Patrick Star once asked: “Is mayonnaise an instrument?”
No, Patrick, but mayonnaise is instrumental in tying together a wide range of dishes, from finger foods to even desserts!
This was proven during the recently held event “Mayo-mazing Dishcovery,” where leading mayonnaise brand Lady’s Choice welcomed home cooks, foodies, and lifestyle content creators to the Unilever Kitchen.
Dishes served at the venue include Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl, California Rice Bowl, Deviled Eggs, Tuna Egg Sandwich, Mayo-Parmesan Chicken Fingers, Mayo Chocolate Cupcakes, Easy Tuna Pie Toasties, Curly Fries with Hot Honey Mayo, Karaage with Egg Salad Dip (Easy Tartar), Creamy Sardine Pandesal Sandwich, Creamy Spinach Dip, Salmon Poke Bowl, Creamy Mayo Ramen, Creamy Chicken Sisig, B.E.L.T. Sandwich, Bacon Potato Salad, Teriyaki Mayo Spam Rice Bowl, Bang-Bang Shrimp Popcorn, and Egg Salad Sandwich.
Unilever Nutrition Philippines Country Chef Kai O led the team that curated the recipes for the above food, all made with the everyday kitchen staple that is Lady’s Choice.
She held a live demo, walking attendees through the process of coming up with the recipes. Here, she provided insight into how anyone can recreate these dishes, as well as elevate otherwise normal meals with Lady’s Choice back at home.
In an interview with Manila Standard, Chef Kai explained why mayonnaise, despite its distinct flavor profile and texture, makes for such a versatile ingredient central to so many dishes.
“We all know mayonnaise as just really for sandwiches. We’ve grown up that it’s just on bread. But now, all these hacks, all these recipes are coming out where mayonnaise really plays a big role in putting the flavors together. It’s really just the good balance of flavor that we have,” Chef Kai said.
“So it’s really versatile to use in different dishes. May it just be a dip or maybe an ingredient in chocolate cake like what we did or maybe a topping for your rice bowls. It really just puts all the flavors together and elevates your simple, everyday dishes,” she added.
Personally, the chef finds a lot of creative uses for mayonnaise outside of being a sandwich spread. These include glaze and filling, as well as easy dip recipes with mayonnaise as a base.
“There’s really a lot. It’s just a matter of exploring things, what works for you, what your personal preference is,” Chef Kai concluded.
