Sauces, Condiments, Oils, Marinades and Spice Blends

Achiote oil is used around the Caribbean to add a yellowish-orange color to dishes, especially arroz con pollo. It is known as rou-cou or huile de rou-cou in the French Caribbean. Filipinos refer to it as atsuete, or achute, oil. Read more »

Apfelmus is your basic applesauce that is a typical German accompaniment to roast meats like schweinebraten. Jews of East European origin serve epl tsimes with latkes or use it to top blintzes. Applesauce is perfect as a dessert for children or babies as it is easily digested. It can also be used in many baking recipes to add moisture and cut down on the amount of fat. Read more »

Béchamel is what the French refer to as a "mother sauce." It is a basic, fairly neutral sauce that is ideal for highlighting the flavor of delicate dishes. Also known as white sauce, béchamel goes well with vegetables and chicken and fish dishes. This sauce is not as common as it once was, given the preference these days for lighter fare, but it is still ideal for certain dishes. And some of the old recipes deserve to be rediscovered. Read more »

This pungent herb sauce originated in Argentina. Chimichurri is the classic accompaniment to Argentine churassco, or grilled meats. You can also use chimichurri as a marinade. Read more »

Cranberry sauce is an essential part of any American Thanksgiving meal. Many families serve it for Christmas dinner too. Some people have to have cranberry sauce in the shape of a tin can; others prefer this more naturalistic version. A less sweet cranberry sauce is served with game birds in northern Europe. Don't limit cranberry sauce to the holidays. Cranberries are a "superfruit" with amazing antioxidant qualities. Use as a side dish at summer picnics or as a spread on your favorite sandwich. Read more »

Dhanya chatni is perhaps the most popular of all Indian chutneys. The bright, fresh flavor of the cilantro and citrus bite of the lemon juice make this condiment a perfect match with many Indian dishes and curries. Make sure you chop the cilantro stems very finely or they will leave strings in your chutney. Read more »

Ghee, or ghi, is a common cooking fat in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Butter is given a long, slow simmer which gives it a deep, nutty flavor. Ghee is great for sautéing as it has a higher smoking point than butter. And because the milk solids are strained out, it can stay fresh for up to 3 months at room temperature. Read more »

Guacamole is popular in Mexico and throughout Central America. The name comes from the Aztec worlds ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). Guacamole is also common in Tex-Mex and American Southwestern cuisine. In Mexico it is this rich and creamy condiment is often still made with a traditional mortar and pestle called a molcajete. Often called guacamol in other parts of Central America. Read more »

Guasacaca is a popular condiment in Venezuela that is very similar to Mexican guacamole. Serve it as an accompaniment to grilled meats, poultry, salads, empanadas or arepas. Read more »

A classic accompaniment to gravlax, hovmästarsås is also a good condiment for other fish and seafood. And it comes together in a snap. Another name for it is gravlaxsås. Read more »

Imli chatni is a sweet-sour chutney that is often served with samosas and pakora. Read more »

Kecap manis (pronounced like "ketchup") is a ubiquitous ingredient in Indonesian cooking. If you are unable to find it at your local Asian market, this recipe is an approximation. This soy-based sauce is the origin of the word "ketchup," even though the original Indonesian version contains no tomatoes. Read more »

Mignonette is an amazingly simple sauce for oysters. The peppercorns and vinegar heighten their flavor without overwhelming the oyster's pleasing brininess. Read more »

Mojo (pronounced MO-ho) is used in Puerto Rico and Cuba as a condiment for tostones, deep-fried plantain chips. This pungent garlic sauce, sometimes called mojo de ajo, can also be used to flavor fried or boiled yuca, or as a marinade for pork. Read more »

Muhummara is popular condiment and dip in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria. Serve muhummara with grilled meats, fish and kebabs, or as a spread or dip for bread or pita. In western Turkey it is called acuka. Other spellings are moohummara or muhammarah. Read more »

Niter kibbeh — a spice-infused, clarified butter — is a ubiquitous cooking medium in Ethiopian cuisine. It adds an incomparable flavor to dishes. Plain butter or oil can be substituted in Ethiopian recipes if you don't have the time to make niter kibbeh, but something special will be missing. Read more »

Nuoc cham is the all-purpose Vietnamese condiment served with and poured over many dishes. Its salty-sour flavor is wonderfully bright and fresh. Nuoc cham will keep for about a week in the refridgerator. Read more »

Pebre is commonly served in Chile as a condiment with grilled meats, poultry or seafood. Read more »

