Modern kitchens, cooking tools, and readily available ingredients have made recreating some of the world’s greatest dishes at home totally possible. No old ladies with babushkas have to slave all day in a tiny hot room, no more walking bread dough to the community baker, and no more recipes translated orally…essentially no more super hard work! It’s that history of hard work and struggles, though, that have given us a world of amazing flavors and tastes.
Recipes from anywhere in the world are now possible to make without spending all day making them. Today’s basic kitchen outfitted with a stove top and an oven, a few pots and pans, some other appliances and tools can make cooking once complex dishes quick and easy. Even local ingredients that are unique to a specific cuisine can be found at local markets or ordered online. Here’s what you’d need to have an international kitchen capable of recreating phenomenal dishes from anywhere in the world…quickly, easily, and, best of all, impressively:
Cooking Equipment
Equipment Must Haves
- stove with oven and stove top
- refrigerator with freezer
- variety of sharp knives
- sharpening steel
- large slotted spoon
- several spatulas
- multiple sized bowls
- wooden spoons
- set of saucepans and frying pans (regular and nonstick)
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board
- strainers and colander
- baking pans
- wire rack
- rolling pin
- roasting pan
- instant read thermometer
- casserole dishes
- hand grater
- can opener
- wire whisk
- electric blender
- pastry brush
- stand mixer (with mix, whisk, and dough hooks)
- blender
- microwave oven
- plastic wrap
- aluminum foil
- gallon and half-gallon size plastic freezer bags
- lidded storage containers and jars
- pie plates
MHT Equipment Picks*:
Equipment Should Haves
- food processor with grating and slicing attachments
- Dutch oven
- 2 sizes cast-iron skillets
- muffin tins
- steel wok (round bottomed for gas, flat for electric or induction stove tops)
- electric rice maker
- instant pot
- kitchen scale
- parchment paper
- peppermill
- mortar and pestle
- candy thermometer
- outdoor grill
- metal or wood skewers
- toaster oven
MHT Equipment Picks*:
Equipment Nice To Haves
- meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachments for stand mixer
- smoker (charcoal, wood-fired, or electric)
- knife sharpener
- spice grinder
- mini-food processor
- bamboo steamers
- tortilla press
- dumpling presses
- crock pot (slow cooker)
- immersion blender
- deep fryer
- pastry bag
- baking stone
- silicon backing matt
MHT Equipment Picks*:
The International Pantry
To cook a specific cuisine, additional non-perishable ingredients might be needed. Here are more important ones you’ll need to make authentic dishes. No need to keep them all in stock as anything that’s not available at local markets can be easily ordered online:
Basic Stocked Pantry
- Kosher salt black pepper (whole and ground)
- white pepper powder
- vegetable oil
- white and red wine vinegar
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- cornmeal
- sugar (granulated, powdered, brown)
- honey
- baking powder
- baking soda
- instant rise yeast
- cocoa powder
- semi-sweet chocolate
- vanilla extract
- walnuts
- pine nuts
- pecans
- dried rosemary
- thyme
- oregano
- cayenne pepper
- peanut butter
- coconut milk
- fruit jams
- hot chili powder
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- bay leaves
- paprika
- cumin
- coriander
- celery seed
- dill
- cinnamon powder
- nutmeg
- mustard powder
- oregano
- basil
- clove
- allspice
- crushed hot pepper flakes
- chicken and beef broth
- canned chickpeas
- canned diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- white rice
- bread crumbs
North American Pantry
- converted white rice
- bread flour
- cake flour
- white grits
- corn meal
- canola oil
- yellow mustard and deli mustard
- tomato ketchup
- molasses
- maple syrup
- corn syrup
- mayonnaise
- elbow macaroni
- dill pickle chips
- relish
- Worcestershire sauce
- bottled hot sauce (Tabasco, Crystal, etc.)
