Sauces and condiments of the world
Pastes, sauces and preserves that carry the flavour of national kitchens.
A sauce in a national kitchen is more often a preserve than something made in five minutes before serving. A reduced paste of roasted peppers or a pounded nut base keeps for weeks in the fridge and is spent a spoonful at a time.
Keeping is part of the recipe here. Where a preserve is sealed for the winter or held under a layer of oil, that is written into the steps rather than left to guesswork.
4 dishes
- AjvarSerbia
A relish of roasted red pepper and aubergine, cooked down in oil to a thick paste.
150 min · Medium
- ChimichurriArgentina
A sauce of parsley, oregano, garlic and vinegar. A knife rather than a blender: texture matters more than smoothness.
15 min · Easy
- Pesto alla genoveseItaly
Basil ground with garlic and pine nuts. No heat and no blender — a mortar and a cool room.
20 min · Easy
- Pol sambolSri Lanka
Fresh coconut pounded with chilli, onion and lime. Five minutes to make and served with everything.
15 min · Easy