Basic Ingredients

[Superfatbantam]

Okay, you masters of culinary arts. I want to stock up on basic ingredients so I have stuff in that I need for most dishes.

What do I need?

I have a selection of herbs and spices already, and have a herb pot growing for fresh basil, coriander, chives and thyme.

What other stuff do I need? Pulses? Stock etc. Give us your basic survival kit for stocking the cupboard. Afew recipes on the recipe thread would be nice as well.tup:

[king billy]

Okay, you masters of culinary arts. I want to stock up on basic ingredients so I have stuff in that I need for most dishes.

What do I need?

I have a selection of herbs and spices already, and have a herb pot growing for fresh basil, coriander, chives and thyme.

What other stuff do I need? Pulses? Stock etc. Give us your basic survival kit for stocking the cupboard. Afew recipes on the recipe thread would be nice as well.tup:

Depends on what your making.....

I have a full shelf full of herbs and spices, pretty much everything there is - fresh are better in most cases, but not all and many herbs can't be bought or aren't even meant to be fresh - mace, saffron etc etc....don't forget dried herbs are much stronger!!
A good selection of stock cubes - not Oxo - decent ones is good - chicken, fish, beef and vegetable do for most things!!
Tinned tomatoes and kidney beans can be put to use in many dishes....
Red lentils (not green or black) again are usefull....
Rice - brown, white and basmati are always in my cupboard....
Oils - extra virgin olive oil, normal olive oil, seseme oil (if you like stir fries) and instead of vegetable oil try groundnut oil, better for you and no taste....
Vinegars - i have balsamic (buy the best), and organic red and white wine vinegars (good for dressings etc).....
Mustard powder - a must!
Jar of good dijon mustard!!
Teriake sauce - great for chinese stuff!!
Mixed peppercorns in a grinder - same with sea salt!!

All the above stuff gets put to use nearly every day and are all usefull!!....tup:

[1911]

Depends on what your making.....

I have a full shelf full of herbs and spices, pretty much everything there is - fresh are better in most cases, but not all and many herbs can't be bought or aren't even meant to be fresh - mace, saffron etc etc....don't forget dried herbs are much stronger!!
A good selection of stock cubes - not Oxo - decent ones is good - chicken, fish, beef and vegetable do for most things!!
Tinned tomatoes and kidney beans can be put to use in many dishes....
Red lentils (not green or black) again are usefull....
Rice - brown, white and basmati are always in my cupboard....
Oils - extra virgin olive oil, normal olive oil, seseme oil (if you like stir fries) and instead of vegetable oil try groundnut oil, better for you and no taste....
Vinegars - i have balsamic (buy the best), and organic red and white wine vinegars (good for dressings etc).....
Mustard powder - a must!
Jar of good dijon mustard!!
Teriake sauce - great for chinese stuff!!
Mixed peppercorns in a grinder - same with sea salt!!

All the above stuff gets put to use nearly every day and are all usefull!!....tup:

What kind of meal are you cooking with all that then Matt?;)

[Superfatbantam]

KB, where do you get teriake sauce? Do you shop local or at your supermarket?

[Parrot]

Okay, you masters of culinary arts. I want to stock up on basic ingredients so I have stuff in that I need for most dishes.

What do I need?

I have a selection of herbs and spices already, and have a herb pot growing for fresh basil, coriander, chives and thyme.

What other stuff do I need? Pulses? Stock etc. Give us your basic survival kit for stocking the cupboard. Afew recipes on the recipe thread would be nice as well.tup:

You got a phone & phone book with local take away establishments?

If yes, then get dialling.......enjoy!tup:

If no then get shacked up with a bitch who can cook, thats what they're there for:rolleyes: :D

[king billy]

Si - i don't mean i use EVERY one of those ingredients every day......that'd be some fookin concoction eh?....:D

SFB - teriake sauce is available from most supermarkets - tesco's is especially good for more unusual ingredients!!

Don't forget bay leaves for your herbs - a couple in stews and the like add great character!!

