Two of the most common questions I get asked during class is "what are your must have kitchen tools or appliances?" and "which pantry items do you use the most?" Although this will be a little different for everybody, here are some of the items that I gravitate towards the most and that I firmly believe are useful for every home cook!
NINI'S ESSENTIALS
PANTRY ITEMS
Spices
These spices are things I always have on hand. Most of these come from my motherland, Vietnam. Some come from places that inspire me like the cayenne and the curry. This collection is a great start of a pantry to cook from Đặc Biệt!
Garlic/Onion
Fried Shallots & Garlic
So many dishes start with onions and garlic because they make everything good. Well, ending with fried garlic or fried shallots make everything even better! In the words of the great Ina Garten, store-bought is fine. I'm not especially brand loyal to any of the store-bought fried garlics, but as far as shallots are concerned, I like the Golden Cock Brand fried onions.
Fish Sauce
Megachef
My favorite brand for cooking with is Megachef... the blue bottle, which is the Vietnamese formula. For dipping or raw applications, I go with Red Boat.
Rice
Hom Mali rice comes with a green stamp on the package that certifies it's the real deal, in the same way genuine Parmesan cheese is labeled DOP. I like the Three Ladies Brand, both for their jasmine rice and sticky rice.
Salt
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Know that ALL of my recipes are made with kosher salt; never table salt. Please take that into account if trying to substitute table salt. You'll need about half of what the recipe calls for, or else you'll be like, damn, this chick needs to check her sodium levels.
Hot Sauce
Sriracha and Sambal
They're our go-to way of adding spice as the finishing element of dishes like noodles or soups. Sriracha tends to be a bit sweeter, and sambal is more acidic and full of seeds, and each has time and place. I love sriracha on just about anything but I love sambal whenever I want a Louisiana-style hot sauce, because it brings acidity and heat like its Louisiana counterpart.
Apron
Protect your clothes with flair and functionality. The pockets are great for holding tools, recipe cards, or even your phone for quick reference.
Spatula
Silicone Spatula
Its heat resistance makes it perfect for stirring sauces or scrambling eggs in a nonstick pan. You can also use it to spread batters evenly or to lift delicate items like poached eggs out of water without damaging them.
Scraper
Use it to transfer chopped vegetables, minced herbs, or meat from your cutting board to a pot or pan. It’s also great for portioning dough or butter and scraping off dried flour or bits stuck to your work surface.
Probe
Meat Probe Thermometer
Ideal for checking the temperature of meat, bread, custards, or even oil for frying.
Tester
Cake Tester
Perfect for testing doneness in fish, vegetables, or other delicate items—insert it and feel for resistance or warmth. It also works well for unclogging the nozzle of a condiment bottle or cleaning small crevices in kitchen gadgets.
Pot
Beyond soups and casseroles: It’s ideal for baking bread, simmering sauces, or cooking small portions of rice or grains. Use it to caramelize sugar or make stovetop desserts like puddings or custards, thanks to its even heat distribution.