Another Six Condiments That Will Change The Way You Cook

Everyone’s guilty of getting stuck in the cycle of eating the same thing over and over again. We’ve all found ourselves turning to a faithful bottle of sriracha at every meal during periods of our life and there’s honestly nothing wrong with that at all. The only problem is if you get stuck into that and forget that there’s a whole world of other exciting and delicious condiments for you to explore.

We’ve already done a run-down of Six Condiments That Will Change The Way You Cook as well as Six More Condiments That Will Change The Way You Cook but we figured that the more, the merrier. Right? We’re not saying you don’t already know about or have these in your cupboards already. We’re just saying that, if you don’t, you might want to consider getting yourself a jar, tube, or receptacle of the following punchy condiments. You can use them to add extra layers of depth to a stock or sauce or you can just straight-up dip raw vegetables into them and eat them as is. Either way, we’re certain you’ll get a kick out of this list of another six condiments that will change the way you cook. From a new chilli crisp on the block to pungent XO sauce, all of these condiments bring something fresh to the table.

Crafted in Chengdu, China, this chilli crisp is hot, spicy, and numbing. It’s never easy stacking up against the big guns like Chu Chow and Lao Gan Ma but Fly By Jing’s chilli crisp is really good stuff. I had it on some vanilla ice cream the other week and nearly saw God. Okay, it wasn’t that miraculous or life-changing but it was really, really tasty.

A vegan-friendly condiment that fits the same sort of flavour bill as Worcestershire sauce, Henderson’s Relish is one of those ingredients that we became terribly attached to at Mob during Veganuary. It’s an easy shortcut to umami and goes especially well in stews and savoury dishes. It’s highly recommended that you douse your melted cheese on toast in it, too.

This thick and spicy Korean paste is what ketchup wishes it could be. Made from a mix of doenjang (fermented soybeans) and gochujang (red chilli paste) as well as a load of other ingredients, it’s funky and spicy and great with crunchy raw vegetables and slathered on grilled meat. Ssamjang is, as you'd expect, an essential ingredient in any self-respecting ssam.

XO sauce is one of the hottest condiments around right now. It’s hard to go to a hip restaurant without seeing it somewhere on the menu. It’s made from dried seafood (scallop, fish, and prawns) and delivers a pungent hit of fish and spice wherever you choose to deploy it. A little goes a long way with this stuff.

This Thai chilli paste is suitable for dipping or cooking. Maepranom is one of the most reliable brands around and if you can get your hands on a jar of their nam prik pao, you’ll be in for a good time. It adds a little something, something to any curry or stir-fry. You can even spread it on toast if you’re up for it.

We’ve made our own romesco and used it in recipes like our Romesco Chicken Traybake but if you can’t be bothered with that rigmarole, then buying yourself some from the shop is perfectly fine. Romesco is a rich and nutty pepper sauce that can add a lot to a dish. Try pairing it with a white fish for a guaranteed good time.