Five essential ingredients to add instant flavour

How to build quick midweek meals around store cupboard staples

I don’t know if it’s work, the warmer weather, our spirited two-year-old, or the fact that all the people I follow on Instagram seem to be lounging by a pool, but life has felt extra frantic lately.

Unless you are one of those annoying people who’ve been on holiday (and if you brought your kids, there’s no way it was a restful experience anyway), cooking dinner on those busy midweek evenings can feel like just one more chore to tick off the ever-expanding list.

On nights when energy is low, some fail-safe pantry ingredients come to the rescue. These hardworking cupboard staples promise a big hit of flavour with minimal faff – in other words, what my frazzled brain needs at 6pm on a Tuesday. Here are five of my favourites, along with some ideas on how to use them.

Anchovies

A little tin of anchovies will bring a big punch of umami, saltiness and depth to pasta sauces or contrast with sticky, slow-cooked onions when used to top a simple tart.

Try this: sizzle with lemon zest, olive oil, chilli flakes and garlic until the anchovies melt away while you boil a whole head of chopped broccoli. Toss the cooked broccoli in the anchovy mix and boil pasta in the same water, then toss this into the pan with the broccoli. Serve with crispy fried breadcrumbs, if you like.

Mango chutney

Sweet, spicy and fragrant, mango chutney is a mainstay condiment, but you can also add it to curry sauces to bring sweetness, spread it into cheese toasties, or use it to marinade paneer or tofu before frying for a lip-smacking sticky texture.

Try this: spread over a shop-bought naan bread then top with a spoonful of pre-made tomato sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheddar and chopped green chilli. Crack over an egg and top with a handful of wilted spinach, then bake until the cheese is bubbling and the egg is set.

Miso

Another umami big hitter, miso creates meatiness and intensity in soups, stews and rich pasta sauces.

Try this: make a quick and punchy stir-fry sauce by combining 1 tbsp tahini, 3 tsp miso, a thumb-sized piece of grated ginger, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar and 1 tsp sriracha with 1 tbsp boiling water to bring it together. Toss through stir-fried veggies, prawns and cooked egg noodles, and top with crisped-up tofu and sesame seeds.

Jarred chickpeas

They are more expensive, but in terms of flavour bang for your buck, the fancy jarred chickpeas (try Bold Bean Co or Brindisa) are worth every penny.

Use them to beef up curries, soups and stews, where they’ll not only bring a creamy texture, but they’ll also season the sauce, since the jarred versions are already salted.

Try this: make a simple tomato sauce, then throw in a jar of chickpeas along with their cooking liquid, allowing them to reduce. Add whichever seasonings you like, whether you’re going Italian (try a spoonful of Calabrian chilli paste) or Middle Eastern (rose harissa). Toss through pasta or serve on top of cooked grains.

Lemons

The hardest working ingredient in my kitchen, whether they’re being squeezed into dressings or used to bring brightness to a dal, or their zest sizzled with garlic in the pan to create a fragrant, peppy flavour. Pop squeezed, used lemons in your dishwasher to ward off bad smells and get your glasses sparkling clean.

Try this: add two whole sliced lemons to a baking sheet with halved new potatoes, shallots and jarred artichokes. Roast at 180C until the potatoes are tender (around 25 minutes), then stir through a jar of cannellini beans and a spoonful of shop-bought pesto before returning to the oven to heat through. Finish with fresh basil.

More must-have pantry staples

• Crispy chilli oil – spooned over rice or eggs (always the LGM brand).

• Thai curry paste – for curries, obviously, but it’s also great to use to roast veggies or in marinades/dressings.

• Spice blends such as fajita seasoning, ras el hanout and garam masala – I find these are handier than having lots of individual spices which might go off quickly.

• Garlic-infused olive oil – when you can’t be bothered to cut and peel garlic but want some punchy garlicky flavour.

• Peanut butter – it goes in everything from my son’s porridge to sauces and stews.