Ingredient substitute finder

1. Soy sauce, miso and sugar
   Soy sauce with a little miso and a touch of sugar. It gets partway there, without the same fermented depth.

More detail: our black bean sauce guide.

1. Make your ownClosest
   1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground star anise, 1 tsp ground fennel seeds, half a tsp ground cloves and half a tsp ground Sichuan pepper (or black pepper).
2. Allspice plus star anise
   Allspice with a pinch of ground star anise. The closest single jar.
3. Garam masala
   Use two thirds of the amount. Different, but it shares the cinnamon and clove base.
4. Star anise on its own
   Ground fine, a quarter of the amount. It is strong, so go carefully.

More detail: our chinese five spice guide.

1. Balsamic plus rice vinegarClosest
   Equal parts. The closest match for colour and mellow sourness.
2. Plain rice vinegar
   Lighter in colour and sharper, but fine in most cooked dishes.
3. Cider vinegar with a splash of soy sauce
   Adds some colour and depth.

More detail: our chinkiang black vinegar guide.

1. Instant dashi powder
   A fast shortcut for a quick stock. Western fish stock is not a good swap, as it is heavier and tastes of fish bones.

More detail: our dashi guide.

1. Miso
   Works in a pinch. Milder and sweeter, so a stew will taste noticeably different.

More detail: our doenjang guide.

1. Black bean sauce
   Use about twice as much jarred sauce, and cut back other salty seasoning.

More detail: our fermented black beans guide.

1. Vegan fish sauceClosest
   Same amount. Seaweed based, and the closest option.
2. Soy sauce plus lime
   1 tbsp soy sauce with a good squeeze of lime.
3. Light soy sauce plus rice vinegar
   3 parts soy sauce to 1 part rice vinegar.
4. Worcestershire sauce
   Use half the amount. It contains anchovy, so it has real fishy depth.
5. Miso thinned with water
   A different taste, but it brings the same savoury weight.

More detail: our fish sauce guide.

1. Frozen or dried galangalClosest
   Frozen: the same amount as fresh. Dried powder: 1 tsp for every 2 cm of fresh.
2. Fresh ginger plus lime zest
   Two thirds of the amount, in ginger, plus a strip of lime zest. The best supermarket answer.
3. Ginger plus black pepper
   A pinch of ground black pepper stands in for the sharpness.
4. Ginger on its own
   Two thirds of the amount. Sweeter and rounder.
5. Galangal paste
   Handy, but often diluted, so taste as you go.

More detail: our galangal guide.

1. MochikoClosest
   Yes. Mochiko is a Japanese glutinous rice flour and works the same way.
2. Not regular rice flour
   Regular rice flour bakes up crumbly and will not make a chewy dough.

More detail: our glutinous rice flour guide.

1. Kashmiri chilli powderClosest
   Same amount. The colour and mild heat both match.
2. Aleppo pepper
   Same amount. Fruity and mild, a little coarser.
3. Sweet paprika plus cayenne
   4 parts paprika to 1 part cayenne.
4. Gochujang
   For sauces only, not dry rubs. It is a wet paste with sugar in it.
5. Crushed chilli flakes
   Last resort. Use a third of the amount and expect more heat.

More detail: our gochugaru guide.

1. Homemade mixClosest
   2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp rice vinegar and a small crushed garlic clove.
2. Oyster sauce plus honey
   3 parts oyster sauce to 1 part honey. Less garlicky.
3. Barbecue sauce, soy sauce and five spice
   Rough, but recognisable.

More detail: our hoisin sauce guide.

1. Dark soy sauce plus sugar
   Simmer dark soy sauce with palm sugar or dark brown sugar until it thickens a little. Keep the heat low, as sugar burns fast and turns bitter.

More detail: our kecap manis guide.

1. Regular mayonnaise plus rice vinegar
   A dash of rice vinegar stirred in makes it a little closer. Milder and less tangy.

More detail: our kewpie mayonnaise guide.