Pesto genovese is an ancient recipe and is the classic accompaniment to pasta in the Ligurian town of Genoa. The original method called for careful grinding of the ingredients with a mortar and pestle. The food processor is a little quicker. The exact proportions of the ingredients are much argued over. Follow your own taste. Read more »

Serve piaz ka chatni as a condiment for a variety of curries, rice dishes, breads, scrambled eggs. Onion chutney goes well with tandoori murgh. Read more »

Serve this podina chatni as a condiment for of curries, rice dishes, breads, scrambled eggs, pakora and other appetizers. This chutney is sometimes spelled pudina chatni. Read more »

Ragù bolognese is a good Sunday dinner dish. Its long simmering is perfect for a lazy day. Serve this rich meat sauce over tagliatelle, rigatoni or penne or as a lasagne filling. One thing the residents of Bologna never do is serve bolognese sauce over spaghetti. Read more »

Raitas are cooling side dishes often served as part of an Indian meal. These seasoned yogurt salads are used quench the fire of chilies found in many Indian dishes. There are endless variations. Feel free to experiment! Read more »

Arabic for "top of the shop," ras el hanout is a spice blend, similar to Indian curry, that originated in Morocco. Each spice merchant takes special pride in his own version, which can have anywhere from ten to over one hundred ingredients. Ras el hanout is perfect as a rub for grilled meats or to season tagines, couscous or rice. Here is a recipe for a basic version. Add any of the suggested variations to give it your own personal touch. Also spelled ras al hanout or hanut. Read more »

Recados are Mayan spice pastes particularly popular in the Yucatán region of Mexico. A deep brick red, recado rojo is the most common, and is an essential ingredient of the region's famous slow-roasted pork dish, cochinita pibil. Use it as a flavoring rub for pork, chicken and fish. Premade recado rojo can be bought at Latin markets in brick-shaped packages. Read more »

Known in variously in English as pomegranate molasses, pomegranate syrup and pomegranate concentrate, this ruby red syrup with its deep, luxurious flavor is popular in the cuisine of Iran. It is an indispensible ingredient in fesenjan, a famous Persian dish. Read more »

Salsa mexicana is the basic salsa that is used as an all-purpose condiment in Mexico. There are innumerable variations, but here is a basic--and very tasty--version. Other names for it are salsa cruda, salsa fresca, salsa picada and pico de gallo. Read more »

Salsa roja, a simple yet flavorful Salvadoran cooked tomato sauce, is often served alongside pupusas and curtido. Read more »

Salsa made with tomatillos is a refreshing and bright change from your typical tomato-based salsa. Salsa verde improves in flavor if allowed to rest for 1-2 hours before serving. Tomatillo salsa pairs well with pork, chicken, tamales, enchiladas and is a great dip for tortilla chips. Read more »

This famous Indonesian peanut sauce is pronounced "sahm-bal kah-CHANG." Another name for it is bumbu satay. Serve with satay ayam or gado gado. Read more »

When served with baking powder biscuits, this sauce becomes the famous and beloved Southern breakfast dish "biscuits and gravy." It's equally tasty served over mashed potatoes or toast. Read more »

Sazón means "seasoning" in Spanish. In Puerto Rico, it also refers to a seasoned salt that is used everywhere in Puerto Rican cooking. The seasonings add not only flavor, but also a subtle orange hue to many dishes. Many island cooks use the store-bought Goya-brand version. Here is a homemade approximation. Read more »

Sofrito is a mixture of flavorful vegetables and sometimes herbs that is lightly sautéed and used as a base for soups, stews, rice, beans and braises. The original Spanish version contains only onions, garlic, tomatoes and olive oil. Cuban and Puerto Rican versions contain chopped peppers and sometimes cilantro, culantro and ham. Make a double batch and freeze portions to have them handy as you need them. Read more »

Taratour is a favorite sauce in the Eastern Mediterranean. Serve it with shawarma, fish, falafel, kefta or over vegetables. Sometimes spelled taratoor or tarator. Read more »

The cooling combination of yogurt and cucumber is popular all around the eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish version is called cacik. In Iran it is known as mast-o-khiyar. Bulgarians call it tarator. For Iraqis, it is jajeek. Serve tzatziki with gyros or keftedes. Read more »

Homemade fruit vinegars are popular throughout Central America, and vinagre de piña is a favorite. The trimmings of a pineapple are mixed with piloncillo and water and are set aside to ferment for a few weeks or months. The light, fruity vinegar that results is perfect for vinaigrettes and in salads like curtido. Read more »