5 PANTRY SAVIOURS

Whether you're cooking a simple breakfast or something more exotic, here are five pantry food staples you should have on hand to cook plenty of delicious meals in the comfort of your own home.

- Words / Lisa Holmen

A well-stocked and smart pantry is key to getting creative and organised in the kitchen. There are so many dishes you can cook with a few basic ingredients.

Spice Rack

Move over salt and pepper - a carefully provisioned spice rack is an absolute must-have pantry staple. Spices are a great way to add flavour, warmth and depth to really elevate a dish. They are also a great way to limit your daily sodium intake since there are plenty of more exciting and flavourful ways to season dishes rather than table salt. Spices can be used in pretty much anything, from curry pastes and sauces to meat rubs and marinades, or simply sprinkled on vegetables or your morning cereal.

So where do you start when browsing the spice aisle? The first step is to work out which type of dishes you normally cook at home. If you like things spicy and frequently cook curries, chilli powder, paprika, coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala are good spices to start with. However, if you love baking, experiment with spices like cinnamon, cloves, all spice, ginger and nutmeg.

Spices are also extremely handy if you don't have any fresh ingredients to hand. For example, onion and garlic powder can be used as a substitute for onion and garlic. Whole spices stay fresher for longer than ground spices so, if possible, buy your spices whole and grind them yourself when you need them.

Brown Rice