Staples

Make your own staples to fill the pantry and flavor them to your taste bud's liking!

• Spices & Sauces
• Basic Eggless Mayo
• Oil-free Eggless Mayo
• Simple Tahini Sauce
• Yellow mustard
• Balsamic & Mustard Vinaigrette
• Dijon Mustard
• Ale mustard with a sweet touch
• Mustard your way
• Solarpunk Ketchup
• Noiceter Sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Barbecue Sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Local fruit chutney
• Dairy- and egg-free
• Creamy soy milk
• Any nut or seed milk
• Cashew cream
• Cashew or almond creme fraiche

Spices & Sauces

Here are some basic spices and sauces you can use to add rich flavor to your meals or mix them into more complex sauces.

Basic Eggless Mayo

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  Soy milk or Aquafaba (water from cooked chickpeas)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar of choice or lemon juice
  
• 150-250 ml of neutral tasting oil, or if you want the flavor of the oil to be part of the recipe a cold pressed oil of your choice. The amount depends on how slow you pour it and the mixture emulsifies
• 1 teaspoon white miso paste or sea salt for soy free option

Optional:

• 1-2 tablespoons mustard 
• 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener of choice 
• 1 teaspoon black salt (if you want a bit of egg-like taste)
• A pinch of turmeric powder (mostly for color but it has great health benefits)
• Any other spices you might want to add 

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients except the oil to your blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender to your container of choice. Blend on mid speed and once the mixture is more or less homogeneous start slowly pouring the oil with the blender/food processor/immersion blender still running until the mixture starts to emulsify and the desired thickness is achieved. Pour your mayo into a container with a lid and store it in the fridge for up to 1 month. 

Tip: The mixture emulsifies better if the soy sauce or aquafaba are cold.

Oil-free Eggless Mayo

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup of raw cashews pre-soaked for 4-6 hours
• 1/2 cup of water
  
• 30-50 g medium-firm tofu (use chickpea tofu for soy free version)
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of white miso paste (use 1/2 teaspoon of salt for soy free version)

Optional:

• 1-2 tablespoons mustard 
• 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener of choice 
• 1 teaspoon black salt (if you want a bit of egg-like taste, if you use black salt use it instead of salt)
• A pinch of turmeric powder (mostly for color but it has great health benefits)
• Any other spices you might want to add 

Preparation:

Add the cashews and water to your blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender to your container of choice. Blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and store in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. 

Simple Tahini Sauce

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: A bowl and a spoon (optional food processor / blender)
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: ?

Ingredients:

Optional:

• minced garlic (optional)
  
• pinch of cumin (optional)
• herbs (such as fresh parsley, basil, dill and/or cilantro)
• any other spice you might want to add

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients except water to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Once the mixture is more or less homogeneous start slowly pouring the water, 1-2 tbsp at a time, until the mixture starts to loosen down to your preferred thickness. Pour your sauce into a container with a lid and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week (maybe more depending on ingredients used). If the sauce thickens with time just mix some additional cold water before use.

Were to use this:

• as a dip for veggies (raw or cooked)
  
• in falafel wraps
• as salad sauce
• directly on a slice of bread

Yellow mustard

Time to prepare: 10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender / Bowl with a whisk, Pot and stove
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup mustard powder
• 1/2 cup vinegar of choice (white vinegar for the traditional mustard taste)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon white miso paste (or salt for soy free version)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of starch powder available to you

Optional:

•  1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• Any other spices you might want to add 

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk or if using electric devices add all the ingredients to your blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender to your container of choice. Whisk/Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small or mid size pot and simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens. Stirring frequently is required. Pour the finished mustard into a container. You can store it in a closed container in the fridge for 2-3 months.

Balsamic & Mustard Vinaigrette

Time to prepare: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Bowl and whisk/fork or a jar with lid
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes/optional
Dish origin: (French cuisine?)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp mustard powder or mustard sauce
  
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup oil (olive oil, seed oil, or any other oil with milder taste; e.g. i wouldn't use coconut oil)
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Optional:

• 1 tbsp of liquid sweetener (Agave/Maple/Corn syrup, Date paste, Apple honey or bee's honey)
• garlic powder
• any other spice of your choice

Preparation:

The formal route: Add all the ingredients to a bowl, except for the oil, and whisk until the mix looks homogeneous. Add the oil slowly while whisking until the mixture turns into a homogeneous sauce or paste depending on the amounts of mustard used. Pour the finished vinaigrette into a container. You can store it in a closed container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

The quick route: Alternatively just pour everything in a jar, close well and shack until homogeneous :P the simplest low-tech shaker that works wonders and delivers every time 👌

Dijon Mustard

Time to prepare: 2-4 weeks
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender, Jar with lid
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown/white mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup white wine
  
• 1/4 cup vinegar of choice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon white miso paste (or salt for soy free version)

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients in a jar and mix them with a spoon. Let it macerate for 1-2 days depending on your temperature (the warmer the faster it is). Add all the ingredients to your blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender to your container of choice. Blend until smooth and place the sauce back in the jar. Store at room temperature for 2-4 weeks. Once the flavor is to your liking you can store it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to a year.

