As my style of cooking is 'find food in the fridge and make a meal from it' I rely on having some strong staples to back me up when creating dishes. These are the ones I can't do without
To start off with a recent discovery: Chopped garlic and ginger. I used to peel and chop garlic cloves as I needed them, which left me with very smelly hands and small cuts all over my fingers, not a great experience! On the other hand dried ginger and garlic were just making my food taste rubbish. Instead I picked these two up a couple of months ago and use them both at least weekly. The ginger is great because whenever I cook an asian inspired meal I love to use fresh ginger, but it's always such an effort to buy a thumb sized piece each time! Get these two in your cupboard and end the faffing. They cost £1.99 each and I've found waitrose gives you the most for your money.
Extra virgin olive oil is a must for anyone cooking. However you should never use your fancy stuff for the actually cooking part (if you were to roast a joint in extra virgin then it would taste very bitter and end up costing you quite a lot!). Save this for the final florish. Drizzle it over pasta, pizza, salads, curries, or even avocado on toast, and watch your food come alive. I picked up this one from waitrose for £1.62, but you can get this from any super market.
If you're the sort of person who grates a hunk of basic cheddar over everything you eat then Parmesan is not for you. This cheese is well known for packing a punch with only a very small amount. Added to pastas or salads towards the end (around the time you add in the extra virgin) it adds a creamy nuttiness to your dishes. Similar to Champagne, Parmigiano-Reggiano is a special food which can only carry the name if it was made in the place. This cheese can carry a hefty price tag, but Aldi's version is legit and comes in at around £2.70. A piece this size would usually last me 8 weeks, using it 4-5 times a week. Once you've used all the cheese add the rind to a soup or stew, in the same way you'd use a bay leaf, to add extra luxury to your food.
Crushed chilies are another item I use in pretty much everything. Although I don't go crazy with the chilies I do like to have a kick in my food, especially for stir fries or pasta dishes. You can buy this from any supermarket (This one is from Tesco for 85p). Unlike the garlic and ginger you can get a really good flavour from the dried Chili.
Looking for something salty but don't want to use actual salt? Soy sauce is your man. This is a must for Asian cooking, but I use it when I'm cooking a chicken casserole or marinating for bbq's. I personally like dark soy sauce as it packs a punch. I would steer clear of 'low salt' options and instead just use less of it! This is from Aldi and came in at 80p.
Last but certainly not least: Maldon Sea Salt. This salt is incredible! It's flaked and comes in quite big pieces, and will transform your dishes. A tiny sprinkle over scrambled eggs or in a big hotpot will make a massive difference. Save the table salt for the shakers and cleaning, you should definitely invest in some sea salt to carry the flavour in your dishes. You can get this for £1.80 at Tesco.
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