the new pantry

If you’re looking to take flavor to the next level, consider these essential staples used in Asian cooking. Though once considered unusual, they’re readily available in most supermarkets today.

Asian Fish Sauce This pungent, salty condiment is derived from salted fermented fish. It’s known as nam pla in Thailand and nuoc nam in Vietnam.

Black Bean Sauce This ready-to-use sauce is made from fermented black beans. It’s intensely flavorful and quite salty, so use it sparingly.

Chili-Garlic Sauce A thick, paste-like condiment made from hot peppers, garlic, and salt. It’s excellent for quickly adding heat and flavor to dishes. It can also be used as a table condiment so that spice-loving diners can add more to their food if they wish.

Chinese Rice Wine Also known as Shaoxing wine, this amber wine is usually aged at least 10 years. It has a deep, rich flavor similar to dry sherry. Both sherry and Japanese sake are good substitutes. Those who prefer to cook without alcohol can use apple juice instead.

Cinnamon Sticks Cinnamon is a classic spice in many savory Indian dishes, and sticks (as opposed to the ground spice) deliver mild, fresh flavor and aroma without overwhelming the other seasonings in recipes. In a pinch, substitute ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon for each stick.

Coconut Milk Rich, naturally sweet coconut milk is a staple ingredient in many Southeast Asian soups and curries. Using light (reduced-fat) coconut milk instead of regular coconut milk will deliver good flavor and creaminess while trimming the number of fat grams in your recipes.

Garam Masala This ubiquitous blend of ground dry-roasted spices may include cloves, coriander, cumin, cardamom, fennel, black pepper, cinnamon, and more. It’s available in the spice section of most supermarkets or at specialty stores.

Hoisin Sauce Sweet and tangy hoisin sauce is made from a mixture of soy beans, vinegar, sugar, salt, and chiles. It’s extremely versatile: use it for everything from marinating meats to glazing roasted or grilled foods to imparting flavor to stir-fries.

Indian Chile Powder Made from ground dried red chiles, this fiery powder is the top choice for adding instant heat to your Indian dishes. You can purchase it at Indian grocery stores or online from spice specialists. Cayenne is a good substitute and packs a similar punch of heat.

Lemongrass Look for fresh lemongrass in the produce section of your supermarket or in Asian specialty stores. To prepare it, peel off the green, fibrous husk of the stalks and finely chop the pale core. If you can’t find lemongrass, you can substitute a mixture of equal parts of grated lemon and lime zest.

Oyster Sauce This rich dark condiment is made from a combination of oyster extract and soy sauce and brings deep, smoky flavor to dishes. A version made with mushrooms instead of oysters is commonly available if you prefer not to consume shellfish, or you can substitute hoisin sauce.

Sambal Olek A fiery blend of ground chiles, vinegar, and salt, sambal olek is used throughout Southeast Asia as both a cooking ingredient and a table condiment. You can use Sriracha or other chili sauces as a substitute.

Sesame Oil Rich, aromatic sesame oil adds a distinctive nutty flavor to many Chinese dishes. Asian (dark) sesame oil and toasted sesame oils are usually “unrefined” and not recommended for high-heat cooking like stir-frying. Sesame oils labeled “refined” are suitable for stir-frying.

Sriracha This Thai-style chili sauce is available in most supermarkets and is a good all-purpose hot sauce to use in Southeast Asian dishes. The most popular brand is sold in convenient squeeze bottles with a white rooster on the label.

Tandoori Spice A.k.a. tandoori masala, this mixture of dried spices and aromatics is blended specifically to be mixed with yogurt and used as a marinade. Blends vary from brand to brand but typically include chiles, garlic, cayenne, cumin, cloves, coriander, and more. Large supermarkets and Asian grocery stores usually carry at least one brand of tandoori spice.

Thai Chile Peppers A.k.a. bird chiles, these tiny, super-spicy peppers are the standard chiles for Southeast Asian cooking. If you prefer, you can substitute milder serrano or jalapeño peppers.

Thai Curry Paste Small jars of thick, pungent concentrated Thai-style curry pastes are available in most large supermarkets. Red and green varieties are the most popular.