Ale mustard with a sweet touch

Time to prepare: 2-4 weeks
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup brown or white mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup of ale of choice
  
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of vinegar of choice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of sweetener of choice
• 1 teaspoon miso paste or sea salt for soy free version

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to a jar and mix. Let it macerate for 1 to 2 days. Place in a blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender to your container of choice. Blend until smooth and then pack in a jar. Store at room temperature for 2-4 weeks until the flavor is to your liking. After you can store it in the fridge for up to a year.

Mustard your way

Time to prepare: 2-4 weeks
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  mustard powder or seeds
• liquid of choice

Preparation:

Use a 2:1 ratio or 2.5:1 ration of liquid to seeds. You can also mix several liquids, no need to just use one source. Examples are: water, wine, vinegar, beer, kombucha, juice, kefir, etc. Using zest from citrus fruits, sweeteners, herbs and spices give it more character. As your mixture sits it will thicken. The mixture should sit at least 1-2 days which makes the grinding easier. Toss everything in your blender of choice and mix until desired smoothness. Then comes the fermentation process which takes 2-4 weeks depending on your room temperature. After this you can place the jar in the fridge and keep your own personal mustard for up to a year. Feel free to experiment with local ingredients!

 

Source: "The Homemade Vegan Pantry" - by Miyoko Schinner

Solarpunk Ketchup

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  400g fresh tomatoes or 250g tomato paste
• 180ml vinegar of choice
  
• 60g sweetener of choice
• 150ml of water 
• 2 teaspoons salt of choice

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon each of powdered spices of choice  
• 1 teaspoon each of dried herbs of choice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 

Preparation:

If using fresh tomatoes make the tomato paste first; peel them, blend them or mix them with a masher and cook for 10 minutes at medium heat. Cook until it has reduced in about half. Next, add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until the sugar/sweetener has dissolved. You can also use a blender or food processor. You can store it in the fridge for a couple of months. 

You can either make the basic ketchup if you want to start with simple flavors or improvise your own style of ketchup, it's up to you, once you have the basic process down you can customize it towards the ingredients you enjoy and can source locally. 

Noiceter Sauce

Time to prepare:  1.5 hours
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [...]

Ingredients:

•  240ml hot water (only if using dried mushrooms). Use half the amount of water if mushrooms are fresh
• 4-5 dried shiitakes (for closest flavor to traditional oyster sauce) or 6-7 dried mushrooms of choice. Alternatively you can use fresh mushrooms.
• 60ml soy sauce / tamari / liquid aminos (soy free) / coconut aminos (also soy free)
• 2 tablespoons sweetener of choice
• 1 Nori sheet torn into little pieces (or 2 teaspoons dried algae of choice) 
• 4 teaspoons starch of choice

Preparation:

If using dried mushrooms, add them to a bowl and add hot water. Let them soak for an hour. If using fresh mushrooms skip the soaking. Add all the ingredients (including the soaking water) to your blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender to your container of choice. Blend on mid speed until the mixture is thick and smooth. Transfer mixture into a small saucepan and cook for a few minutes over medium heat for the sauce to thicken. Store in a sealed jar in a refrigerator for up to 1 month. 

Teriyaki sauce

Time to prepare:  10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: skillet, small pot
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: Japan

Ingredients:

•  50g of sesame seeds
• 100ml soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos/liquid aminos
• 100ml of mirin (sweet sake) or any other sweet clear liquor (no cocktail mixes or flavored liquors) you can find 
• 80g of date syrup or sweetener of choice
• 300ml water
• 1 tablespoon of starch

Preparation:

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan/skillet for 2-3 minutes in low heat. Be careful not to burn them. Combine the rest of the ingredients except the starch and sesame seeds in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Dissolve the starch in water and add to the sauce to thicken. Add the sesame seeds and continue cooking until you reached your desired consistency. Let the sauce cool down and store in a jar in your pantry or in your fridge for several weeks.

Barbecue Sauce

Time to prepare:  30-40 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: knife, blender / Food processor / Immersion blender, frying pan/skillet/wok
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: USA

Ingredients:

•  300g tomato paste or 500g fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 120g of pitted dates or other sweetener of choice
• 100ml of soy sauce/tamari/liquid aminos/coconut aminos
• 60ml vinegar of choice
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 2 peppers (paprika), minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon miso or salt

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke 
• 1 fresh herb of choice, chopped
• 1 teaspoon each of 2 spices of choice 
  
• 2 tablespoons of dried mushrooms of choice, diced

Preparation:

In your frying pan/skillet/wok add the onions, garlic, dates and peppers. Cook them with a pinch of water, vinegar or oil, your choice, for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomato paste/diced tomatoes and the herbs if using any. Cook for 2-3 more minutes then add the water and the rest of the ingredients. Once the water is boiling let the mixture simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Then add everything to your blender/food processor/immersion blender and mix until you get a smooth sauce. Let it cool and store in a jar in the refrigerator for 2-3 months.

