Recipe Swap · The apothecary
Can’t find it? Here’s what to use.
Family recipes call for things the corner store doesn’t carry. Each entry says what the ingredient does, the closest swap, where to find the real thing, and a little of its story. Swaps are starting points — the real thing is always worth hunting down.
Egypt and the wider Arab world
Molokhia
Also called mulukhiyah, jute mallow leaves
Green, earthy, and silky when simmered — it gives the soup its body.
Use instead
- Frozen chopped spinach simmered in broth, plus a few sliced okra pods for the silky texture.
- Swiss chard or other tender greens, finely chopped, if spinach isn’t around.
Where to find it: Frozen minced molokhia sits in the freezer case at most Arab and Middle Eastern grocers; dried leaves keep for months.
Egyptian molokhia is finely minced and finished with ta’leya — garlic and ground coriander fried in ghee and poured in hot. Plenty of families tease the cook for the little gasp that goes with it.
The Levant, Turkey, and Iran
Sumac
Bright, lemony tartness and a deep red color, without adding liquid.
Use instead
- Finely grated lemon zest with a pinch of salt.
- A squeeze of lemon juice right before serving, if a little liquid is fine.
Where to find it: Middle Eastern grocers and most spice shops; many large supermarkets now stock it with the spices.
Ground from dried sumac berries. It’s scattered on fattoush, rubbed into onions for kebab plates, and piled onto musakhan, the Palestinian roast chicken on taboon bread.
Mexico and Central America
Masa harina
Nixtamalized corn flour — the only corn flour that forms a pliable dough for tortillas and tamales.
Use instead
- For tortillas and tamales there’s no true swap: plain cornmeal or corn flour won’t hold together, because it hasn’t been nixtamalized.
- To thicken chili or soup, crushed corn tortillas or tortilla chips do the same job.
Where to find it: The international or baking aisle of many US supermarkets, and every Latin American grocer.
Nixtamalization — cooking dried corn with an alkaline lime solution — goes back thousands of years in Mesoamerica. It softens the hull, changes the flavor, and makes the corn more nutritious.
Korea
Gochujang
Fermented chili paste: sweet, savory, and spicy at once, and thick enough to coat.
Use instead
- Miso paste mixed with sriracha or red pepper flakes and a little honey or sugar.
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) stirred into miso if you have one but not the other.
Where to find it: Korean and pan-Asian grocers, and the Asian aisle of most large supermarkets.
Made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt, and traditionally aged outdoors in earthenware onggi jars. It’s the backbone of bibimbap and tteokbokki.
South Asia
Paneer
Fresh cheese that holds its shape in heat instead of melting.
Use instead
- Make it: bring whole milk to a boil, stir in lemon juice or vinegar until it splits, drain in cheesecloth, and press under a weight for an hour.
- Halloumi (it’s saltier — cut back the salt in the dish).
- Pressed extra-firm tofu, for a dairy-free version.
Where to find it: Indian and South Asian grocers, and the cheese case of many supermarkets.
Paneer anchors dishes like palak paneer and paneer tikka across North India and Pakistan.
South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Mexico
Tamarind
Sweet-sour fruitiness with depth — sour like lime, but rounder.
Use instead
- Lime juice with a little brown sugar.
- Pomegranate molasses thinned with lime juice.
Where to find it: Blocks of pulp or jars of concentrate at Indian, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern grocers.
In Egypt, tamr hindi is a cold drink sold by street vendors and poured at iftar in Ramadan. In Mexico it’s agua de tamarindo; in Thailand it gives pad thai its tang.
South Asia and Egypt
Ghee
Also called samna (Egypt)
Clarified butter: nutty flavor and a high smoke point for frying spices.
Use instead
- Make it: melt unsalted butter slowly, let the milk solids sink and turn golden, then strain.
- Butter with a splash of neutral oil, so it doesn’t burn as fast.
Where to find it: Most supermarkets now carry jars of ghee; South Asian and Arab grocers always do.
Egyptian samna baladi perfumes feteer and the ta’leya for molokhia. In South Asian kitchens, a spoon of ghee over dal is the tadka that finishes it.
The Levant, Turkey, and Iran
Pomegranate molasses
Also called dibs rumman, rob-e anar
Thick, tangy-sweet syrup that glazes and sharpens.
Use instead
- Simmer pomegranate juice with a little lemon juice and sugar until syrupy.
- Balsamic glaze with a squeeze of lemon, in a pinch.
Where to find it: Middle Eastern, Turkish, and Persian grocers; some supermarkets stock it near the vinegars.
It’s the tang in Syrian muhammara and the deep sweet-sour of Persian fesenjan, a walnut and pomegranate stew.
The Levant
Za’atar
Herby, tangy, toasty blend for bread, eggs, and oil.
Use instead
- Mix dried thyme, toasted sesame seeds, sumac (or a little lemon zest), and salt.
Where to find it: Middle Eastern grocers and bakeries; many supermarkets sell the blend.
Za’atar is also the name of the wild herb itself. Bread brushed with olive oil and za’atar — man’oushe — is breakfast across Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria.
Southeast Asia
Fish sauce
Also called nuoc mam, nam pla
Deep savory salt — it makes a dish taste finished.
Use instead
- Soy sauce with a little mashed anchovy or anchovy paste.
- For a vegetarian version, soy sauce with a pinch of crumbled dried seaweed.
Where to find it: The Asian aisle of most supermarkets, and every Southeast Asian grocer.
Made by fermenting fish with salt for months. It’s the base of Vietnamese nuoc cham and Thai dipping sauces.
Egypt and the Levant
Freekeh
Also called freek
Young green wheat, roasted — chewy, with a smoky edge.
Use instead
- Bulgur or farro for the chew (add a pinch of smoked paprika for the smoke).
Where to find it: Middle Eastern grocers, and some health-food stores.
Egyptians stuff it into hamam mahshi, roast pigeon; across the Levant it’s cooked like rice under chicken.
Egypt, the Levant, Turkey, Greece, and Armenia
Mahlab
Also called mahleb
A floral, cherry-almond perfume in sweet breads and cookies.
Use instead
- A drop or two of almond extract.
Where to find it: Middle Eastern, Greek, and Armenian grocers — buy it whole and grind as needed; it fades fast.
Ground from the kernel of a wild cherry pit. It scents Egyptian kahk for Eid, Greek tsoureki, and Armenian choreg at Easter.
Egypt, Sudan, West Africa, Mexico, and the Caribbean
Dried hibiscus
Also called karkade, flor de jamaica, sorrel
Tart, deep-red petals for cold drinks and syrups.
Use instead
- Pure hibiscus herbal tea bags — check that hibiscus is the only ingredient.
Where to find it: Latin American, Arab, and African grocers, often in bulk bags.
One flower, many tables: karkade at Egyptian celebrations and in Ramadan, agua de jamaica in Mexico, and sorrel at Caribbean Christmas.
Mexico and Central America
Queso fresco
Mild, crumbly fresh cheese that softens but doesn’t melt into strings.
Use instead
- Feta, rinsed and patted dry to cut the salt.
- Farmer’s cheese or ricotta salata.
Where to find it: The dairy case of most US supermarkets and every Latin American grocer.
Crumbled over enchiladas, elote, and refried beans.
From members
Swaps that work in your kitchen
Members add the swaps their families actually use. Anything that looks wrong or unsafe can be reported, and the Midan team reviews it.
Posting is for members. Start your 3-day free trial.
Members suggest swaps for the pantry translator.
Start free trialNo member swaps yet. The first one could be yours.