You can make amazing flavor combinations with these 2 items from your kitchen cupboard
If your kitchen cupboards and fridge are anything like mine, they’re absolutely crammed with all kinds of jars and sauces. From essential basics (mayo, ketchup and mustard) to exotic, fragrant spice blends. Sometimes I don’t even know exactly what’s in them because of a Chinese label, but someone whose recommendations I really value suggested them to me, and I’m very happy with them. And if you ask professional chefs, they have their favorites too.
Culinary platform Food and Wine asked several chefs about their favorite sauces. Soy sauce and maple syrup stood out as particularly frequent answers. Why? Because (separately) they form a real power couple when combined with just one other ingredient! Try to buy the best quality you can afford, and you won’t need much to make something exceptionally delicious.
Examples? Plenty—and they’re all delicious! Soy sauce with:
Mayonnaise
With this combination, you can whip up a delicious umami special sauce for your hamburger in no time.
Egg yolk
Mixed with a raw egg yolk, a teaspoon of soy sauce makes an excellent flavor enhancer to toss through (hot) roasted or steamed vegetables at the very end.
Condensed milk
Yes, really! It makes an ideal ‘glaze’ for roasted pork belly or roasted duck breast. Add some Chinese five-spice powder and orange zest for a top-notch combination.
Butter
Just as miso butter is having its moment, you can also use soy sauce and butter to give dishes an exciting, rich, umami flavor. Delicious stirred through pasta! (Take inspiration from the spaghetti with oyster sauce and butter).
In the mood for something layered and sweet? Combine maple syrup with:
Ginger
For wonderfully spicy, chewy ginger cookies, for example.
Fresh jalapeño
Not the sour slices from a jar, but pieces of fresh red or green jalapeño pepper stirred through the syrup make a delicious ‘glaze’ for oven-baked salmon.
Black pepper
Super simple but incredibly flavorful: grind some black pepper into a little maple syrup and you have a delicious dip for aged cheeses on the cheeseboard, as well as for, say, fried Brussels sprouts.
Sambal
Spoon sambal into a few tablespoons of syrup and you immediately have a great dipping sauce for fried cauliflower florets or grilled chicken legs.
Sriracha
This is also a top combination for coating pork belly. Spicy and caramelized—what more could you want?
Read also:
- Soy sauce vs. tamari: what’s the difference?
- 5x plant-based alternatives to your favorite dishes
- Delicious new burger concept: the Oishii bun
Source: Food and Wine
