That magic ingredient…

First of all I'd like to apologise for my lack of updates. I'm self-employed and my work really revolves around the 4th quarter of the year, so I've been absolutely slammed. It's busier than usual this year because I'm packing in twice the punch in half the time so I can afford to go to South East Asia for a couple of months. Hopefully there will be some fabulous food finds while I'm gone, hence giving me some real inspiration to blog when I'm back home!

Anyway, back to that magic ingredient. We all have at least one or two of them, most likely more. What do I mean by this? I'm talking about those few necessities with which we couldn't do without in our cooking. It doesn't have to be something that we use every day, but something that is considered an important base ingredient in our kitchens. For me there are several such all purpose ingredients, ranging from spinach (my favourite green vegetable) to couscous and other grains.

But here's one that really works across the board. It's a very simple recipe that anyone could make up from vegan cupboard staples, and it makes an excellent addition to any broth.

Recipe Notes

Now I get how boring this one sounds. Really. Trust me, though; it may be basic, but basic can be good. Here are a few ideas for this simple condiment:

• Dip for grilled cheese
• Salad dressing
• As part of base broth for miso soup
• As part of base broth for any stew
• Add a dash of sesame oil for an Eastern flavour!
• Marinade for tofu
• Great for noodle dishes (try a soba dish with some fresh onions and pepper
• Turns any lame stir-fry into a treat