Condiments and toppings to perk up your meals

Get to know these simply made toppings, sauces and fresh pickles and turn everyday meals into something more.

Sprinkle it over

Keep a jar of these savoury toppings in the pantry or fridge for a last-minute flavour boost.

Clockwise from top left:

• For a salad: Sesame sprinkle and almond topping
• To add a Middle Eastern touch: Dukkah
• For winter salads, roast chicken and pork chops: Gremolata the grove
• For enchiladas, scrambled eggs and mince: Gremolata the heat
• For soup, roasted veg and cooked greens: Gremolata the crunch
• For osso bucco, winter stews and braises: Classic gremolata

A great idea: Vegan parmesan

Aaron Brunet writes: Plant-based "parmesan" is surprisingly delicious and easy to make. It has a base of cashews (which are sweet and rich) with nutritional yeast and garlic powder (savoury and fragrant) and a bit of salt. Big plus: you can feel good about sprinkling this generously on top of your meal. Add a hearty grind of black pepper plus a drizzle of good olive oil and the result is a really tasty way for plant-based eaters to swap the carbs and meat of traditional pasta dishes for healthy veges and protein. See the recipe below. He sprinkles it atop his black bean bolognese.

1 cup raw cashew nuts, or lightly toasted
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt, to taste

Use a food processor to blend all ingredients into a fine crumble. This keeps well in the fridge or pantry.

Make a fresh pickle

Thinly slice veg and drop into a flavoursome brine. Store your fresh pickles in the fridge to add crunch and delight to practically everything - meats and fish, salads, pate platters and toasted sarnies too.

Pictured, clockwise from top left:

• Japanese pickled vegetables
• Moroccan salad pickles
• Burmese cucumber pickle with fried shallots
• Crisp sweet sharp relish
• Chinese-style pickled vegetables
• Quick pickle

Put a sauce on it

Whip up one of these beauties to perk up everything from fish fingers to schnitzel to burgers.

• For fish fingers and calamari: Chipotle sauce
• For crumbed chicken, in a burger or salad: Mustard sauce
• With grilled chicken or kebabs: Roasted tomato sauce
• For beef burgers and kumara fries: Homemade BBQ sauce
• For satay, a tofu burger, Asian meatballs, and this gado-gado (above) with peanut sauce
• For smoked and crumbed fish: Remoulade sauce
• For practically anything Vietnamese: Nuoc cham dipping sauce
• For leftover roast lamb: Green sauce

Finish on a sweet note

Like Jan Bilton's mandarin and lychee topping which can transform a plain store-bought cheesecake, you'll love these sweet topping ideas.

• Macadamia nut crumble topping for winter desserts
• Toffee nutty praline to top icecreams and cakes
• A healthy citrus crumb to top fruit for breakfast or icecream for dessert
• Four luxurious icings for cupcakes
• And Ray's video on how to make impressive chocolate shards. Your icecream sundaes, tarts and cakes will thank you.

You'll find these and many more condiment recipes in this collection.