Feel like Mexican dinner tonight, but not sure if you have all the right ingredients? Here's a list of the staples you need in your pantry to make Latin food any night.
Beans
- Canned are definitely easier than dried. Pop the top and you are ready to go. Dried beans are great if you can anticipate needing them in 8 hours. You can also cook dried beans and then store them in your freezer in their cooking liquid if you have the chill chest real estate available. Red and black are the basics to have on hand.
Canned tomatoes
- No need to get fancy here. Most canned tomatoes are about the same.
Canned stock
- Nothing beats homemade stock made from beef, lamb, and/or pork bones, but it can be an all day event to produce the stuff. Try to buy salt-free stock so it does not throw your recipe off.
Cilantro
- Fresh is the only way to use cilantro. You need to pick a little bunch up weekly. It's also easy to grow youself.
Cumin
- Critical. You can buy cumin seeds and toast them a lad before grinding, or you can buy preground cumin.
Dried chilies
- Make sure to keep a few varieties. The long spicy ones are a great way to add heat, but you will also want to make sure you have some dried anchos and chipotles (packed in adobo works well here too).
Hot sauce
- Everyone has their favorite brands of hot sauce but it's not a bad idea to have at least two or three different types on hands. Today, there is an explosion of hot sauces available; some attribute this to the effects of the latest incarnation of globalization, others to the demands of aging baby boomers seeking more stimulation in their food for their deteriorating taste buds and libidos.
Garlic
- Please use fresh garlic. Those big jars of watered down, preminced "garlic" may be easier, but you end up using half the jug just to get any flavor.
Limes
- Limes aren't just for cocktails; wedges of limes should be available for nearly ever Latin meal.
Rice
- Your favorite white rice will do nicely.
Onions
- White onions are the best, but any variety will do. It's nice to have some green onion floating around as well for garnish and flavoring.
Potatoes
- These little guys actually originated in Latin America and were unknown in Europe-- yes even Ireland-- before the Spanish Conquest.
All of these ingredients are available on your nearest supergrocer's shelves, but you can find them much cheaper -- limes and fresh cilantro in particular-- at a local Latin or Asian market.
For more information on Latin kitchen equipment, such as blenders, metates, lime juicers, and flat griddles, you may want to check out this article on Latin kitchen gadgets.
The copyright of the article Latin American Pantry in Latin/Caribbean Cuisine is owned by Timothy Dzurilla. Permission to republish Latin American Pantry in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