[Garlic Breath]

As you would expect my larder contains items that only a sad twat would have in his. The threat of violence stops me from mentioning the dreaded V word.
Risotto rice...Arborio is best due to its high starch content which makes for the best Risotto.
Dried Pasta in twists or Spaghetti also sheets for Lasagna.
Dried beans and pulses...butter beans,chick peas,cannaloni(?) Mung and Kidney. These I have in tins also for quickness as dried beans need pre soaking overnight.
Sweetcorn tins of
Medium egg noodles,Quinoa,rice(Basmatti,brown,white,wild)
Dried chrispy noodles,dried wheat pieces
tins of tomatoes plus tomato puree.
Couscous
All the usual herbs and spices plus a few not so common ones...as Gypsy Wrose Lee said dried are more pungent than fresh so use sparingly.

Curry power...hot Vindaloo plus medium.
tins of baked beans are a must.

Dried flavoured Soya pieces
pine nuts,peanuts plus various kinds of seeds..poppy,sesame,pumpkin ect
bags of wheat bran,flaked oats,Millet,rye flakes that kind of shit.
Soy sauce is a must
brown suga white sugar,honey
white flour,wholemeal flour,spelt flour and yeast obviously as I make my own bread,nan,pitta ect.
Pepper sauce,sweet chilli sauce
Tahini for making Hummus
Dried milk powder
veggie stock cubes
Peanut butter
Hoisin sauce
Rice wine vinegar
Worcester sauce
Tabasco sauce
Caratino oil,extra Adie oil,sesame oil,and groundnut.
I got a load of really hot interesting spices just before xmas from here

http://www.spiceworld.uk.com/index.php?cPath=10&osCsid=3b42878e849e42d87deb85fdb61da018

great and cheap too..I got hot west african pepper seasoning,Harissa paste,Ras-el Hanout spice blendZanzibar curry powder.
Loads of Cumin as I make plenty of Falafel.
All these are staples in my larder but there's a whole load more stuff that the "normal" person would not really need.

By the way make your own Teriyaki sauce if you have time....lime juice,grated fresh root ginger,soy sauce,brown sugar and a little water.
There are loads of diff ways of making this stuff but thats what I use so its gonna be shite really.:rolleyes:

[king billy]

Aye - i forgot worcester, tabasco and soy sauces!! Light and dark soy sauce...tup:

Pasta and noodles go without saying don't they PK....;)

[Garlic Breath]

Indeed yes they do..all wheat products but very healthy....shite here I go again:rolleyes:
I used to make my own pasta...bought the machine and all that...what a load of toss. The dried stuff is just as good if not even better as it saves all the fuss and mess of making your own.
I suppose the only advantage home made pasta has is that one can flavour it as one likes.....beetroot juice for pink pasta...squid ink for Pasta Nero(thats black:rolleyes: ) herbs...not worth the hassle really.
I tried Ravioli too and that was a right bastard to do.....open a fucking tin of the stuff.

[mrsjdtobe]

Tomato puree, garlic paste, have a good supply of cheese and eggs, i will keep thinking! tup:

Can't Cook Want to Learn is a good book for beginners SFB and it has really simple but yummy dishes!! It also lists the basic ingredients you should have. It is not my book of course!! tup:

[Garlic Breath]

All you need is a pizza base and you could make Pizza Al Fornio with what you have theretup:
Add some chopped Choritzo and some chrispy bacon strips and it will become Pizza Son Et Merde Au Quillin.

[European Bob]

Pepper & Bread

[Serium]

Why not stick a vegie bake from moggies in't oven?

[Mallorcabantam]

Some garlic bulbs are a must tup:

[Superfatbantam]

Cheers, guys. I've got Ainsley's cookbook and he lists the basics but I wanted an idea from the real cooks, not the celebrity ones! :D

Parrot, I prefer my own curries to the take-away shit, any suggestions of decent take-awayws would be welcome as the ones round Wyke are crap.