Condiments

Last Updated on 14 July 2025 by Adrienne

Remoulade

Ingredients

• 250ml mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp capers, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• paprika and chopped spring onion for garnish (optional)

Mix all the ingredients except the paprika and spring onion together. Garnish with paprika and spring onion.

Mustard and Sour Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 250ml sour cream
• 125ml mayonnaise
• 60ml Dijon mustard
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 dash of hot sauce
• salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together.

Gremolata

Gremolata is an Italian condiment served with various dishes, but especially osso buco.

Ingredients

• 30g Italian flat parsley, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Guacamole

An easy and authentic guacamole recipe, often served with nachos or on top of Mexican soups or stews.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe avocados
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced (if possible, try to use fleshy tomatoes without a lot of juice)
• 3 Tbsp of finely chopped coriander
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely minced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt

Peel the avocados and remove the pit. Mash the avocados until you get the consistency you like.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Adjust the seasoning with the salt and black pepper.

Café de Paris Butter

Café de Paris butter was first served in the 1940s at the Café de Paris restaurant in Geneva. There are many different variations but the key ingredients are usually citrus, herbs, curry powder and anchovies – not a combination that sounds very compatible but this flavoured butter is delicious.

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 Tsp vegetable oil
• ¼ onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic
• 100ml parsley leaves
• 100ml basil leaves
• 50ml thyme leaves
• 100ml tarragon leaves
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp orange juice
• ½ tsp orange zest
• 2 tsp medium curry powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 egg yolk
• 5 anchovy fillets
• ½ tsp capers, rinsed
• 2 tsp cognac or brandy
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground ginger

Instructions

Heat the oil and cook the onion and curry powder over low heat until soft and translucent.

Process with rest of the ingredient until just combined.

Roll butter into a 5cm diameter log, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. This also freezes very well.

Nước Chấm (Vietnamese Fish Sauce)

This dipping sauce is normally used with fried fish, grilled pork, egg rolls, spring rolls and many other dishes. The original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp castor sugar
• 1½ Tbsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bird’s eye / Thai chilli finely sliced

Instructions

Mix the water and sugar in bowl until the the sugar is dissolved.

Add the lime / lemon juice a bit at a time until you are happy with the taste. It should taste like lemonade.

Add the fish sauce little by little. It should be on the strong side as this dipping sauce is often used with unseasoned food.

Top with garlic and chillis.

Notes

If you are struggling to dissolve the sugar, heat up a ⅓ of the water, dissolve the sugar and then add the rest of the water.

Salsa Verde

The are many, many varieties of salsa verde or green sauce, but I find this recipe of Yotam Ottolenghi to be the most versatile.

Ingredients

• 10g parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 10g basil leaves, finely chopped
• 5g mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp capers (rinsed if salted, drained if brined), finely chopped
• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 3 Tbsp olive oil

Method

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and let it rest for at least an hour before serving. You can make this at the most a day ahead. Do not use a food processor as you want a rustic looking appearance.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a condiment used in Argentinian and Uruguayan cuisine and mostly served with grilled meat. I found this authentic recipe here.

Ingredients

• 100ml olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 100ml finely chopped parsley
• 4 cloves garlic , finely chopped or minced
• 1 red chili, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and let it rest for at least 2 hours before serving. Do not use a food processor.

Dukkah / Duqqa

Dukkah (also known as duqqa) is an Egyptian nut, seed and spice blend, mostly enjoyed with bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but also used as a sprinkle over certain dishes. There are many varieties out there, a lot of them claiming to be authentic and the real thing.

Ingredients

• 60g hazelnuts
• 10g pine nuts (optional)
• 30g almonds
• 30g pistachio nuts, shelled
• ½ Tbsp fennel seeds
• 30ml black sesame seeds
• 45ml white sesame seeds
• 30ml cumin seeds
• 30ml coriander seeds
• ½ Tbsp kosher salt
• 15ml mixed peppercorns (or green/black peppercorns)
• ½ Tbsp dried origanum
• 15ml paprika
• 2 allspice berries
• 5ml cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

Using a dry pan, roast the peppercorns and allspice for 1 minute. Add the coriander and roast for another minute. Add the fennel and cumin and roast for another minute. Put the contents of the pan in a pestle and mortar, and grind it into a fine powder.

Using a dry pan, roast the hazelnuts and almonds for 2 minutes. Add the pistachios and roast it for another 2 minutes. Add the pine nuts and roast for another minute. Using a pestle and mortar or a stick blender, grind the contents of the pan into a rough mixture. Do not over grind / blend as you still want some texture in the dukkah.

Using a dry pan, roast the sesame seeds for 1 minute.

Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush, also spelled baba ganoush or baba ghanouj, is an eggplant-based dip normally served as part of a meze with bread. The recipe I worked off can be found here.

Ingredients

• 2 medium to small aubergines / eggplant
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 Tbsp tahini paste
• 2 Tbsp flat leave parsley, chopped
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 80ml olive oil

Method

Cut the aubergines in half, length wise and brush the cut side with olive oil. Grill the aubergines in an oven, over an open fire or in an air fryer until the flesh is very soft.

Scoop the flesh out into a sieve and let it cool down a bit. Discard the skin. Squash the flesh slightly with a spoon to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl

Add the garlic and lemon juice and stir vigorously or use a stick blender. Add the tahini and mix well. Then slowly add the oil oil while stirring. Keep on stirring until the mixture is creamy.

If possible, let it settle for a couple of hours before serving.

Ottolenghi’s Almond Dressing (for Lamb)

I found this recipe here. This is a brilliant dressing for any red meat, but it is especially good with lamb.

