Mutti Triple-Concentrated Tomato Paste (2-Pack)
Mutti Tomato Paste is tomato paste as it was originally intended. Traditionally, this ingredient was made by drying tomato sauce on wooden boards in the sun; likewise, Mutti's modern version has a sun-dried flavor and caramelized richness reminiscent of molasses. Yet the tomato paste is not overly sweet—as tomatoes cook, their amino acids break down, which produces savory umami compounds. And unlike most tubed tomato pastes which are double-concentrated, this version is triple-concentrated, so a little goes a long way. We far prefer it to other tomato pastes in tubes, not to mention canned varieties that inevitably have a metallic taste from reacting with acidic tomato juice.
Yondu Vegetable Umami
We love finding new “magic” pantry ingredients from around the world that instantly boost flavor, and this Yondu is no exception. Fermented soybeans and a rich stock made from a robust blend of vegetables—including shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic and cabbage—yield a concentrate bursting with umami. Not only will it give you delicious savory vegetarian broth in the blink of an eye, it can also be used as a secret umami boost for everything from marinades to cooked grains. We love how it’s an easy-to-pour liquid (and not a paste, which can be harder to incorporate into dishes) and how deeply savory its flavor is compared to store-bought broths—which can taste too sweet from relying on carrots. It’s wonderfully earthy from alliums and mushrooms, yet remains balanced. And the yeast extract, a popular ingredient for boosting savoriness in vegan dishes (and for creating the distinctive flavor of Marmite), produces an incredibly rich, intensely savory character that complements the Yondu’s complex flavors perfectly.
Kyuemon Awase Dashi-Powdered Soup Stock
Savory, briny and packed with complexity, Kyuemon’s Awase Dashi Powdered Soup Stock is a perfect marriage between sweet and smoky flavor. Naturally made with just four ingredients—a rarity amongst other brands that contain artificial flavoring, preservatives and salt—this blend combines only dried bonito flakes from Kagoshima, dried sardines from Nagasaki, Japanese shiitake mushrooms and kelp from Hokkaido. One small seasoning sachet is all you need to create a clear, traditional Japanese dashi stock or use it to flavor stews, soups, simmered vegetables, pasta and more. We even like the powder on its own as a topping for rice and noodles or mixed into dumpling filling and soy sauce.