Once you know the combinations, you can use them as dry rubs for baking or broiling, as flavoring for rice, lentils, beans or veggies, or add them to liquid for marinades. The liquid in marinades is usually something acid, like wine, citrus, tomato or yoghurt, some oil, plus the seasonings. Teriyaki has soy sauce, citrus juice, sugar, garlic and ginger in it. Taco flavoring has chili powder, garlic, onion, cumin, salt and pepper. Curry has garlic, onion, cinnamon, cardamon, coriander,tumeric, and ginger.
Pesto has olive oil, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and maybe parmesan cheese.
Lemon juice, butter, garlic and breadcrumbs turn shrimp into Scampi. Onions carmelized in a little orange juice with salt, pepper and olive oil, top chicken breasts for baking. Purchased or home made salsa tops fish. Delicate chicken and fish only need 20-30 minutes of marinating. Tough cuts of beef need longer in the acid to become tender.