As much as I’d like to say that I cook everything from scratch, I’m not ashamed to admit that sometimes I rely on quick fixes to get dinner on the table as quickly as possible. A few weeks ago, Trader Joe’s was quieter than usual (shopping at Trader Joe’s in New York can be the most cutthroat experience), so I took a few minutes to browse instead of just throwing things in my cart like Supermarket Sweep.

I came across this little glass jar of Thai “Dry” Chili Paste and decided to just give it a try since it was only $.99. Best. Decision. Ever.

This stuff has the consistency of wet dirt (yum!), but the flavors are fantastic! The paste is made of fried mushrooms with some lemongrass, tamarind, chili, and kaffir lime leaf, among other ingredients. The package states that this is a moderately spicy item, but in reality the heat level is pretty low. We have stirred in a tablespoon or two of this into stir-fry and even into a Thai-inspired beef stew, and it has the ability to heighten the flavor without being overpowering. Perfect for when you wanted to have dinner on the table ten minutes ago but you don’t feel like chopping up a million things to flavor your dish.

So the next time you head to Trader Joe’s, don’t hesitate to toss a little jar of this stuff in your cart (seriously, it’s $.99!). Looks like wet dirt, makes dinner taste great; and that’s what really matters.