dal
Other
- Mushrooms - Shiitake, Shimeji, Oyster, all have good taste. Shiitake has a wonderful chewy/meaty texture, Shimeji smell wonderful fried over high heat and look really cute.