Many kitchens hold dozens of jars of seasoning, but half are expired and rarely touched. The truth is you don’t need many, you need the right ones. A handful of foundational seasonings, always on hand and still fresh, will serve you better than a shelf packed full.
This article runs through the seasonings worth keeping in a Vietnamese kitchen, so that every time you cook you have what you need for an everyday meal.
The salty and sweet foundations
Salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and seasoning powder form the backbone of most Vietnamese savory dishes. Good fish sauce is the soul of many meals, so this is the place most worth investing in. A single quality bottle of fish sauce can lift an otherwise simple meal.
Sugar isn’t just for sweetness. It also balances saltiness and lends color when braising. Keeping a little honey or palm sugar on hand is useful too, for dishes that call for a gentler, more fragrant sweetness.
The aromatic and spicy group
Pepper, chili, garlic, shallots, and ginger are the seasonings that give a dish aroma and depth. Freshly ground pepper is far more fragrant than pepper that’s been sitting around, so if you can, buy whole peppercorns and a small grinder.
Golden fried garlic and shallots are the opening step of countless stir-fries and braises. The smell of frying garlic alone is enough to warm up the kitchen and signal that a meal is on its way.
Dry spices for the long haul
Turmeric powder, curry powder, five-spice, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves are dry spices that keep for a very long time and open up a wide range of flavors. They’re especially handy for stews, braises, or days when you want to change things up.
Dry spices should be stored in airtight jars in a dark, cool place, kept away from the stove, since the heat makes them lose their aroma quickly. Writing the opening date on the jar helps you know when it’s time to replace them.
Buy just enough and use it regularly
Seasonings are for using, not collecting. Buy small jars of the things you rarely cook with, and only buy large jars of what you use every day. This keeps your spice cabinet fresh and free of waste.
Now and then, tidy the shelf and toss out jars that have lost their scent or passed their date. A spice cabinet that’s compact, well-chosen, and still fragrant makes cooking feel much lighter.
You don’t need a full shelf to cook well, just a few of the right seasonings, always fresh. Start with the foundations, add on according to what you tend to cook, and tidy up regularly. A minimalist kitchen isn’t a poor one, it’s simply enough and in order.