The short answer: Soy sauce is the closest all-purpose substitute for the salty, savory backbone fish sauce provides, though it lacks fish sauce's distinct funk. Coconut aminos works similarly with less sodium and no
The Short Answer: Tomato sauce or puree, simmered down until thick, is the closest all-purpose substitute for tomato paste. Ketchup works in a pinch for small amounts, though it adds sugar and
The short answer: Vanilla bean, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla powder are the closest flavor matches to vanilla extract. Almond extract, maple syrup, honey, and a splash of bourbon, rum, or
The short answer: All-purpose flour, arrowroot powder, potato starch, tapioca starch, rice flour, ground flaxseed, xanthan gum, and guar gum all work as cornstarch substitutes. Grain starches like flour and
The short answer: It depends on what the wine is doing in the dish. For red wine, the closest substitutes are red wine vinegar diluted with water or stock, pomegranate juice, or beef or vegetable broth with a splash of
The Short Answer: For canned coconut milk in curries, soups, rice, and baking that needs richness, use coconut cream diluted with water for the closest flavor match, or heavy cream, half and half, cashew cream, evaporated
The short answer: Baking soda mixed with cream of tartar, vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt, or molasses can all stand in for baking powder. Self-rising flour and whipped egg whites work too, in the
The Short Answer: Greek yogurt, crème fraîche, buttermilk, plain yogurt, blended cottage cheese, ricotta, and kefir all work well. So do cream cheese, mayonnaise, cashew cream, and
The Short Answer: For cooked dishes like pan sauces, braises, and soffritto, mince a small amount of yellow onion with a little garlic to mimic a shallot's sweet, slightly garlicky flavor. For raw dishes like
The Short Answer: A cornstarch or flour slurry thickens any soup fast without changing the flavor. Pureed vegetables, potatoes, rice, and oats add body naturally and work in almost any brothy soup. Beans and silken tofu add both
The Short Answer: Greased aluminum foil, a silicone baking mat, and a greased pan all work for oven baking. So do nonstick cooking spray, cornmeal or flour dusting, butcher paper, and reusable
The Short Answer: Milk and butter, half and half, evaporated milk, coconut milk or coconut cream, cashew cream, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, blended silken tofu, and a milk and
