Are you looking to spice up your cuisine with some new international flavors?
Well, you’re in luck. There’s no need to buy an expensive plane ticket somewhere exotic to find unique world flavors and give your tastebuds an incredible experience.
Try one of these seven mouth-watering condiments from around the world, and add a little culture to your pallet.
Seven Must-Try Condiments from Around the World
You may think you’ve tasted an exotic flavor with your sweet and sour chicken on New Year’s Eve, but you haven’t tasted anything yet.
Adding new flavors to your meals doesn’t have to take much work. You can spice things up with some toppings and condiments to give a basic meal an international spin.
1. Nam Jim Gal
If you’re a big fan of Thai food, (and honestly, who isn’t), you may have tasted this sweet and spicy chili sauce.
Nam Jim comes in a wide variety of tastes and is often used for dipping various Asian dishes. Grilled chicken, grilled pork, and even wontons are delicious when dipped in this syrupy dip.
Even seafood tastes better and gains an added zip with this flavor combination on top.
Depending on the type of sauce you buy or make from scratch, the ingredients will vary. Still, the basic ingredients in all versions include fish oil, bird’s eye chilies, lime juice, sugar, and garlic.
Serve this condiment with your next Asian meal for friends and you’re sure to impress, especially if you can pronounce it right.
2. Chutney
Gluten-free eaters will love this spicy condiment originating from India. The best part of this scrumptious sauce is that you can make it or buy it in different unique flavors.
Mint, cucumber, spicy coconut, peanut, yogurt, and always a touch of vinegar (English translation) are all possible flavors to choose from. But don’t stop there, you can find countless recipes or even try grinding your own take on this yummy condiment.
Chutney can accompany many foods, but it’s most common with chicken, rice, vegetables, or to dip bread. The possibilities are endless.
Find your favorite recipes and have fun giving your tastebuds a ride.
3. Lingonberry Jam
Love all things Swedish? Even if you don’t (or don’t know you do), lingonberry jam is not a polarising condiment.
It’s appetizing to almost everyone.
Lingonberries are native to Northern Europe. Countries like Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, and Latvia all use this sweet condiment on their meat dishes.
Swedish meatballs are a common dish served with a topping of lingonberry jam and for good reason.
The juicy, savory taste of the meatballs in combination with this famous “mountain cranberry” is near impossible to resist.
4. Salsa Lizano
Salsa Lizano is a Costa Rican original. It has a thin makeup and is made with salt, sugar, water, and various veggies you wouldn’t expect, such as carrots and cauliflower.
Use salsa lizano to top many famous Costa Rican dishes like Gallo Pinto. You also find it commonly used with other Nicaraguan and Central American dishes to add a pop of savory flavor.
You can get creative with this delicious take on salsa and add it to almost any favorite dish you top with other salsas. Try it on your burritos, tacos, or with tortilla chips.
It’s hard to go wrong with such an exciting new flavor.
5. Pesto
Ah, pesto. If you haven’t heard of this classic Italian condiment/sauce, you haven’t lived!
Originally from the beautiful city of Geno, this delicious sauce consists of crushed basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and hard cheese, (either parmesan or pecorino sardo).
Honestly, there is very little you can’t use pesto on. Some of the most common foods to top it with include pasta, pizza, chicken, bread. You can use a smattering of pesto with any Italian dish.
You can even get creative and replace typical Italian pasta with something containing fewer carbs such as spaghetti squash. Throw on some grilled chicken and pesto and voila! You’ve got yourself a healthier version of an amazingly flavorful Italian dish.
6. Hoisin Sauce
It’s mouthwatering to even talk about. Hoisin is a fragrant, and thick sauce used as a meat marinade or dipping sauce.
It is typically used in Asian cuisine with chicken or pork.
You may have tried it with Peking duck, Moo shu pork, or marinaded other meats for a savory dish.
The sauce has the following standard ingredients: fermented soybeans, white distilled vinegar, sugar, water, sesame seeds, red chili peppers and sometimes red sweet potatoes.
If you’re into Vietnamese food, hoisin sauce is also used to top the favorite soup dish, Pho, dip spring rolls, or marinade chicken.
7. Aioli
Is there any food item out of the Mediterranean region that isn’t amazing?
If you’re not so convinced, it’s time to give aioli a try.
For all the mayo lovers out there, aioli is like mayonnaise on steroids. The rich, creamy, garlic flavor is a great addition to almost anything you’d normally use mayonnaise for.
Think sandwiches, pasta salads, burgers, whatever! Like mayonnaise, aioli is made through the process of emulsification where two substances that normally don’t mix well combine during cooking.
The result? Pure condiment magic. Aioli not only brings a garlic taste to most sandwiches, but it also works with a variety of different flavor combinations.
You can step up your deviled eggs game by replacing boring old mayonnaise with flavorful aioli.
Adding Even More Culture to Your Life
Giving new condiments a try is a fun, easy, and less expensive way of adding some culture to your everyday life.
Not only does it allow you to broaden your own pallet, but you can impress your family and friends with your knowledge of international cuisine. Live life to the fullest by experiencing new things and sharing them with others.
