Angkor Food's Lemongrass Paste is an all-purpose curry paste made with bright and aromatic lemon grass, makrut lime leaves and galangal, balanced out by earthy garlic, onion and turmeric; fish sauce gives the paste a savory and complex boost.Angkor Food's Lemongrass Paste is an all-purpose curry paste made with bright and aromatic lemon grass, makrut lime leaves and galangal, balanced out by earthy garlic, onion and turmeric; fish sauce gives the paste a savory and complex boost.

Makrut lime leaves are characterized by a penetrating citrus flavor and bold, clarifying aroma with a slight floral accent. Makrut lime leaves pair well with ginger, lemongrass, galangal, garlic and cilantro and will add a distinctive flavor and wonderful aroma to curry pastes, soups and marinades.

From the same botanical family as ginger, this hard-to-find rhizome has an earthy, somewhat peppery flavor and is used to brighten dishes and add a touch of heat. Angkor Foods dried-and-ground galangal is slightly sweeter than ground, without any of the bitterness it can possess. In savory dishes, it can impart a mustard-like pungency; try substituting it for the ground ginger.

Tuk Meric is a Cambodian black pepper sauce typically made with lime juice, fish sauce, sea salt and sugar for a sweet, salty and tangy flavor combination. We asked Angkor Food if they could make a version, and in response, chef Channy Laux created this sauce based on her mother's recipe. The unique addition of tamarind juice makes Angkor Food's Tuk Meric tangy, not vinegary, and highlights black pepper's fruity notes.

Whereas the quality of powdered dried turmeric varies greatly depending on how long it's been sitting on the shelf, Angkor Food's Turmeric Paste is made with fresh turmeric (a rhizome, in the same family as ginger) and packed with vibrant, earthy-sweet flavor and a juicy quality that's enhanced with lime juice. The paste has a consistency like grated ginger that's convenient for marinades and curry pastes; use it instead of ground turmeric to add complexity to any recipe—it's turmeric like you've never experienced it.

A Cambodian refugee, Channy Laux started Angkor Food in 2010 to honor the memory of her mother, who fled to the United States with Laux and her three siblings during the Khmer Rouge's regime. The chef's award-winning company, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is our favorite source of authentic Cambodian ingredients.

Use Angkor Food Turmeric Paste instead of ground turmeric to make an especially aromatic version of our Singaporean Shrimp and Chicken Noodle Soup (Laksa) or Turmeric-Spiced Fish with Wilted Herbs and Peanuts. Whip it into softened butter for an easy compound butter that can be made sweet with addition of honey or savory with a touch of salt. Or try something we found on a trip in India: Whisk into honey for a delicious condiment to drizzle over cheeses, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken or pork, as well as sweet foods like melon and ice cream. You can also make a refreshing sweet beverage with Turmeric Paste, lime juice, maple syrup, sparkling water and plenty of ice.

• Net Weight: 3.88 ounces
• Ingredients: Turmeric, water, organic coconut oil, lime juice concentrate, sea salt
• Place of Origin: California, U.S.

Made without artificial preservatives or other fillers, this award-winning Cambodian hot sauce is pure flavor, featuring not only red chili peppers but also pungent garlic; salty, umami-packed fish sauce; vinegar; and sugar for a complex and balanced condiment. Its moderate heat level and subtle sweetness make it incredibly versatile. Its moderate heat level and subtle sweetness make it incredibly versatile.

Thnot is the Cambodian term for Borassus flabellifer, a type of palm tree that's integral to South and Southeast Asian cuisines—not just the sap and fruit but also the seeds and sprouts. Made by slow-cooking the trees' sap, Cambodian Thnot Sugar has light caramel and vanilla notes that remind us of toasted marshmallows. While it's often sold in a pressed brick, Angkor Food's version comes in a convenient granulated form; the large grains look coarse but melt fast on the tongue and incorporate readily into recipes, making Thnot Sugar a versatile unrefined alternative to white or cane sugar.

• Net Weight: 8 ounces
• Ingredients: Palm sugar
• Certifications: Organic
• Place of Origin: Cambodia

Not to be confused with the jarred curry powders we’re familiar with, curry leaves are a popular aromatic in Southeast Asia that grow from the country’s native curry tree. Think of them as an edible relative of the bay leaf—able to conveniently infuse dishes with bright and aromatic flavor. Angkor Food’s dried curry leaves, grown in the San Joaquin Valley by Cambodian refugee farmers, maintain the vibrant green hue found in fresh leaves and have a light texture that makes them easy to break down with a mortar and pestle or simply crumble between your fingertips to release their powerful fragrance. Herbal, savory, citrusy, nutty and slightly garlicky notes come together in harmony, yielding a mouthwatering aroma indicative of the leaves’ distinct flavor. Usually, these leaves are only carried in specialty spice shops since they are so rarely known in Western cooking, and even then, some brands’ versions can be dull and weakly fragrant, but we found that Angkor Food’s curry leaves are consistently quality and feel freshly-picked.