Depending on the approximate culture of origin of the recipe, most of what I cook starts with:

Frying onions, garlic, and ginger (in that order) in peanut oil.

Carmelizing onions in ghee, with some salt to release the liquid faster.

Sauteing onions and garlic in olive oil.

Assorted key ingredients: Onions, garlic, ginger, olive oil, fish sauce, coconut milk, plain yogurt, soy sauce, lemons, limes, peanut oil, the arsenal of 60+ herbs and spices, pasta, rice (jasmine and Indian basmati, mostly), chicken broth.

I keep lamb stew meat, ground hamburger, salmon filets, and Italian sausage in the freezer most of the time.

Everything else varies wildly.