12 Pantry items that festive-fy any dish

Whether you’ve been too busy to plan a festive feast or are more of a play-it-by-ear cook, a well-stocked pantry can be your secret weapon. With just a few essential items, you can turn any ordinary lunch or dinner into something warm, celebratory, and unmistakably South African. Here are 12 pantry items that will instantly festive-fy any dish.

12 Pantry items every festive host should stock

1. Chutney: Whether you love Mrs Ball or make your own at home, chutney adds tangy sweetness and gentle spice that instantly warms up stews, marinades, and glazes.
2. Apricot jam: A signature jam flavour that pairs well with almost everything, from braaied snoek to gammon. It provides a subtle yet fragrant flavour, and caramelises beautifully on roasts, veggies, and baked goods.
3. Cape Malay Curry Powder: A shortcut to warm festive flavours, curry powder is packed with notes of turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon that we all crave this time of year.
4. Cinnamon sticks: Comforting and nostalgic, cinnamon suddenly plays a huge role during the festive season in South Africa. Ideal for baking, rice dishes, stews, curries, and some mulled wine on a cool night.
5. Cloves: Adding that earthy, spicy depth to ham roasts, baked treats, sauces and syrups, cloves are a definite must-have in your pantry.
6. Braai spice: No South African festive season is complete without a braai, and what makes it more special is the braai spice used. Whether your neighbour has a killer mix or you buy your favourite brand from the store, make sure you have a stock of this smoky, bold and peppery mix.
7. Peri-peri sauce or chilli: Let’s face it, there’s always someone at the table who’s craving that extra kick, or that roast dish your loved one brought is in desperate need of flavour. That’s where peri-peri sauce or chilli comes in – whether you like it more fragrant and mild than hot, always keep stock of a bottle or two (it might save the meal).
8. Coconut milk: Great for adding a creamy richness with exotic flavour, it also makes for the perfect milk substitute in stews, curries, sauces and desserts.
9. Samp and beans: A staple in many a home, keeping a bag or two of this stocked might just save the day. It helps beef up stews and curries, and makes the perfect side that accompanies almost every lunch and dinner you’re planning on making.
10. Mixed dried fruit: A classic addition to the Christmas classic – fruitcake – a mix of dried fruits easily festive-fies any dish. Use it to make fruitcake, or branch out and make mixed fruit chutney or compote, or add it to salads, rice dishes and other baked goods.
11. Jelly and custard: With a few boxes of jelly and custard (or custard powder if you prefer making your own) stocked in the pantry, dessert is a breeze. Whether you make cute individual jelly and custard cups with fresh fruit, or need to make a trifle asap for Christmas lunch with the in-laws, this is a must-have pantry combo.
12. Rooibos: A classic hot beverage, rooibos is so versatile. Use it to make a base for syrups, marinades and poaching liquids that bring that well-known earthy, sweet and festive depth to dishes.

You don’t need a fully stocked fridge or a complicated menu to create a festive moment. With a handful of these South African pantry staples, you can instantly add warmth, colour, and festive flavour to almost any dish – even the ones you didn’t plan on making!

Also See: Inside the South African pantry: The everyday essentials we can’t live without