Ingredients

• 100ml olive oil
• 175g almonds
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp honey
• ½ tsp orange flavouring (this is optional and the original recipe uses orange blossom water)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, freshly ground
• 10g mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

Heat 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan and add the almonds. Cook until the nuts are golden brown, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat and let the nuts cool down a bit.

Put the nuts in a food processor (or use a stick blender) and roughly blend the nuts – not too much as you still want some texture in the sauce.

In a small bowl, mix the nuts, zest, juice, honey, orange flavouring, salt, pepper and the remaining olive oil. Set it aside.

Mix the fresh herbs with the sauce just before serving.

Zhoug

Zhoug, also known as zhug, skhug, sahawiq, bisbas or ma’boo is a bright, spicy coriander (cilantro) sauce originating in Yemeni cuisine and often served with stews and soups.

Ingredients

• 45g coriander
• 2 hot green chillies, trimmed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp water
• a pinch of salt

Method

To make the zhoug, blend all the ingredients until smooth. Cover and use as needed.

“Hellman’s” Mayonnaise

I got this recipe directly from Drizzle & Dip and all the credit must go to Sam Linsell for this recipe to make a copycat Hellman’s mayonnaise.

Ingredients

• 1 whole free range-egg
• 1½ tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1½ tsp white wine vinegar
• ½ tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 200ml sunflower or canola oil

Instructions

Crack the egg into the stick blender container and add all the seasonings.

Position the stick blender directly over the egg, ensuring the blades make contact with the egg. Gradually pour the oil into the jug.

With the stick blender held down, start blending at a high speed and wait for the emulsion to begin forming. This usually happens quickly after blending begins. As soon as the emulsion starts, slowly lift the blender slightly to incorporate more oil.

As the mayonnaise thickens and becomes well emulsified (there might still be some unmixed oil), move the immersion blender up and down to fully incorporate the remaining oil.

Once your mayonnaise reaches a thick and well-blended consistency, taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preference.

Transfer the mayonnaise to a sealed jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Thai Peanut Sauce (Satay)

Peanut sauce has its origins in Indonesian cuisine and is often referred to as “bumbu kacang” in Indonesia. In the United States and some other Western countries, what is commonly known as peanut sauce is similar to the satay sauce served with satay, a popular Indonesian dish of skewered and grilled meats. The association of peanut sauce with Thai cuisine might be due to its popularity in Thai restaurants and its use in dishes like chicken satay.

Ingredients

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2-3 Tbsp warm water (adjust for desired consistency)
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger until well combined.
Add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, and whisk until you reach your desired consistency. The warm water helps to achieve a smoother and dippable consistency.
Taste the dip and adjust the flavors to your liking. If you prefer a bit of heat, add crushed red pepper flakes.
Once well mixed, let the dip sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Serving

Pour some sauce into a bowl. Sprinkle with some peanuts – stir some through if you want
Pile satay skewers onto a platter, sprinkle with remaining peanuts, coriander and chilli.
Serve with sauce on the side for dipping. Add a side of Jasmine Rice or Thai Fried Rice to complete the meal.

Tempura Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)

Tentsuyu is a versatile dipping sauce in Japanese cuisine, commonly paired with tempura, a dish consisting of battered and deep-fried seafood or vegetables. The sauce is a fundamental component, adding a savory and umami-rich flavor to the light and crispy tempura. Typically made from a combination of dashi (a Japanese stock), soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), and sometimes sugar, Tentsuyu strikes a delicate balance between sweet, salty, and savory notes. Some variations may include grated daikon radish or minced green onions for added freshness. Tentsuyu enhances the dining experience by providing a complementary and flavorful element to the delightful textures of tempura.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock) (if you are using dash powder, mix 1 tsp of dashi powder with 180ml water)
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 inches daikon radish (grated, lightly squeezed of liquid; optional)

Instructions

Combine ¾ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock), 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp mirin, and 2 tsp sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring it to a simmer and let the sugar dissolve completely. Turn off the heat and let it cool before pouring the sauce into a mason jar.

Serving

Warm the Tentsuyu and serve in a small individual bowl alongside your favorite tempura. If desired, grate 2 inches daikon radish and gently squeeze out most of the liquid; serve a small portion to add to the sauce, as you like.

Simple Salsa

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped (optional and adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, and jalapeño peppers (optionaL).

Add the chopped cilantro and lime juice to the mixture.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Let the salsa sit for about 15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld, then serve.

Spicy Salmon Sashimi Salad

This recipe is inspired by Pai’s Hot Thai Kitchen, who originally took inspiration from the Bangkok restaurant Jeh O Chula. Her recipe can be found here.

In Thai, this dish is called yum pla salmon sod, which translates to raw salmon salad. As Pai mentions, it’s not a traditional Thai salad, and salmon isn’t a typical ingredient in Thai cuisine, but the flavours are uniquely bold and refreshing.

The dish mainly consists of two components: the salmon and the dipping sauce, Nam Jim Seafood.

Ingredients:

Nam Jim Seafood

• 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 3 red Thai chilies, trimmed (adjust quantity for desired spice level; 3 chilies is medium spicy)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1½ tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped and packed
• ⅛ tsp fine salt

Salad

• 200g fresh, high-quality salmon, cut into 2.5 cm x 1 cm pieces
• 15 fresh mint leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ lime, thinly sliced

Method

Nam Jim Seafood

Add all the Nam Jim Seafood ingredients to a blender or food processor.

Blend just until there are no large chunks left; small bits of herbs and chili should still be visible for texture.

Salad Assembly

Place the salmon pieces in a mixing bowl.

Pour the Nam Jim Seafood dressing over the salmon, tossing gently to coat each piece.

Arrange the dressed salmon on a serving plate and garnish with mint leaves, garlic slices, and lime slices.

Serve immediately or within 20 minutes to keep the salmon fresh and prevent it from ‘cooking’ in the lime juice.