You have cooked the rice, fried the egg and arranged everything nicely on a plate. Somehow, dinner still tastes exactly like the amount of effort you had left after work.
A well-chosen condiment can add crunch, savoury depth or a fragrant finishing touch to familiar dishes. These 10 finds give you more ways to make an ordinary home-cooked meal feel worth sitting down for.
TAIS’ Kitchen SHIOK! Chilli Crisp
TAIS’ Kitchen’s SHIOK! chilli crisp combines crispy shallots, smoked paprika, garlic and sunflower seeds. The Spanish-inspired blend brings smokiness and crunch, making it particularly useful when your meal needs texture as well as heat.
Spoon some over eggs, steamed fish or a rice bowl just before serving. Try including both the crunchy bits and the oil so you get a more even spread of flavour.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/3B87QipwUu
CHNG Kee’s Sambal Belacan Chilli Paste
CHNG Kee’s sambal belacan chilli paste contains chilli, dried shrimp, garlic, lemongrass and other aromatics. It gives you a ready-made starting point for the spicy, savoury flavours associated with a good plate of sambal kangkong.
Use it to stir-fry vegetables or serve a little alongside your meal as a dipping sauce. It is especially handy for weeknight cooking when pounding a fresh spice paste would require a level of commitment you have already used up at the office.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/5VW2D2pfay
Futaba Nori Goma Furikake
Futaba’s nori goma furikake is a Japanese seasoning featuring seaweed and sesame seeds. A sprinkle adds nutty flavour, a little crunch and flecks of colour to plain rice.
Try it over a bowl of rice with salmon, cucumber and an egg, or mix it into cooked rice before shaping onigiri. It is a useful finishing touch when the main ingredients are already cooked and you want to add something extra without turning the stove back on.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/905uNVR9qT
Kewpie Roasted Sesame Dressing
Kewpie’s roasted sesame dressing brings a creamy texture and nutty sesame flavour to salads, meat dishes and steamboat dipping sauces. That versatility makes it useful beyond the occasional bowl of lettuce.
Toss it with cucumber and shredded chicken for a quick side dish, or drizzle it over roasted vegetables before serving. Start with a small amount and add more as needed so the dressing coats your ingredients without overwhelming them.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/W7MFwxCrP
Aroma Truffle Truffle Hot Sauce
Aroma Truffle’s hot sauce combines chilli heat with truffle flavour, with garlic and vinegar among its ingredients. It is a useful option for adding a spicy, aromatic finish to wings, noodles or pizza.
Try mixing a little into mayonnaise for a dip to serve with fries or roasted potato wedges. Your air fryer may have done most of the cooking, but the sauce gives you something more interesting to put on the table.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/9APKZutJFs
Lee Kum Kee Seafood XO Sauce
Lee Kum Kee’s seafood XO sauce contains dried scallop, dried shrimp, chilli and spices. Those seafood ingredients add concentrated savoury flavour to fried rice, noodles, tofu and stir-fried dishes.
Try stirring a spoonful through fried rice with egg and spring onion, then taste before adding other seasonings. It also works as a condiment alongside a meal, letting everyone add their preferred amount.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/4VdV1NgVcJ
O’Food Gochujang
O’Food gochujang is a fermented Korean chilli paste with spicy, sweet and savoury flavours. Its thick consistency makes it useful as a base for marinades, stews and sauces.
For a simple rice-bowl sauce, try loosening a little with water and mixing in sesame oil and a touch of vinegar. Spoon it over cooked vegetables, rice and an egg, then mix everything together so the seasoning reaches each bite.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/7VH6ax787v
Ajinomoto Umami Seasoning
Ajinomoto’s umami seasoning is monosodium glutamate, better known as MSG, which adds savoury depth to food. The crystals dissolve into dishes, making it easy to incorporate into soups, stir-fries and other everyday cooking.
Try a small pinch when a dish needs a fuller savoury taste, then taste and adjust. It earns its place through what it does for dinner, even if the packaging is unlikely to inspire a dramatic unboxing video.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/W7MG8VoJj
Tartufi Jimmy Sea Salt With Truffle
Tartufi Jimmy’s sea salt with truffle combines salt with pieces of summer truffle. It adds seasoning and truffle aroma together, making it an easy finishing touch for meat, fish or vegetables.
Try a light sprinkle over freshly cooked potatoes or scrambled eggs just before serving. Account for it when salting the rest of the dish, particularly if you are also using salty ingredients such as cheese.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/113cr6tIfj
S&B Crunchy Garlic Chilli Oil
S&B’s crunchy garlic chilli oil combines fried garlic, chilli oil and chilli paste for a savoury topping with texture. The standard version is described as mild, making it worth considering if you enjoy garlic and a gentler level of heat.
Spoon it over tofu, toss it through noodles or serve it with dumplings. Add it near serving time when you want the crunchy pieces to provide contrast against softer ingredients.
Get it on Shopee here: https://s.shopee.sg/9APKaDM88A
