Favourite Unique Ingredients - 40 Bloggers from Around the World Share Theirs!

Kate from Babaganosh is way into the Gochujang, and shared an entire roundup of her recipes using it. She says:

"I love using gochujang sauce as an ingredient and a condiment. It's a Korean hot sauce that has complex sweet, spicy, and smokey flavors and complements so many dishes, whether Korean or not."

Riz from Chocolates and Chai would like you to know about Aleppo Peppers (Which I love, BTW!)

"Cilbir is a Turkish breakfast food spiced with Aleppo pepper - an earthy, slightly sweet chilli that’s seen in Middle Eastern cuisine!

While it’s not too difficult to find in larger supermarkets, I feel like it’s a spice that often goes unnoticed as it still hasn’t become a North American staple!"

Lisa from Snappy Gourmet is all about the Pearl Sugar:

"Pearl Sugar will take your waffles from ordinary to over-the-top in these Belgian Waffles. It's also great in other desserts and pastries."

Jennifer from A Sweet Alternative enjoys baking with date paste:

"Date paste is a refined sugar free sweetener made from dates that have been soaked and then blended with water. Date paste is a nutritious way to sweeten desserts such as this decadent chocolate cake. This cake is a delicious healthier dessert for special occasions and it also happens to be vegan and gluten free."

Jess from Vegan Punks wants you to know about Morning Glory:

"Morning Glory, also known as water spinach, is a great ingredient that's very common in South East Asia but not very well known elsewhere. It's like a cross between tenderstem broccoli and baby spinach, and we'd totally recommend trying it.

We love this ingredient as it's totally different from veggies we get in the UK, and it's fun to cook with - as well as reminding us of our travels! This recipe is a classic Thai stir fry dish, and water spinach can be bought online or is Asian food stores. "

Saima from Indian Ambrosia offered up Pomegranate Powder, saying:

"Pomegranate powder is used as a spice to make Indian food tangy. Use this naturally pink powder to flavour these fried potato patties and give a much-needed kick to the otherwise bland potatoes. Snacks taste so much better with ground pomegranate!"

Ana Yokota enjoys working with Kanten:

"Kanten is a Japanese ingredient commonly known as agar (or agar agar), which is typically made from red algae. It’s a fascinating and a very healthy plant based ingredient full of fiber and zero calories to help with your digestive system."

Lyn at Cook Eat Live Love is into Aji Amarillo peppers, saying:

"The aji amarillo is a chile pepper from Peru. What makes this pepper so unique is its bright orange-yellow color and delicious fruity flavor. It's moderately spicy but shines in this delicious creamy sauce served over potatoes. One of my favorite traditional Peruvian recipes."

Carooline at Caroline's Cooking also loves Aji Amarillo, saying:

"Aji amarillo is a vibrant yellow chili that is popular in a number of Peruvian dishes. It adds both a great color and a chili kick to many different dishes"

I couldn't decide between the two examples that Caroline shared of recipes using Aji Amarillo, so you're getting both 🙂

Kristina of Spa Bettie loves Kala Namak, saying:

"Kala Namak is a black salt from volcanic mines in Northern India. it has a sulphur flavor similar to eggs, making this Vegan Egg Salad recipe a near perfect flavor match to the original. "

Rupali from Enhance Your Palate shares information about Roasted Cumin Seed Powder:

”Roasted cumin seeds powder: Roasted cumin powder, also known as bhuna jeera powder, is highly aromatic and has a more intense flavor than regular unroasted cumin seeds powder. It’s a bit nutty, earthy and adds a unique depth of flavor to the dish. Which is hard to describe in words so you need to give it a try. It is very easy to make at home, you can find the instructions in the recipe itself.”

Devy from So Yummy Recipes tells us about Lauki - a bottle gourd:

”This mouthwatering meat curry has a unique veggie called Lauki/ Dudhi which is bottle gourd in English. Lauki has a texture like a melon when it's cooked. So it's a nice pair for the rich meat texture. With the well balanced spices, this Lauki Gosht is a winner for exotic comfort food. Enjoy it with naan bread, roti/chapatti, pitta bread or even plain rice.”

Erin from No Waste Nutrition loves cooking wither Herbes De Provence:

”Herbes De Provence is a dried spice blend originating from the Provence region of southeastern France. The famous blend includes: rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, marjoram, lavender (optional)

It’s a versatile spice blend used on grilled dishes, in soups and stews, and in crackers and breads. I love to mix it with a high quality olive oil as a dip for bread as well!”

