Before the enhanced community quarantine, I was living that salt and pepper life (and mostly on eggs 'cause it was all I could make outside of canned goods). But quarantine forced me to explore all the aisles in the grocery and see what other ingredients I could be using in the kitchen.
And the answer? Granulated garlic. Simple, I know, but it's also the flavor I never get tired of. It's also much easier to use than actual garlic cloves (though I've learned to appreciate those as well). I was curious to see if our Cosmo Mixers made similar food discoveries during the ECQ. Here's what they had to say.
- "Sesame oil—for fried rice, soup, stir fry, and instant banchan." -Ginyn
- "I have a newfound love for ginger...I used it in this chili oil for some spicy wantons!" -Angel
- "The discovery I had this quarantine is MAGIC SARAP. Omg, I'm a sad MSG apologist. IT'S SO GOOD IN SCRAMBLED EGGS AND FRIED RICE." -Koleen
- "Pizza seasoning on hotdogs and even on eggs! Cinnamon powder on pancit canton is the spice you never thought would taste well." -Sarah
- "Smoked paprika is my new best friend." -Meg
istockphotoADVERTISMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓ - "I put cumin when I make hummus or if I want it to taste exotic. So far, my faves are thyme and silantro. And lemongrass removes the fishy aftertaste." -Ishi
- "Toyo and calamansi! It has become our go-to marinade for meat that we grill. Knorr seasons, calamansi, and siling labuyo naman as ~*sawsawan*~ for fried fish!" -Lou
- "My favorite ~extra~: MIRIN! It's a Japanese sweet seasoning and it's so good on fish, teriyaki sauces, and katsudon." -Trisha
- "Having a bottle of apple cider vinegar is one of my pantry must-haves! I drink it in the morning with water, honey, and lemon. I use it to add flavor to certain dishes, and as a rinse for my hair!" -Timmy
istockphotoCONTINUE READING BELOW ↓watch now - "Oyster sauce numbawaaaan! Fried rice, veggies, soups, etc! I also use patis to season things—makes everything taste so much better, lol!" -Retty
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Answers have been edited for clarity.
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