These are the versatile Ingredients in my kitchen:

Spices

Make a list of things to prepare and buy, by prioritizings certain tasks you can save time and get them done quicker.
Keep the work area clean and organised. If the work area is tidy, you can find items whilst cooking easier.
Familiarize yourself with the method of the recipe because this way you can get started quicker quicker!
Keep your vegetables fresh. Check that the vegetables are fresh when you buy them and that they have a long shelf life. Otherwise you will end up finding that your greens are spoilt before you can begin cooking!
Note down the unusual ingredients beforehand so that you can maybe look them up and find out where to buy them. I recommend Waitrose for any unusual ingredients. They may be expensive but they add so much to the dish!
If you can, pre taste a recipe at a restaurant or when you're out and about, this way you are already familiar with the rough taste of the dish you are about to make!

Doing preparation in advance is important too! Another way of saving time is by preparing the ingredients in advance. Here are some more tips:

Cook vegetables such as potato or other root vegetables the night before, This will save you from waiting around when you are cooking because root vegetables can take a while to cook.
If your tomatoes have gone soft, put them in a bowl of cold water with salt, this will help them regain their hardness.
If your dish requires ginger, blend it a few weeks in advance and pour it into ice cube trays. Then whenever you need some, just put in a cube into the pan and it will melt whilst you cook.
If using frozen products in the dish, defrost it at room temperature a few hours before you start cooking. This way it will be ready to use when you start cooking.