- liquid smoke
- clam juice
- canned green peppers
- corn kernels
- ancho chili powder
- hot chili powder
- creole spice mix
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
European Pantry
- Dark rye flour
- steel cut oats
- extra-virgin olive oil
- fish broth
- Dijon mustard
- wines for cooking (dry white and red, dry sherry, sweet Madeira or Marsala, cognac)
- San Marzano tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- Arborio rice
- Italian dried pastas
- semolina flour
- frozen puff pastry
- almonds
- marzipan
- poppy seeds
- chorizo
- salt cod
- dried porcini mushrooms
- hazelnuts
- canned tuna
- canned anchovies
- jarred pimentos
- cornichons
- saffron
- smoked paprika
- powder dill
- balsamic vinegar
- sherry vinegar
- capers
- prepared horseradish
- dried egg noodles
- jarred red cabbage
- curry powder
- baked beans
Latin American Pantry
- assorted dried chili peppers (guajillo, ancho, Arbollé, chipotle en adobo, habanero, scotch bonnet )
- annatto seeds
- Mexican oregano
- cinnamon sticks
- allspice
- coarse cornmeal
- masa harina
- adobo spice mix
- adobo paste
- sliced black olives
- dried or canned black beans and red kidney beans
- aji verde paste
- canned ackee
- saltfish (salted dried cod)
- tapioca flour
- round cassava root
- guava paste
- sweet condensed milk
- evaporated milk
- Mexican chocolate
- hulled pumpkin seeds
- mole pastes
- canned pineapple
- dark rum
Middle Eastern Pantry
- preserved lemons
- bulgur
- frozen phyllo dough
- couscous
- grape leaves
- pomegranate syrup
- honey
- rose water
- saffron
- tahini (sesame paste)
- sesame seeds
- pine nuts
- za’atar
- blanched almonds
- pistachio nuts
- dried and canned chickpeas
- red kidney beans
- black beans
- semolina flour
- dried mint
- ground Aleppo pepper
- Turkish oregano
- marjoram
- dried sumac
- fenugreek leaves
African Pantry
- palm oil
- peanut oil
- groundnuts (peanuts)
- dried kidney beans
- tamarind
- stock cubes
- curry powder
- dried hot chili peppers
- black-eyed peas
- coarse cornmeal
- dried cassava root
- lentils
- cashew nuts
Indian Pantry
- uli ghee (clarified butter)
- basmati rice
- dals (lentils, peas, beans)
- mustard oil
- jaggery (palm sugar)
- dried coconut
- cumin seeds
- black and green cardamom seeds
- fennel seeds
- mango chutney
- fenugreek seeds
- black mustard seeds
- curry leaves
- dried dandicut red peppers
- fresh green chilis (to freeze)
- cashew nuts
- golden raisins
- garam masala
The Asian Pantries
China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia share many of the same ingredients but each region has their own distinct style and unique ingredients:
Chinese Pantry
- peanut oil
- dried shrimp
- light and dark soy sauce
- toasted sesame oil
- Chinese sesame paste
- Shaoxing wine
- Chinkiang vinegar
- oyster sauce
- chili oil with flakes
- five-spice powder
- star anise
- fermented black beans
- sweet wheat paste
- Sichuan preserved vegetables
- Sichuan peppercorn
- wood ear dried mushroom
- doubanjiang hot bean paste
- wheat noodles
- Chinese sausage
- dumpling wrappers
- water chestnuts
- sliced bamboo shoots
- baby corn
- cassava bark
- dried hot chilis
- plum sauce
- hoisin sauce
- cornstarch
East Asian Pantry (Japan and Korea)
- soy sauce,
- dashi soup granules
- rice vinegar
- mirin (sweet cooking wine)
- sesame oil
- nori (dried seaweed)
- Japanese rice (sushi rice)
- rice cakes
- sweet potato starch
- wasabi powder
- miso paste
- 7 spice powder
- panko bread crumbs
- dried soba, udon, and ramen noodles
- toasted sesame seeds
- hot pepper paste (gochujang)
- hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
Southeast Asian Pantry
- jasmine rice
- fish sauce
- shrimp paste
- tamarind
- coconut milk
- thin and wide rice noodles and wrappers
- mung bean (“glass”) noodles
- rice vermicelli
- sriracha sauce
- sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
- palm sugar
- palm vinegar
- sambal
- red chili oil
- Thai curry pastes
- fresh Kaffir lime leaves (to freeze)
- fresh Thai red chilis ( to freeze)
- fresh lemongrass (to freeze)
- dried galangal root
- canned button mushrooms
- fried shallots
- crushed peanuts
- shrimp chips
- pho broth mix
- roasted rice powder
- candle nuts (macadamia)
- banana ketchup
- Thai iced tea leaves
- sweetened condensed milk
- sweet chili sauce
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