The French have mirepoix - carrots, celery, and onions. The Spanish have sofrito - onions, garlic, red peppers, and tomato. The Cajuns have the Holy Trinity - celery, green peppers, and onions. The Chinese have green onions, garlic, and ginger. They are all integral to so many dishes. Whatever culture your sofrito hails from, it is almost always sautéed to coax as much flavor as possible out of these few humble ingredients.