What to use instead

Best for sautéing and rustic cakes; adds a faint peppery finish.

Keeps quick breads tender and moist without extra grease.

Creams like butter in pastry; expect a mild coconut note.

Stand 10 minutes until curdled; the acid still activates soda.

Thicker crumb, excellent in pancakes and scones.

Holds a reduction beautifully in curries and tomato sauces.

Fine for sauces and soups; it will not whip.

Rest 5 minutes to gel. Ideal in muffins, cookies and loaves.

Adds moisture and a little sweetness; reduce sugar slightly.

Chickpea brine whips to soft peaks, the meringue substitute.

More protein, so expect chew, which is welcome in pizza, less in cake.

Blitz rolled oats fine; the crumb stays soft and slightly nutty.

Mix just before baking; it starts working on contact.

Reduce other liquid by the same amount.

Whisk together to rebuild the exact caramel depth.

Cut other liquid by 3 tbsp; browning happens faster.

Add early so they rehydrate in the cooking liquid.

Carries garlic and salt with it, so season at the end.

Bloom it in fat off the heat so it doesn't turn bitter.

Sweeter and gentler; good when garlic would dominate.

Restores the acidity that lifts a pan sauce.

Keeps longer than wine and brings extra herbal edge.

Gluten-free and rounder; the closest one-for-one swap.

Deeper savouriness. Whisk in at the end of cooking.

Rebuilds the sweet-smoky-hot triangle from pantry staples.

Sweeter and thicker; hold back a little sugar elsewhere.

Same heat family and fruitiness; remove seeds and membrane to tame the fire.

Serrano gives fresh green heat; cayenne adds the missing punch.

Add at the end for heat without changing the sauce's body.

Richer than milk; thin to the consistency of single cream.

Works in baking; lacks the fat silkiness of real coconut milk.

Stir into wet ingredients; the heat is sharper and less bright.

Jarred paste is convenient; reduce other liquid slightly.

Piney and more peppery; common in Trinidadian Chinese-inspired dishes.

Use a fresh, unopened bottle; older bottles taste flat and metallic.

Lemon is sharper; the tiny pinch of sugar nudges it toward lime's sweetness.

For marinades where only the acid is essential.

Rebuilds the oak and caramel depth of a dark rum.

Non-alcoholic; use in cakes and fruitcakes where rum is background flavour.

Blitz into a paste; gives sour-sweet body close to tamarind.

Tart and fruity; less sweet, so add a touch of sugar if needed.

The classic blend that mimics allspice's warm trio.

Close in baking; contains allspice already, so it leans sweet.

Puerto Rican cousin; heavier on cilantro and less on culantro.

Pulse in a blender; season the dish to taste after cooking.

Milder and more citrusy; use more leaves for the same earthy punch.

Celery seed adds the savoury, slightly bitter edge culantro brings.

Add earlier in the cook so the woody strands soften.

Earthy and slightly minty; good in long simmers.

Much sweeter and softer; lime pulls back the candy notes.

Starchier and less sweet; roast or fry until caramelised.

Starchy and mild; boil or fry the same way.

Denser and nuttier; excellent boiled or fried into chips.

Wilt-friendly and mild; use a large volume because it cooks down.

Sturdy leaves with a similar earthiness; trim tough stems.

Peppery and assertive; use half if you want a milder dish.

Potato is creamier; the coconut milk echoes breadfruit's faint sweetness.

Wetter and softer; roast uncovered to drive off moisture.

Use a starchy variety like russet; mash or fry similarly.

Sweeter and softer; bake rather than boil to keep it intact.

Paprika gives the red; turmeric gives the yellow-orange glow.

Pricey and different in flavour; use only if colour is the goal.

Pre-ground nutmeg is more concentrated; scale back a little.

The lace around nutmeg; warmer and slightly peppery.