Celebrate the International Flavors of Sun Basket

Sun Basket meals are a melting pot of global influences. Each recipe is a map with ingredients that mark the road and define the destination. Some meals take you to a place you’ve never been, others deliver you home. Here are some of the places we often return to every week. 

Indian Turmeric  

This brilliantly colored rhizome (that means it’s a stem that grows underground) has a sweet, slightly bitter flavor that’s unlike anything else. It’s assertive without being overpowering, making its presence known without stealing the show. Our dietitians promote turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties, while cooks from Southeast Asia, to North Africa and Iran, love its intriguing floral flavor. Americans are most familiar with turmeric as a key ingredient in many curries, but we also use it in many of our signature spice blends like the pakora seasoning in our Pakora Pita Pockets with Spicy Chile-Mango Sauce.

Korean Kimchi

Pungent and funky in the best possible way, kimchi delivers an umami-grenade of flavor to our Korean Rice Bowls with Sticky-Sweet BBQ Chicken Skewers. Because kimchi is in an active state of fermentation, its flavor continues to develop over time, as the flavors of cheese and wine do. It’s also a superfood, loaded with antioxidants, vitamins A, B, and C and—most importantly—probiotic bacteria that promote a healthy gut. 

Mexican Tortillas

It’s hard to imagine what Mexican food would be without tortillas. So many dishes from tacos to tlayudas depend on them, including our Chilaquiles Verdes with Fried Eggs and Queso Fresco.

Sicilian Capers

No ingredient says Sicily louder than the tiny caper. These bold buds take any dish straight to Southern Italy. To simply call them “salty” short-changes their floral, fruity flavor. They have far more depth than they often get credit for. Pair capers with lemon and you’ve got a classic piccata, the simple-to-make sauce that brings bold flavor to our Sole with Red Pepper Vinaigrette and Lemon-Garlic Broccoli.

Thai Kaffir (Makrut) Lime Leaves

Thick, two-tiered kaffir lime leaves have a sharp, citrusy aroma that’s hard to describe but unmistakable once you taste it. It’s one of the defining flavors of Thai cuisine. Tear the leaves to release their essential oils, but don’t try to eat them. Kaffir (makrut) limes are used to infuse a dish with their intriguing fragrance but are too tough to chew. Try them in our Thai Shrimp and Rice Noodle Soup.

Vietnamese Lemongrass  

This tropical grass brings a citrusy flavor into soups (hello, pho), braises, and marinades. Vietnamese cooks pound the thick, bulbous stalk to unleash its fragrance. Here at Sun Basket, we blend it with ginger and garlic to make a potent paste to season the marinade for our Lemongrass Pork Meatball Banh Mi.

Artwork by Ekström Design