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Around the World in Five Ingredients

(how to win friends + influence people)

The following is a guideline for people who want to elevate their cooking skills to the next level, or for those who are bored and want to spice it up. Some ingredients are perhaps new to your kitchen, so Google an unfamiliar ingredient, try to find it online or at a local ethnic food shop, and dive in. A handful of basic ingredients elevated with regional herbs, spices, and aromatics can support us in sticking to the WPF diet and lifestyle for life. At the very least, your culinary confidence, creativity, and cool-factor will soar. So get out your chef knife and cutting board! What's for supper tonight?

ON THIS PAGE: 

North American / Asian / Mediterranean / European / Latin + Caribbean / Other / Five Ingredient Fun in KidZone

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North American

West Coast: 

 

  • artichokes, olives, avocados, almonds, oranges

  • sage, rosemary, cilantro, chili peppers, garlic (fun factoid: Gilroy, CA is the garlic capital of the world)

 

East Coast: 

 

  • apples, walnuts, celery, carrots, onions

  • old bay, everything bagel spice, bay laurel, garlic, peppercorn

 

South: 

 

  • collard greens, tomatoes, okra, potatoes, black-eyed peas

  • (sassafras) file, garlic, paprika, celery seed, Cajun seasoning

 

Midwest: 

 

  • apples, celery, corn, potatoes, cauliflower 

  • peppercorn, caraway, mustard powder, dill, parsley

 

Southwest: 

 

  • pinto beans, tomatoes, avocados, corn, squash

  • cilantro, chilis, cayenne, garlic, oregano

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Asian

Chinese - Szechuan: 

 

  • green onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, tofu 

  • Szechuan pepper, Chinese five spice, rice vinegar, tamari or soy sauce, garlic 

 

Chinese - Cantonese:

 

  • bok choy, Chinese cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, snow peas

  • green onion, ginger, coriander, rice vinegar, sugar (use WPF date syrup or light maple syrup)

 

Thai:

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  • eggplant, cucumber, bean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, green papaya

  • galangal root, Thai basil, garlic, lemon grass, cilantro

 

Indian:
 

  • spinach, pumpkins, tomatoes, lentils, potatoes

  • curry, cardamom, coriander, garlic, turmeric

 

 

Japanese:

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  • daikon radish, enoki mushrooms, kabocha, sweet potatoes, soba noodles

  • shichimi togarashi, wakame, rice vinegar, yuzu ponzu, nori

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Mediterranean

Greek:

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  • tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, green bell peppers

  • oregano, mint, garlic, onion, dill

 

Turkish:
 

  • cucumbers, arugula, artichokes, eggplant, tomatoes

  • oregano, red pepper flakes, sumac, mint, paprika
     

Lebanese:
 

  • cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, chickpeas, bulgur wheat

  • parsley, mint, oregano, rosemary, za’atar spice
     

Tunisian:
 

  • bell peppers, carrots, celery, turnips, tomatoes

  • saffron, caraway, fennel seed, oregano, cumin
     

Moroccan:
 

  • pumpkins, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, couscous

  • ras el hanout, onions, paprika, anise or fennel, cumin

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European

German
 

  • apples, cabbage (green and red), potatoes, carrots, kohlrabi

  • onions, caraway, vinegars, juniper berries, horseradish
     

French
 

  • green beans (haricot vert), eggplant (aubergine), fennel, fingerling potatoes, cabbage (green and savoy)

  • shallots, garlic, herbs of Provence, tarragon, chervil
     

Spanish
 

  • potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, asparagus, artichokes

  • onions, garlic, saffron, oregano, pimentón
     

Italian
 

  • tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, radicchio, figs

  • basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage
     

Eastern European
 

  • apples, cabbage (green and red), eggplant, barley, beets

  • za’atar, saffron, khmeli suneli, chaimen, paprika

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Latin + Caribbean

Mexican
 

  • tomatoes, pumpkin, corn, potatoes, tomatillos

  • cilantro, chili peppers and powders, Mexican oregano, garlic, epazote
     

Jamaican
 

  • okra, cassava, chayote squash, plantains, mangos

  • allspice, jerk seasoning, paprika, cinnamon, ginger
     

Cuban
 

  • potatoes, plantains, tomatoes, bell peppers, black beans

  • oregano, bay laurel, garlic, cumin, lemon
     

Brazilian
 

  • yams, manioc (cassava), arugula, green beans, rice

  • garlic, annatto (red), cumin, cilantro, chili peppers
     

Peruvian
 

  • potatoes, taro root, quinoa, lima beans, tomatoes

  • huacatay, oregano, garlic, tamari or soy sauce, chili peppers 

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Other

Scandinavian
 

  • carrots, broccoli, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, peas

  • dill, horseradish, mustard seed, caraway, anise or fennel
     

African
 

  • cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, black-eyed peas

  • za’atar, cumin, ras el hanout, saffron, garlic
     

Indonesian
 

  • potatoes, tempeh, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage

  • peanut (sauce), turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, tamarind
     

Korean
 

  • Chinese cabbage, spinach, mushrooms, cucumber, sweet potatoes

  • gochujang (paste), garlic, ginger, green onion, rice vinegar
     

Persian
 

  • pomegranates, fava beans, green beans, spinach, eggplant

  • mint, coriander, fenugreek, parsley, advieh

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