Pantry Raid: Sash Restaurant chef and owner Sash Simpson’s five essential kitchen supplies
We’re asking chefs to peer into their pantries and tell us their top shelf-stable essentials. Here are five staples that Sash Restaurant chef and owner Sash Simpson made sure to stock up on before we went into lockdown.
Madras curry
What kind: Lalah’s
Where he bought it: Danforth Food Market
What he does with it: “I use this to make concentrated curry oil. I roast one cup of Madras curry at 350°F for just under five minutes. Then I add two cups of hot vegetable oil to it, let it sit for 48 hours and then strain it. I might drizzle the oil on something like cumin-roasted cauliflower, or incorporate it into any type of curry.”
Garganelli pasta
What kind: La Bottega Della
Where he bought it: Harvest Wagon
What he does with it: “If you know me, you know I love pasta—especially garganelli or spaghettini in a pomodoro sauce with preserved chilis, lots of grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.”
Rice and black-eyed peas mix
What kind: Grace Where he bought it: Danforth Food Market What he does with it: “I keep this in my pantry because I have a lot of late nights, and—as many chefs will understand—sometimes I don’t eat all day. When I get home, I’ll just put this in a pot to simmer. It’s ready in five minutes and it’s delicious.”
Vegetarian biryani
What kind: Shan
Where he bought it: Iqbal Halal Foods
What he does with it: “The best biryani I’ve ever had was in India and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. I make lots of different kinds—chicken, beef, goat, fish—but my wife loves vegetarian ones. I just sauté vegetables with the seasoning mix and a bit of ghee before folding everything into some basmati rice.”
Instant polenta
What kind: Vita Sana Where he bought it: F & C Food Importing Inc. What he does with it: “I love instant cornmeal polenta with some sort of braised meat. I usually make this on Sundays in the winter when it’s really cold. It goes perfectly with a glass of red wine.”
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