In 2020, culinary trends go beyond aesthetics—they focus on high-quality ingredients with proven health benefits. Sourced from Japan to Peru, these five standout ingredients add exotic flair and nutritional value to your meals and drinks. As food enthusiasts with deep knowledge of global flavors, we've spotlighted them based on their rising popularity in professional kitchens.
Kewpie Mayonnaise
Origin: This beloved Japanese staple is a richer, spicier take on classic mayo. Made with soy oil and dashi (Japanese mustard leaf stock and rice vinegar), it's luxuriously creamy and uses only egg yolks for superior texture.
Health Benefits: While not a superfood, its soybean oil provides healthy plant-based fats, and unlike many commercial mayos, it contains no added sugar.
Try it at Meneer Potter, the cozy city café in Utrecht's former post office (now Neude Central Library). It's featured atop Okonomiyaki, savory Japanese pancakes. A must-visit for authentic flavor!
Miso
Origin: This fermented soybean paste is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, with origins possibly predating the Common Era.
Health Benefits: Packed with iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin B, and protein, it's ideal for vegetarians and adds a savory umami depth.
Perfect for seasoning veggies, soups, sauces, and marinades. Poké Perfect honors it in their 'You Make Miso Happy' dish, marinating eggplant. Enjoy poke bowls, sushi burritos, or their new hot menu items.
Tahini
Origin: A nutty sesame paste from the Middle East, now a Dutch favorite for dressings, sauces, and spreads—much like peanut butter at home.
Health Benefits: Plant-powered with manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium, protein, and fiber.
Featured extensively at Tel Aviv-inspired NENI restaurant. Our pick: Popcorn Falafel with spicy lime-ginger tahini sauce. Pure bliss! View the menu here.
Leche de Tigre
Origin: This Peruvian ceviche marinade, blending citrus juices, 'cooks' fresh fish—despite its fierce name.
Health Benefits: Vitamin C-rich citrus fights toxins for hangover relief and an energy boost; it's even touted as an aphrodisiac.
Taste it at Scheveningen's vibrant ChouChou: fresh salmon ceviche with lime and passion fruit. All-you-can-eat dining for a fixed price—sun, sea, and endless ceviche await!
Kombucha
Origin: A 2,000-year-old fermented sweet tea brimming with probiotics, organic acids, and enzymes. Origins debated among China, Japan, and Russia.
Health Benefits: Known as the 'elixir of immortality,' it detoxifies, boosts immunity, and energizes.
Found in health drinks like Butcha's, or mix into cocktails like the Belvedere Super Cocktail:
Belvedere Super Cocktail
– 40 ml Belvedere Vodka
– 60 ml Kombucha
– 15 ml honey
– 20 ml fresh lime juice
– dash of Angostura bitters
– lime slice
Shake all except kombucha with ice, strain into a coupe, top with cold kombucha, and garnish with lime. Cheers!
