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Stocking up: Spices, Flavours & Sauces for the Veggie Cook

June 8th, 2008 by

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    Thanks for reading Vegetarian Frugal Housewife!

“Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor. ”
~William Cowper, 18th-Century Poet

Veggie Cupboard

Now that we have talked about dry goods, in Stocking Up: The Vegetarian Dry Cupboard, we should look at what items you use to spice up your dishes. There are many different choices out their for flavourings but I will just highlight the most commonly used items in basic vegetarian cooking.

As they hail from so many different regions around the world, spices, herbs and sauces can be used to make a dish seem exotic and rare or familiar and comforting. Using a different combination of flavours, you can make the same dish taste entirely different, thus making your recipe collection even larger and more versatile.

The more flavours, spices and such that you keep around, the easier it will be to come up with an original meal at a moment’s notice. So, try new flavours often and keep a fully stocked spice rack at all times. You can be frugal in which ingredients you choose to keep in your stock, but always supplement by being generous with your investment in herbs and spices, etc.

    Spices, Flavourings and Sauces

    Oils

    Walnut Oil
    Olive Oil
    Basil Oil
    Coconut Oil
    Sesame Oil
    Peanut Oil
    Sunflower Oil

    Flavourings

    Yeast Extract
    Malt Extract
    Nutritional Yeast
    Vegetable Bullion
    Onion Broth

    Vinegars

    Cider Vinegar
    Rice Vinegar
    Balsamic Vinegar
    White Vinegar
    Red Wine Vinegar

    Sauces

    Peanut Sauce
    Stir Fry Sauce
    Sweet Chili Sauce
    Soy Sauce (or Nama Shoyu)

    Herbs

    Thyme
    Sage
    Parsley
    Mint
    Basil
    Rosemary
    Oregano
    Lemongrass
    Bay Leaf
    Lavendar
    Summer Savory
    Tarragon
    Celery Seed
    Marjoram
    Chives

    Spices

    Turmeric
    Nutmeg
    Saffron
    Curry
    Anise Seed
    Vanilla Pods
    Cumin
    Garam Masala
    Cinnamon
    Allspice
    Whole Cloves
    Ground Cloves
    Chinese 5-Spice
    Ginger
    Garlic
    Chili Powder
    Cayenne Pepper
    Paprika
    Mustard

    Other Ingredients

    Honey
    Lemon Juice
    Vanilla Extract
    Agave Syrup
    Maple Syrup
    Rose Water
    Raw Sugar
    Corn Starch
    Raw Cacao Powder
    Baking Soda
    Baking Powder
    Baker’s Yeast

    ~

    There are so many more flavourings, spices and sauces out there. I have only mentioned a few of the most common. With at least half of these in your cupboard you will be able to quickly whip up, or experiment with, the bulk of vegetarian recipes that you find online or in a cookbook.

    Have fun. Be spicy!

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