2017 Jan 5
by Harshini Fernando
What’s Cooking Good Looking? We all know the hassle of going through delightful recipes and having the ingredients written right in front of us, but not having the resources to make them. So here’s a roundup of the substitutes that can be found in our trusty mother Lanka for all those evasive food items.
The following list is dedicated to the badagini hamudawa.
| Ingredient | Substitute |
| Allspice (1 tsp) | 1 tsp. cinnamon + 1/8 tsp. ground cloves. |
| Apple Pie Spice | 4 parts cinnamon + 1 part nutmeg + 1 part ginger. |
| Arugula | Baby spinach |
| Asparagus | Broccoli, green beans |
| Blue cheese | Feta cheese |
| Bouquet Garni | Equal measures of thyme + parsley + crushed bay leaf. |
| Capers (1 tbsp) | 1 Tbsp chopped green olives. |
| Cayenne Pepper | Red pepper flakes, chilli powder |
| Chili Seasoning | 2 parts chilli powder + 1 part paprika. |
| Fish sauce | Soy sauce |
| Garam marsala (1 tbsp) | 1/2 tsp ground cumin + 1/2 tsp ground coriander + 1/2 tsp ground black pepper + 1/2 tsp ground cardamom + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ground cloves (toast spices just before using) |
| Ginger-root, grated or finely chopped (1 tsp) | 3/4 tsp ground ginger. |
| Harissa (1 tbsp) | Chilli paste, 1 to 3 tsp hot sauce |
| Honeydew melon | Watermelon |
| Italian seasoning (2 tsp) | 1 tsp dried oregano + 1/2 tsp dried basil + 1/2 tsp dried thyme |
| Kale | Turnip greens, spinach |
| Lemongrass (1 stalk) | 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest + 1/8 minced fresh ginger |
| Lima beans | Green peas, chickpeas, red kidney peas |
| Majoram | Sweet basil |
| Paprika | Chilli powder |
| Pumpkin Pie Spice | 4 parts cinnamon + 2 parts ginger + 1 part nutmeg + 1 part allspice + dash of cloves. |
| Quinoa | Couscous |
| Rosemary | Basil, oregano |
| Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp) | 1 Tbsp finely chopped blanched almonds. |
| Tomato Paste (1/2 cup) | 1 cup tomato sauce cooked uncovered till reduced to 1/2 cup. |
| Wine
– Red (1 cup) – White (1 cup) |
1 cup apple cider or beef broth.1 cup apple juice, apple cider or chicken broth. |
Baking & Making
| Buttermilk/Sour Milk (1 cup) | 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using. Or use 1 cup plain yogurt. |
| Unsweetened chocolate (1 square) | 3 Tbsp baking cocoa + 1 Tbsp shortening or margarine. |
| Corn Syrup
– Light (1 cup) – Dark (1 cup) |
1 cup sugar + 1/4 cup water.1 cup maple-flavored syrup. |
| Heavy Cream (1 cup) | 2/3 cup milk + 1/3 cup butter. |
| Evaporated milk (1 cup) | 2 1/4 cups whole milk, simmered until reduced to 1 cup |
| Flour
– Self-rising (1 cup) – Oat |
1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt. 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oatmeal, ground in blender |
| Molasses (1 cup) | 1/2 cup honey (flavor will be milder). |
| Sour Cream (1 cup) | 1 cup plain yogurt. |
| Vanilla bean (1 8-inch pod) | 2 to 3 tsp vanilla extract |
Hope your culinary frustrations have been put to rest!
If there are any other substitutions missed out in the above list, please share your ideas with us in the comments.
Happy cooking!
