My Kitchen Pantry Basics: Canned food and non-perishable items
I'm continuing My Kitchen Pantry Basics series with a food category that is the least represented in my kitchen - canned food and non-perishables. You won't find much of it in my kitchen pantry because I try to avoid processed foods as much as possible and try to create alternatives from fresh ingredients. But some of the canned and non-perishable items are still convenient to have in stock either because I won't make them by myself or they are not very much processed. Here is the list of my few staples.
1. Coconut milk. I always have at least 1 can of full fat coconut milk in my pantry mainly because I absolutely love making and eating curries. But also, since I started experimenting with dairy- and sugar-free desserts, I've learnt that the full fat coconut milk is a must-have ingredient for most of them. I sometimes also keep a can of coconut cream, which I only use for desserts.
My most common use: curries, pureed soups, and desserts.
2. Canned chickpeas and beans. This is one of the items that I do prefer to cook myself from dry beans. It is especially the case because I can prepare them relatively quickly using the pressure cooker. However, because I do like to use chickpeas or beans in salads or curries, I still prefer to have a can in my pantry just in case.
My most common use: curries, stews, salads.
3. Marinated artichokes and hearts of palm. This in an example of canned / jar foods that I won't make at home by myself and, therefore, buy pre-made. I enjoy experimenting with my salads and really like the texture and flavor that marinated vegetables, in particular, artichokes and hearts of palm add to them.
My most common use: salads.
4. Canned corn and green peas. This is probably the least used canned item from the list because I would always prefer to have it cooked from fresh or frozen vegetables rather than from a can. But once again, corn or green peas (even if they come from a can when you run out of fresh ones) make a great addition to salad bowls.
My most common use: salads.
All the other items, such as tomato paste, pasta sauce, etc., I prefer making from scratch or just using chopped fresh veggies and their juices instead. And I very rarely buy them pre-made.
Are there any other canned and non-perishable foods that are must-haves in your kitchen pantry?