1. Lemon zest plus gingerClosest
   Zest of 1 lemon and a slice of ginger for every 2 stalks. The closest overall.
2. Lemongrass paste
   Start with 1 tsp per stalk, taste, and add more. Brands vary in strength.
3. Dried lemongrass
   About 1 tsp per stalk, soaked in warm water first. Weaker and flatter.
4. Makrut lime leaves
   2 leaves per stalk. A different citrus, from the same cuisine.
5. Lemon zest on its own
   Works at a push. Thinner, with none of the warmth.

More detail: our lemongrass guide.

1. Lime zest
   Gives some citrus taste, but not the floral smell of the leaves.

More detail: our makrut lime leaves guide.

1. Dry sherry plus sugarClosest
   For each 1 tbsp mirin: 1 tbsp dry sherry with half a tsp sugar. The closest common swap.
2. Sake plus sugar
   The same ratio, a little cleaner in taste.
3. Rice vinegar plus sugar
   The alcohol free option. Use a little less, as it is sharper.
4. Dry white wine plus sugar
   Works, but more acidic.

More detail: our mirin guide.

1. Mushroom stir fry sauceClosest
   Same amount. Made for this job and widely sold.
2. Hoisin plus soy sauce
   3 parts hoisin to 1 part soy sauce. Sweeter, so ease off other sugar.
3. Soy sauce plus sugar
   1 tbsp soy sauce with half a tsp brown sugar. Thinner, but close in taste.
4. Fish sauce plus sugar
   Use half the amount. Sharper and saltier.
5. Dark soy sauce
   Gives the colour and depth, but none of the sweetness.

More detail: our oyster sauce guide.

1. Red curry paste plus peanut butter
   Stir a spoon of peanut butter into red curry paste. Thinner and less nutty, but close.

More detail: our panang curry paste guide.

1. Torn white bread, driedClosest
   Crustless white bread, torn rather than blitzed, dried at 140C for 15 minutes.
2. Crushed rice crackers
   Very close in texture.
3. Crushed cornflakes
   Crunchy and a little sweet.

More detail: our panko breadcrumbs guide.

1. White wine vinegar, dilutedClosest
   3 parts vinegar to 1 part water, plus a small pinch of sugar.
2. Cider vinegar, diluted
   The same way. A little fruitier.
3. Lemon or lime juice
   For dressings, in a pinch.
4. Not malt vinegar
   Too strong for sushi rice.

More detail: our rice vinegar guide.

1. Tahini plus neutral oilClosest
   2 parts oil to 1 part tahini. The same sesame taste, a bit thicker.
2. Toasted sesame seeds in oil
   Toast 1 tbsp seeds, crush them, and stir into 2 tbsp neutral oil. The closest homemade option.
3. Perilla oil
   Korean, nutty and fragrant. A different taste that does the same job.
4. Walnut or hazelnut oil
   Use half the amount and add it off the heat.
5. Avoid
   Olive oil, chilli oil, coconut oil and butter all fight the flavour of the dish.

More detail: our sesame oil (toasted) guide.

1. Dry sherryClosest
   Same amount. The usual swap in British kitchens.
2. Dry white vermouth
   Same amount. A little more herbal.
3. Sake
   Cleaner and less nutty, but it does the same job.
4. Alcohol free
   White grape juice and rice vinegar, 3 parts juice to 1 part vinegar.

More detail: our shaoxing wine guide.

1. Black pepper plus citrus zest
   Closer in taste, but nothing else gives the numbing tingle.

More detail: our sichuan peppercorns guide.

1. Sambal oelek plus sugarClosest
   Similar chilli heat. Add a pinch of sugar.
2. Gochujang thinned with vinegar
   Sweet and hot, with a different taste.
3. Hot sauce, sugar, garlic and vinegar
   Whisk together to get close.

More detail: our sriracha guide.

1. Lime juice plus brown sugar
   Lime juice with a touch of brown sugar. Close in a pinch, with less depth.

More detail: our tamarind guide.

1. Italian basil
   Use a little extra. Sweeter and softer, without the aniseed note.

More detail: our thai basil guide.

1. Fresh horseradishClosest
   Grated fine. The closest by far.
2. English mustard
   Mixed with a little water. A similar hit, without the sweetness.

More detail: our wasabi guide.