Five ingredients I wouldn’t be without for Asian cooking
- Jun 27
- 5 min read
Updated: 23 hours ago
People often ask which ingredients I couldn’t live without. While my kitchen is full of spices, herbs and condiments, there are five staples that I reach for almost without thinking: soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and garlic.
They’re simple, everyday essentials. Nothing fancy or expensive, yet they make cooking quicker, easier and more delicious.
Each one brings its own kind of magic, providing a quiet reliability that anchors my cooking, no matter what cuisine I’m preparing.
Soy sauce
It carries a deep, savoury umami flavour that comes from long, slow fermentation. It has a rounded, almost brothy richness – the kind of flavour that slips easily into both Asian and Western dishes. What I love most is its versatility. A dash can enhance a stew, balance a marinade, season vegetables or add depth to sauces without ever dominating. Even a touch in a chocolate cake can make flavours bloom. It behaves like a quiet flavour amplifier, making everything around it taste fuller, warmer and more complete.
There are different types of soy sauce, each with its own distinct character. Light soy sauce is bright and salty, making it perfect for seasoning. Dark soy is thicker and sweeter, and is used more for colour and depth. Japanese soy sauces tend to be smoother and slightly sweeter, whereas Chinese and Thai varieties are punchier and more robust. If you need to avoid gluten, excellent gluten-free soy sauces are also available, offering the same rich umami flavour without the wheat.
Soy sauce is a pantry essential that seasons, colours and discretely deepens flavourSoy sauce is a pantry essential that seasons, colours and discretely deepens flavour.
Oyster sauce
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Despite its name, oyster sauce does not make dishes taste fishy. It is a staple in many Asian kitchens. Instead, it adds depth and richness, as well as a wonderful savoury quality. Just a spoonful can transform a simple stir-fry, liven up a marinade or elevate a plate of green vegetables.
The story of oyster sauce begins in 1888 when a cook named Lee Kum Sheung became distracted while chatting to a customer and left a pot of oyster soup simmering on the stove. When he returned to the pot, he found that the liquid had reduced to a thick, glossy sauce. He tasted it and discovered it was delicious. Rather than throwing it away, he started using it in his cooking. Customers loved it so much they asked to buy it. This happy accident led to the creation of Lee Kum Kee and the oyster sauce we know today.
Today, Lee Kum Kee also produces a vegan and a gluten-free oyster sauce, using shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce and yeast extract to recreate the same rich umami depth of flavour.
The secret ingredient behind many stir-frys, marinade and braised dishes - oyster sauce
Fish sauce
Fish sauce is perhaps the ingredient that frightens people the most. I understand why – when you open the bottle, the bold, funky aroma that greets you can be a little alarming. However, when used correctly, it works wonders. Just a few drops can brighten a curry, sharpen a dressing or add a savoury depth to a soup. It’s the secret behind so many southeast Asian dishes. I often describe fish sauce as ‘salt with personality’. I use it in place of salt for some of my Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
Fish sauce starts with just two ingredients: small fish (usually anchovies) and salt. The fish are layered in large wooden barrels, heavily salted, and left to ferment in the sun for months, sometimes even years. During this time, enzymes and natural bacteria break the fish down slowly, releasing a clear, amber liquid. The very first liquid that seeps out, known as the “first press”, is the purest and most prized. Its flavour is deep, savoury and complex, an ancient and clever way of preserving the flavour of the sea long before refrigeration existed.
Good quality fish sauce is naturally gluten free because it is traditionally made from just two ingredients: anchovies and salt. My favourite is Squid brand, which has a simple ingredient list.
For vegans, there are now excellent plant-based alternatives to fish sauce. Rather than anchovies, they rely on ingredients such as seaweed, mushrooms, soy sauce, coconut aminos and yeast extract to recreate the same savoury, umami-rich character. Seaweed provides a subtle taste of the sea, while mushrooms and fermented ingredients contribute depth and complexity. I use Samui vegan fish sauce when I have a vegan client for my private dining events, as I particularly enjoy the slight smokiness that comes from the mushrooms. It delivers the same umami-rich depth and can be used in much the same way as traditional fish sauce in cooking.
Sesame oil
I would never cook with toasted sesame oil as the flavour is too delicate for high heat. Instead, I drizzle it over dishes at the very end (like you would with extra virgin olive oil). Just half a teaspoon can transform a dish. It adds a warm, nutty aroma that makes noodles taste more comforting, salads more interesting and dumplings more fragrant. It just finishes the dish!
There are different types of toasted sesame oil available. Some are pure and made entirely from roasted sesame seeds (I’m especially fond of Kadoya’s pure roasted sesame oil from Japan for its refined, delicate fragrance), while others are blended with neutral oils, such as soybean oil, to soften the flavour and reduce the cost. I prefer the pure version for its deeper, nuttier aroma and fuller flavour – a little goes a remarkably long way.
Garlic
And then there’s garlic. Here’s a useful tip: if you cut open a clove and see a green shoot in the centre, remove it. This sprout gives garlic a slightly bitter taste and can cause indigestion for some people and is partly responsible for that lingering garlic breath. Removing it takes seconds and results in a cleaner and sweeter flavour.
Garlic burns easily, so it’s worth paying attention. If you’re stir-frying over a high heat, leave the pieces larger, but if you’re cooking more gently, you can chop it more finely. The order in which you cook things matters too. If you’re using both onions and garlic, it’s best to cook the onions first and add the garlic later to avoid burning it. However, if you want a deeper, toasted garlic flavour, reverse the order and let the garlic turn lightly golden before adding the onions to soften and caramelise them.
Garlic’s flavour can change dramatically depending on how it is cooked: used raw, it is bold and pungent; gently sautéed, it becomes mellow and fragrant; roasted, it turns soft, sweet and almost buttery. It’s astonishing how one ingredient can change so much depending on how it is cooked.
These humble pantry essentials are often taken for granted, but they are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. With just a spoonful, a splash or a sprinkle, they can transform ordinary ingredients into extraordinary meals. They’re not expensive, rare or complicated – they’re simply dependable ingredients that bring depth, flavour and character to the food we love.
Until the next time, take care of yourself!
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