Team Webmaster : Cooking wouldn’t be complete without spices, but do you know the must-have kitchen spices at home? At the very least, basic seasonings such as salt, sugar, pepper, and so on.
Yes, by stocking up on various spices, you don’t have to bother when you have to cook a variety of processed dishes and don’t need to snack outside. So, the family budget is more economical and in terms of time it is also more efficient.
Curious about what kitchen spices you should stock at home/boarding / while traveling? Here’s the list!
- Salt
A must-have kitchen spice at home, boarding house, when camping or in any situation is salt. This one spice is almost present in all types of cuisine in the world. From wet to dry food. The salty taste is able to be a flavoring for the food itself so that it is not tasteless.
But if you cook vegetables, try to add salt at the end so that the saltiness is not excessive.
Also pay attention to salt storage techniques, such as preventing it from being exposed to direct sunlight, keep it away from stoves commonly used for cooking, and store it in an airtight container.
- Sugar
Sugar has many roles in the kitchen, because this one component is not only used as a balancing spice in cooking, but also a sweetener in drinks. The role of sugar in Indonesian cuisine is very important, because it is able to provide a stronger taste. For example, for various vegetables, making wet and dry cakes.
The use of sugar in the process of making vegetables is generally included early because it is easily soluble and easily blends with water.
- Assorted Onions
Onion and garlic are two types of onions or herbs that must be present for cooking, both cooking vegetables and side dishes. Both have a very big role in the history of Indonesian culinary. Especially for dishes that require a variety of spices ‘medhok’ to maintain its delicious taste and appetizing.
Tips for those of you who want the onion to last or not rot is to buy dried red onions (not wet), namely red onions whose skin tends to be light and sounds ‘krenyes-krenyes’. As for garlic, if you are a boarding child, try to stock up on garlic powder so that cooking is more practical.
- Pepper
The next must-have kitchen spice is pepper. Either peppercorns or ground pepper. With its spicy taste and slightly pungent smell, pepper is often used in various types of dishes, especially vegetable soups, stir-fries, and burns.
In short, pepper is a daily cooking spice for housewives or boarding children who like simple menus. Such as soup, sauteed mustard, stews, stir-fried tofu, and so on.
- Coriander
In addition to pepper, coriander also plays an important role in Indonesian cuisine! Some home cooks even use coriander as the main spice. Call it lodeh, vegetable chayote, vegetable coconut milk yellow tofu, opor, fried tempeh, grilled fish, and so on.
Similarly to pepper, now you can buy coriander powder, both in sachets and bottles.
- Oyster Sauce
Slowly, oyster sauce is also like a seasoning that is always present in most mothers ‘ kitchens in Indonesia. Yes, the influence of oriental or Chinese cuisine is quite large for the people in this country. Especially for all kinds of sauteed dishes such as, sauteed kale, sauteed pokcoy, stir-fried tempeh, capcay, fried rice, and so on.
Lovers of sat-set cuisine, of course, need oyster sauce to cook provisions for couples and children. Isn’t that so?
- Chili
Most of the majority of Indonesian people are spicy lovers, ranging from snacks to the main food. The reason is spicy food is able to arouse and increase appetite, especially when feelings are restless, upset, and sad.
Hence, red pepper, cayenne pepper, and green pepper are on the list of must-have kitchen spices for cooking. Even some Indonesian citizens who live abroad cannot be separated from the delicious spicy food.
Plus, currently snacks such as seblak, jebew noodles, wonton, gacoan noodles, and the like use chili as the main attraction. So, what level do you want?
- Flavoring
Although it uses salt and sugar, but if there is no sprinkling of flavoring, the taste of the dish still feels less on the tongue. It’s a bit bland and tends to be bland. Even at various outdoor events, the use of flavoring is like the main key to the success of food.
Now the flavoring used by most people in this country is starting to vary. One of the most popular examples is the flavoring of mushroom broth.
Take it easy, the addition of flavoring in cooking will not make you stupid! As long as it’s safe and effective, yes. For your information, flavoring also serves to reduce the amount of dosage or use of salt in cooking, which of course is also approved by some nutritionists or doctors in Indonesia for the sake of Public Health.
- Pecan
Pecan may not have a taste as strong as other spices or herbs, but this one kitchen spice can thicken food or people call it now “Bumbunya medhok”. Especially for coconut milk soup dishes with many recipes and details. Such as chicken curry, capcay nyemek, pindang, and others. - Turmeric Powder
If chili is able to make the color of food red, then turmeric powder can give a seductive bright yellow color. Yes, turmeric powder is also a must-have kitchen spice for some housewives.
Why choose turmeric powder? Because its use is more practical and the resulting color is also not much different from turmeric in the form of medicinal plants. In addition, the storage period of turmeric powder is also more durable and durable.
Because the price of kitchen spices tends to fluctuate, especially onions, peppers, and pecans, then make sure you can safely estimate the stock so that family finances remain well managed.