What’s in our pantry? Our top 10 essentials for quick, tasty, and easy home cooking

What if the secret to making effortless, delicious meals was already in your pantry? If you’ve ever opened your pantry searching for dinner inspiration but ended up cooking the same-old boring meal, this episode is for you! By the end of this episode, you’ll: Learn how a staple like tomato paste can be the base of a flavor broth or quick sauce Learn why chefs swear by anchovies to bring an umami punch to countless dishes… including an easy dressing! Find out how Japanese curry cubes are your ticket to a quick dinner with any protein or veggies you have on hand Hit play now! The secret to flavor-packed cooking is already sitting on your pantry shelf! *** Links: Tomato paste: in Sonya’s manti in brothy tomato sauce , and Alison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta, and for our go-to coconut red lentil dish Canned chickpeas: Kari’s #1 quick meal = bite-sized pasta with chickpeas, and whatever veg/herbs she has (we also love Serious Eats' pasta e ceci ), and a simple chickpea salad is always a great base for a bigger salad. We love a simple chickpea coconut curry , and also using a can for a 5-minute hummus ! Anchovies: Discover what to do with a tin of anchovies from Serious Eats , and we love them for a simple dressing , and as the base of pasta sauces like Midnight pasta Coconut Milk: for a 30-minute veggie coconut curry from Minimalist Baker , and for Coconut Miso Salmon Curry from Kay Chun for NYT Cooking (unlocked), and in Kari's sunny chicken soup with lemon and coconut milk Tahini: Some of our favorite tahini brands: Soom , Seed & Mill , Whole Foods 365 Organic Tahini , and Eden Foods . Sonya’s 3 favorite tahini sauces , and her sesame sauce for noodles . For a sweet treat, try Sonya’s tahini chocolate chunk cookies (swap the chocolate with dried fruit) Farro: Charlie Bird’s farro salad, the cabbage and farro soup from Six Seasons , and crusty baked cauliflower and farro from Smitten Kitchen Orzo: One-pan garlic butter chicken orzo from How Sweet Eats , and a one-pan lemon orzo and salmon from Something Nutritious Couscous: Ina Garten’s couscous with pine nuts, currants & shallots, a showering of fresh herbs Japanese curry cubes: Here’s a great guide and recipe for Japanese chicken curry , but Sonya typically makes hers vegetarian Jarred Roux: Kari’s go-to premade jarred roux for gumbo, soups, stews, and more. Pomegranate Molasses: For salad dressings like this one , as a sauce for wings , and drizzled on top of roasted squash. (We love the Cortas brand for its flavor) *** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here . Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @ foodfriendspod , or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!