Helene from Masala Herb not only cooks with tamarind paste, she makes it herself - and shows you how! :

”Tamarind paste is like a secret ingredient in most professional kitchens. It is used in sauces such as BBQ sauce and Pad Thai sauce. Tamarind pulp is extracted and prepared to make this smooth tamarind paste.”

Saima from Indian Ambrosia tells us about Chena:

”Chena is a special milk cheese used for making a North Indian dessert called rasgolla: sweet, light-as-air balls in sugar syrup. Chena is unsalted, super-soft cheese made by curdling milk, and it is an important ingredient in those scrumptious Indian sweets and desserts! “

Carlee from Fun Learning Life is a fan of Unsweetened Kefir:

”Plain Unsweetened Kefir makes a perfect base to Freezer Pops. After some experimentation, I determined that the combination of Coconut and Orange created a sweet tropical flavor. It was a keeper.”

Kait from Slumber & Scones finds interesting uses for Miso paste:

”Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans, with salt and other grains, and it's a standard ingredient in Japanese cuisine. It comes in many varieties and colors, but the white miso paste in these cookies is a combination of sweet, salty, and umami. I love adding it to sweet and savory dishes to add extra depth of flavor!”

Michelle from Flipped-Out Food is a fan of yuca:

“This stew uses yuca in place of potatoes (although the root is more closely related to tomatoes). Yuca has a wonderful texture and an almost buttery flavor.”

Sean from Diversivore (As usual - as a fellow nerd) is SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE in his love of Seville Oranges. He actually has a bunch of recipes or them on his site - plus a guide to Seville Oranges - so be sure to go check those out as well! He says:

”Seville Oranges! Most people only think of them in relation to marmalade, and most people don't make their own marmalade these days... but Seville Oranges (aka sour oranges) are a wonderful, delicious, versatile ingredient. I've used them in desserts and savoury dishes, and I'm always eager to find new uses for them. The zest is intensely orange flavoured, while the juice has a wonderful, herbal, sour/bitter citrus flavour that's really unique and versatile.”

Emily from This Healthy Table tells us about Hawaij:

“This hawaij chicken recipe is truly wonderful! It’s full of flavor and so well spiced with the hawaij rub. Hawaij means “mixture” in Arabic (it’s native to Yemen). It’s a spice blend with primarily cumin and black pepper and often contains cardamom, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.”

Helen from Family Friends Food is ALSO into Hawaij, saying:

“Hawaij is a traditional spice blend from Yemen that comes in two varieties - savoury ‘Hawaij for soup’ and sweet ‘Hawaij for coffee’. They are both very popular and widely available in Israel, which has a large population of Yemeni heritage.
The names of the spice blends tell you how they are traditionally used but they are great in a wide range of dishes. Sweet Hawaij blends ginger and cardomom with other warming spices and is fabulous in cakes, bakes and desserts like these yummy cookies.”

Mireille from The Schizo Chef tells us about breadfruit ... which, honestly, I first learned about from the Captain Tractor song “Pitcairn Island”:

“Breadfruit despite it being a tree fruit is closer to a vegetable. It must be cooked prior to eating and is as versatile as potato, but due to the natural sweetness that comes out when ripe, sweet things can also be made using breadfruit It is used widely in African, the Caribbean and some parts of South Asia. Chips, stir fry, soup, fritters - the possibilities are endless!”

Mirelle from The Schizo Chef also shared Dried Purple Corn as a favourite ingredient:

”Dried Purple Corn has a grapy, fruity flavor that is fabulous in Peruvian drinks and desserts. Once you boil it and get the vibrant hued juice, the varieties are endless. You can even make cocktails with it. Here us a delicious beverage recipe utilizing Purple Corn!”

Damian from Keep Calm and Eat Ice Cream tells us about Pandan:

“Pandan isn't well known by many western cooks but has a really distinctive flavour that is fantastic in sweet foods and desserts. It also imparts a rich green colour to food without artificial colourings. This Pandan ice cream takes herbaceous and exotic.”

Ashley from Wanderzest shares my love of Hibiscus:

“Hibiscus flowers are boiled with sugar and water to create a tart, but sweet and refreshing tea. It has a hint of sweetness similar to that of cranberry juice.”

