It’s important to acknowledge your humble beginnings in order to move forward in life. Let’s take a moment to remember ready-made dip powder – just add milk! – allegedly flavoured with chives, and how, in a simpler era, we’d merely snap open a tub of cottage cheese. It’s time to move on to the next level of dips.

Baba ganoush

In his best-selling cookbook, Plenty, Yotam Ottolenghi calls for the aubergines to be brutally tortured by grilling over a gas flame, but you could also roast them in the oven (prick them first) or on the braai to get a smoky flavour. Roast four whole aubergines, scoop out the flesh and leave to drain in a colander for a couple of hours. (Discard the blackened skins.) Process the soft aubergine flesh along with two crushed garlic cloves, zest of a lemon and two tablespoons of lemon juice, and four or five tablespoons of olive oil. When you’re ready to serve it, stir in salt and pepper and two tablespoons each of chopped parsley and mint, before topping with pomegranate arils (optional).

Baba Ganoush

French onion dip

Slice up some cucumber, carrots and cauliflower to serve with this comforting classic. Quarter two large onions, toss in olive oil and seasoning, and roast until sweet and caramelised (±45 mins). Leave to cool, before puréeing in a blender with a cup of mayonnaise, half a cup each of cream cheese and sour cream, one teaspoon each of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco (optional), salt and pepper. To send it over the edge, top with finely chopped fried onions.

Hot anchovy and herb dip

Some Italians refer to this as a hot bath for vegetables. (Just add bubbly!) Heat a few anchovies, crushed garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan until hot, and quickly whisk in chopped parsley and butter until the dip has thickened. Eat straight away with crunchy radishes, torn pieces of bread, slices of red pepper and blanched asparagus.

Homemade hummus

This middle-eastern dip is great with lamb pitas and on sandwiches with roasted veg, but it’s also delicious with crispy crudité. Tip a can of rinsed chickpeas into your food processor; add two tablespoons tahini (sesame paste), one crushed garlic clove, two teaspoons of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of salt. Blitz all the ingredients and slowly add three tablespoons of olive oil. (You may need to experiment with ratios to find your preferred flavour and consistency.) Serve sprinkled with paprika.

Hummus – photo by Basheer-Tome

Lemon-parmesan dip

Chances are you could whip up this dip with ingredients already in the pantry and fridge. Stir together one and a half cups of mayo, a three-quarter cup of grated parmesan cheese (not the powdered nonsense), two tablespoons of lemon juice plus its zest, one teaspoon each of Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, a crushed garlic clove, salt and black pepper. Serve with anything dippable.

Pea dip

This emerald green dip can offer a refreshing pop of colour to your table. Combine two cups of blanched peas, a handful of chopped mint, half a cup of crème fraîche, salt and pepper in a blender. Serve with trout wrapped around blanched asparagus, vine tomatoes or raw vegetables.

Trout wrapped around blanched asparagus

Roasted red pepper dip

This sweet and tangy dip is a hit with toasted pitas or nachos. Halve and deseed four large red peppers. Grill them, skin-side up, in a 200-degree oven until the skin is bubbly and charred. (Keep an eye on them.) While they’re cooking, sauté some onions in oil. Put the blackened peppers in a bowl and cover them with a plate or clingwrap until they cool down (the steam makes the skins easier to peel). Discard the skins and blitz up the peppers, cooked onions, a teaspoon of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Roasted red pepper dip

Sweet and sour dipping sauce

Serve this spicy, simple dipping sauce with tempura calamari or vegetables. Ahead of time, whisk together four tablespoons of red wine vinegar, one deseeded and sliced chilli, one finely sliced clove of garlic, a teaspoon of brown sugar and two finely sliced spring onions. Let the flavours infuse for as long as you can stand to wait.

Tempura calamari with sweet-and-sour dipping sauce

Truffle aioli

In theory you could add a clove of crushed garlic to store-bought mayonnaise, but proper aioli is worth the slog – and it’s even more gourmet with a hint of umami-rich truffle oil. Blitz up three garlic cloves, a generous pinch of salt, the juice of half a lemon and two egg yolks. Keep the mixer on and slowly drizzle in three-quarters of a cup of olive oil, then two tablespoons of truffle oil. The mixture should emulsify into a smooth and creamy consistency. Instead of the truffle oil, you could also add dashes of sriracha sauce for a kick, or a tablespoon of basil pesto.

Tzatziki

Crush half a clove of garlic and mix it with a cup of thick Greek-style yoghurt. Grate half a cucumber into a separate bowl and squeeze out the excess liquid (in a dishcloth or just using your hands). Add to the yoghurt mixture and stir in a squeeze of lemon or tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Season and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil to finish. Serve with pitas, roasted vegetable crisps or raw veg sticks.

Tzatziki