Ranch dressing

Time to prepare:  10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: knife, Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: USA

Ingredients:

•  120g of raw cashews
• 120ml of water
• 40ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 200g of tofu, crumbled, just add 100g more of cashews/eggless mayo for soy free version
• 1 tablespoon homemade dijon mustard or store bought mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fresh herb of your choice
• 1 teaspoon miso or salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Preparation:

Pre-soak the cashews for 4-6 hours before making this sauce. Add the soaked cashews, water and lemon juice to your blender/food processor/immersion blender and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until creamy. If you want a softer flavor on the onion and garlic you can cook them in water/oil/vinegar before adding them to the mixture. You can store this for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Local fruit chutney

Time to prepare:  1-1.5 hours
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Grate, knife, frying pan/skillet/wok
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: India

Ingredients:

•  1 kg of fresh fruit, peeled if the fruit has an inedible or hard skin
• 80-100g of date syrup or sweetener of choice 
• 60-80ml of vinegar of choice/freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1/2-1 teaspoon miso or salt
• 1 dried chili or more if desired, minced
  

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper seeds

Preparation:

Dice the fruit into small thumb sized pieces. Combine the fruit with the rest of the ingredients in your frying pan/skillet/wok and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn down the heat once it is boiling and simmer, stirring every now and then for about 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced to about half its original size. During this process taste the chutney every now and then. If it is too sweet add more vinegar or lemon juice and also throw in more chili if you want it spicier. If you are storing in the fridge just let it cool down and then store it in a jar for several months. If you want to store it in your pantry you can hot-pack it: wash the jars in hot soapy water and rinse well. Pack the hot chutney in your jars and leave about 1-2cm of space on top. Put the lid on securely while it is still hot.

Dairy- and egg-free

Plant based dairy and egg replacement alternatives without sacrificing flavor

Creamy soy milk

Time to prepare: 30-45 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Pot, Nut milk bag/Cloth, Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [China]

Ingredients:

• 3 liters of water
• 200 g of unsoaked dry soybeans

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice
• pinch of salt  

Preparation:

Bring 1.5 liters of water to a boil in a pot. Once it's boiling add the soybeans and boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the beans soak for 30 minutes. Drain the soybeans and transfer half to a blender/food processor/immersion blender with 750 ml of water. Blend no longer than 20 seconds. Pour the mixture through your nut milk bag or cloth and squeeze or press with a wooden spoon to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Repeat the process with the rest of the soybeans and water and pour the milk into your pot to simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer at a heat that will not boil over for 5-10 minutes. After this your milk is done. Add the optional ingredients and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you want to store it longer pour the hot milk into clean wide-mouthed jars, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Once opened the milk will keep for 5-7 days.

Any nut or seed milk

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils: Bowl, Nut milk bag/Cloth, Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [Solarpunk]

Ingredients:

• 1 liter of water
• 100g of soaked seed or nut of choice (in case of some nut or seed like pistachio or sunflower be sure to remove the thick skin in case you cannot buy them dehulled)

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice
• pinch of salt  

Preparation:

Soak your main ingredient of choice for 6-8 hours. Drain the water and add the nuts/seeds to a blender/food processor/immersion blender with 1 liter of water. Blend for around 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can consume the milk with all the seed/nut pieces left inside or you can strain it through a nut milk bag / cloth. Be sure to squeeze out as much of the milk as possible. You can store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. 

Cashew cream

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils:  Bowl, Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [South America]

Ingredients:

• 500-700 ml of water
• 200 g of soaked cashews

Optional:

• 1 tablespoon of plant based yogurt natural flavor  
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Preparation:

Pre-soak cashews for 4-6 hours. Drain the cashews and add them with fresh water to a blender/food processor/immersion blender. Blend for about a minute until smooth and creamy. In case you want a creamier consistency use the lower range of water (500 ml) or less, as long as your blender/food processor/immersion blender can handle it. For a tangier fermented taste add 1 tablespoon of plant based yogurt and/or 1 teaspoon of lemon juice . The cream can be stored from 1 to 3 days, in case you used lemon juice for up to 5 days.

Cashew or almond creme fraiche

Time to prepare: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Utensils:  Nut milk bag/cloth, Bowl, Blender / Food processor / Immersion blender
Adaptable: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Dish origin: [South America / Iran]

Ingredients:

• 200ml of water if using cashews or 300 ml of water if using almonds 
• 150g of soaked cashews/almonds
• 60g plain dairy-free yogurt
• a pinch of salt

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Preparation:

Pre-soak cashews/almonds for 4-6 hours. Drain the cashews/almonds and add them with fresh water to a blender/food processor/immersion blender. Blend for about a minute until smooth and creamy. In case of using almonds you have to pour the mixture through a nut milk bag/cloth and squeeze out as much of the milk as you can. Pour the cashew/almond cream into the blender/food processor/immersion blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and pour into a container with a lid. Set at room temperature for 24 to 72 hours until thickened and sour. Place into the refrigerator where it will get creamier after a day or two. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.