Roberta from Natural Goodness has a WILD use for Psyllium Husks:

“Psyllium husks make the perfect egg substitute in many baking recipes like brownies, cookies, and it gives a stretchy texture to vegan cheeses without adding any starch.
Click through to see how delicious the cheese looks on pizza!”

Rosa from This Healthy Kitchen tells us about one of the unique uses for Nutritional Yeast:

“This sweet potato mac and cheese uses nutritional yeast for all that cheesy flavour, minus the dairy! As an added bonus, nutritional yeast is loaded with...you guessed it, nutrients! This creamy, “cheesy” dish is a fun and delicious twist on classic mac and cheese”

Jacqueline from Canadian Cooking Adventures tells us of Dashi:

“Dashi is the base of miso soup. Miso Soup is traditionally made with a stock called dashi. Which consists of dried sardines, dried kelp and shaved bonito flakes (fish flakes). It is an ingredient that can be found in your local asian market. Follow my recipe here for a traditional take on this delcious soup.”

Irena Macri loves cooking with Harissa:

“Harissa is fiery red-orange paste (or thick sauce) of North African origin. It’s a delicious condiment and is often used as a flavouring cooking ingredient. It’s become very popular in the culinary world in recent years, both for its flavour and its versatility in the kitchen. You will fall in love with this Middle-Eastern, Yotam Ottolenghi-inspired recipe for grilled chicken quinoa salad with honey harissa and tahini yoghurt. It’s very delicious, healthy and gluten-free and you can have it for dinner or lovely weekend lunch.”

Chichi from My Diaspora Kitchen tells of us Ogbono, which I’m definitely going to have to find:

“Ogbono is the seeds from the African mango which is rich in many vitamins and minerals. The Ogbono seed is used to cook soups as a main ingredient or as a thickening agent.”

Madhavi from Madhu’s Everyday Indian is a fan of Fenugreek Powder:

“Fenugreek powder is a spice grounded by using fenugreek seeds. This pungent spice is called as Methi in India and is often used in many North Indian curries.”

Tayo from Low Carb Africa tells us about Ground Crayfish:

One spice that makes Nigerian Egusi soup really special is ground crayfish, which is made by baking and grinding crawfish (or prawns) to powder form. This condiment provides a wonderful earthy and traditional umami flavor commonly found in West African dishes.

Brian from Krumpli uses Juniper as a flavouring agent! :

“Juniper is a fantastic old fashioned ingredient that is classically used with both lamb and game meat.

But don't get tunnel-visioned, sprinkle a few juniper berries into your pickles for a tart "woodsy" feel or throw them into your smoker for an outstanding flavour burst and they are wonderful in jams and chutneys...”

Hilda from Hilda’s Kitchen Blog brings up an interesting fact about Marigolds:

“Although it's not common knowledge marigolds are, in fact, edible. The flowers have a mild, pleasant taste that might even go unnoticed if added in recipes. Marigold leaves, however, have a much stronger taste that I would compare to basil.“

Michele from A Taste for Travel tells us about Purslane:

”Once you discover this wild edible green you'll never walk past it on the street again! Often considered a weed, purslane is actually a superfood packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The green succulent is enjoyed in salads, stew”

EA Stewart - like me and my husband! - is a big fan of Smoked Paprika.

”If you’ve never tried it before, smoked paprika is a game changer for adding an additional layer of flavor to savory recipes. This Easy Shakshuka with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, & Spices pairs smoked paprika with fennel seeds & crushed red pepper to tantalize your taste buds!”

Nicoletta from Sugar Loves Spices enjoys both Fava beans and chicory - a combo I hadn’t heard of:

“Fava bean and Chicory. Both are humble ingredients well known in the Italian 'cucina povera' (cuisine of the poor) but mostly unknown or underappreciated outside of Italy. This dish combines them, together with a few other ingredients and simple cooking techniques to make a symphony of flavors. "Fava bean puree with Chicory" “

Cynthia from Cynful Kitchen tells us about uses for jicama that I’d never heard of! :

“Jicama or Mexican yam bean! I love jicama because it is amazing when deep fried as a fritter or used in Cai Kueh (Southeast Asian Chinese veggie wrapped large dumpling) Here is an easy rojak recipe. Rojak is a Malay salad using fruits and vegetables.”

Katia from Proper Food enjoys spelt:

“Spelt is the star of this recipe. I love spelt for it's versatility. It's like a chewy, nutty rice replacement.”