My Pantry Essentials

Every pantry is different so I thought I would share some of my pantry essentials to maybe give you an idea what are some of the things I use the most often or without which I find my pantry to be incomplete. 

1. Dried whole chillies - we like spice in this household so having dried chilli peppers is another must have. If I don't have fresh chilli peppers on hand, this is a great alternative. Simply chuck them in to add some flavour and heat to your dish. Amazing. 
2. Olive oil - this is a very versatile thing to have because there are so many ways you can use it. My favourite way to use olive oil is to create salad dressings or make roast potatoes with it. It's also very healthy according to this article by healthline.
3. Mango chutney - this was a new find for me this year during the tomato season. It's sweet and slightly savoury and goes so well with sandwiches. Especially tomato sandwiches. I definitely need to explore more ways to use it because it has all the flavour profiles I really enjoy. 
4. Chocolate chips - since I bake a lot, this is a must-have essential to me. Baking cookies? Add chocolate chips. Muffins? Add chocolate chips. It just adds another layer to an otherwise simple recipe.
5. Gochugaru - this is Korean chilli powder. It's one of the most important Korean ingredients and it's used to make gochujang and kimchi for example. It's hot and has a nice sweet, almost smoky flavour. I've used it to make kimchi, Korean cucumber salad and making stews or other dishes if I feel like there is something missing. 
6. Tofu - this is a great source of protein if I want to make something plant-based or even something sweet. My favourite use of tofu, though, has to be this honey sriracha tofu recipe by Budget Bytes, which can also be made fully vegan by replacing the honey with brown sugar. 
7. Honey - another very versatile ingredient and useful to have in the kitchen. Use it as a sweetener while baking or have a spoonful when you have a sore throat. Or maybe you want to use it in a savoury dish? So many possibilities. The good thing about honey is that it also doesn't go bad so you can have it forever in your cupboard. 
8. Soy sauce - if you haven't caught on already, I really enjoy Asian cuisine, so soy sauce is crucial to have in the kitchen as there are many Asian dishes that require soy sauce. It's important to note that soy sauce can be dark or light. Light soy sauce is more commonly used as a dipping sauce, whereas dark soy sauce is used to flavour dishes. 
9. Dried beans - this is a cheaper alternative to canned beans. Simply buy some dried beans in bulk and you can make so many dishes with them after you've soaked them. Beans are also a great source of protein and fiber.

I hope this inspires you to try out some of the ingredients listed if you haven't already!