What are your staples?

Happy new year! I hope 2010 ended well for you, and that 2011 is getting off to a great start. Speaking of you, I first want to acknowledge all of the positive feedback I've gotten from many of you about Pearwise in its first few months. Compliments are great, of course. Constructive criticism is also welcome.

This will be the first post in which I will pose a specific question for you all to answer. You are an extremely diverse group, and I'm kind of excited to tap your collective knowledge.

So…what's the question, you ask? I'm curious about staple foods. The things you keep around so that you can quickly whip up something tasty on short notice. Stuff that sits on pantry shelves or that goes in the freezer or fridge and lasts for a while. The things you put on your shopping list when you set up a kitchen in a new place.

I'll tell you about mine first. I've become rather enamored with Asian flavors over the past few years, so a lot of them skew in that direction. I also assume here that the extreme basics (flour, sugar, salt, oil, etc.) are a given. Here are a few things I've discovered:

In the freezer

Thai chilies They're hot and freeze nicely. (Yes, I know Cook's Illustrated claims they lose flavor. Not so much as to make them useless, I think). They defrost in minutes and can be minced to enliven quick stir fries, eggs, etc.

Curry leaves You can buy a bag of these at most Indian groceries for $1 or so, and then stick them in the freezer. They last a few months before they start to lose flavor. And the flavor is unique. They're delicious not just in curries, but also go super nicely with eggs or potatoes.

Butter Freezes well and means you can always have cookies at a moment's notice. This is critical.

In the fridge

Chili paste Thicker than the more common sriracha, and better-tasting, I think. I use it like ketchup whenever something lacks enough heat, and also on sandwiches. Spread thinly.

Curry paste There are a zillion of these in both Indian and Thai varieties. I often have both, but find that I use Thai red curry paste the most. Good for making a quick curry, of course, but also delicious in mashed potatoes along with a little coconut milk.

Ginger paste I know it's not as good as fresh ginger, but this stuff is pretty good and lasts a long time. Fresh ginger does not. I've used it in baking, for curries and with eggs (along with onions, curry leaves and chilies -- this is a recurring item on my weekend menu).

(I also pretty much always have onions, eggs, potatoes, and plain yogurt in the fridge)


On the shelves

Coconut milk Comes in handy more than I ever expect it to. It's handy for curries, of course, but also in some baked goods, smoothies (in place of milk) or other drinks, making potatoes (esp. mashed), etc.

Canned tomatoes Again, very useful to have around for when you can't get to the store for fresh ones (or for when the fresh ones lack any sort of appeal).

At least one type of split lentil. Add water and cook. Throw together with some spices and maybe sauteed onions. Add rice. Dinner's ready.

Rice I'm currently partial to basmati, and have both white and brown. I buy it in 10-lb bags, as it lasts a really long time. I go through these bags faster than I'd like to admit.

Key spices cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon. Whole seeds hold their flavor longer than ground spices.

Chocolate chips Combine with butter, sugar and other stuff to have cookies at a moment's notice. Like I said before, critical.

So…those are my staples. What are yours?