For those of you who have been braving the supermarket recently, you may have been disappointed to find that the shelves are not as full as you anticipated. During these uncertain and unsettling times, it's hard to prepare the meals we want however, there are ways that we can still create familiar favourites at home. Today we're going to run through 5 short and easy sauce recipes to accompany a diverse range of quarantine cuisine.

1. Homemade Ketchup

This recipe only needs 5 ingredients and should take no longer than 20 minutes to whip up a batch of Tommy-sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g fresh cherry tomatoes

• 2 tsp brown sugar

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp paprika

1. Roughly chop the tomatoes. If you prefer smooth ketchup without tomato seeds, make sure you scoop out the centres of the tomatoes.

2. Add the tomatoes to a saucepan with all the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the mixture can simmer for around 10 minutes.

3. Allow the sauce to cool for 10 minutes before adding to a blender. Puree the ketchup until it is nice a smooth.

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep for a couple of weeks.

If you want to mix-up the familiar classic, why not replace the Paprika for Smoked Paprika? This will give the sauce a deliciously smoky aftertaste, perfect for dipping chips!

2. Homemade Sweet Chilli Sauce

This sticky, sweet and spicy sauce is great for dipping and marinating and it can be made by using just 5 kitchen staples.

INGREDIENTS

• 130g honey

• 60ml rice vinegar

• 3 garlic cloves (crushed)

• 1 tbs chilli flakes

• 130ml water

• 1 tbsp cornflour

1. Add the honey, rice vinegar, garlic, chilli flakes and 175ml of the water to a saucepan. Place over a medium heat and stir vigorously.

2. Bring to the boil whilst continuously stirring for around 1 minute.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining water and cornflour

4. Add the cornflour mixture to the saucepan and lower the heat. Continue stirring whilst the sauce thickens. This shouldn't take too long.

5. Once the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

6. Refrigerate and store in an airtight container. We recommend consuming the sauce within two weeks.

If you want a milder kick, simply reduce the number of chilli flakes you are adding to the mixture. Remember, dried chillies can sometimes be more potent than fresh chillies so taste the mixture as you go.

3. Homemade Pesto

If you're anything like me, pesto pasta is my go-to comfort food. This quick and simple recipe will keep you going until the green stuff is back in stock on the shelves!

INGREDIENTS

• ½ clove of garlic

• Large bunch of fresh basil

• 35g pine nuts

• 30g parmesan cheese

• Olive oil

• Lemon (freshly squeezed)

1. Crush the garlic and combine in a small bowl with a pinch of salt.

2. Chop the basil leaves and then mash to a paste or use a food processor if you have one. Add this to the garlic and salt.

3. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a pan. Be careful not to let them burn.

4. Once toasted, finely chop the pine nuts and then add them to the basil and garlic. Stir through half of the parmesan cheese.

5. Drizzle some olive oil into the mixture. Just enough to bind the ingredients and create the correct pesto consistency.

6. Add the remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. For extra zing, squeeze some fresh lemon into the pesto and mix well.

Stir this sauce through cooked pasta and perhaps add more cheese for some extra indulgence.

4. Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

I love this classic Asian sauce, especially drizzled over tuna steaks or salmon with sesame seeds. It's really simple to make too!

INGREDIENTS

• 230ml water

• 60ml soy sauce

• 5tsp brown sugar

• 1tbsp clear honey (or more if you like it sticky!)

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• 2tbsp cornflour

• 60ml cold water

1. Fill a saucepan with 230ml of water and add the soy sauce, sugar, honey and ginger. Cook over a medium heat for around 1-2 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the cornflour and 60ml of cold water.

3. Add the cornflour mixture to the saucepan and stir until the sauce has thickened. This shouldn't take too long so keep an eye on the pan to ensure the sauce doesn't burn.

5. Homemade Satay Sauce

Indulgent and creamy, this peanut-based sauce is extremely easy to make and tastes great with chicken or prawn skewers.

INGREDIENTS

• 1tsp clear honey

• 1tbsp soy sauce

• 1tbsp curry powder

• fresh lime juice

• 3tbsp smooth peanut butter

• 160ml coconut milk

1. Mix the honey, soy sauce, curry powder, lime juice and peanut butter in a bowl. Add a splash of water if the mixture is very thick.

2. Transfer this mixture to a saucepan and add the coconut milk gradually. Stir continuously over a medium heat until you have added all the coconut milk.

3. Play around with the amount of coconut milk you are adding to attain the desired consistency.

So it's time to raid your cupboards and start creating your own sauces! You'll be surprised at how homemade can often taste better than shop-bought. You can experiment with ingredients and customise these recipes to suit your taste. Get creative!

For more flavour and seasoning inspiration, head to our shop on Etsy where we offer unique gift packs full of exotic and exciting ingredients.