Unlike grocery-store teriyaki sauces that include artificial preservatives or sweeteners, Bachan's uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Authentic Japanese shoyu—soy sauce made with wheat—provides an umami flavor base, while cane sugar and mirin add the signature complementary sweetness. Bachan's also layers green onion, ginger and garlic, which add aromatic complexity and ground the sauce in earthy, savory notes. In a nod to Western barbecue sauce, the secret recipe also includes tomato paste, which adds a nuanced, natural fruitiness and thickens the sauce. Plus, this umami-packed sauce is now available gluten free.

This hot chocolate has only a few raw ingredients, yet the beverage has a wonderful depth and warmth, as well as a complex flavor: creamy, nutty and perfectly balanced between bitter and sweet. The addition of ground almonds makes for a silkier, buttery mouthfeel, especially if you whisk the milk constantly while heating it; this allows the nutty aroma of the almonds to permeate the drink for a richer sensation and fullness of flavor. And cinnamon, a defining feature of Mexican hot chocolate, is an ideal complement for cacao's bitter undertones, as its spicy aroma brightens hot chocolate while its floral accents match those in the drink. We also like how the warming spice cuts through the creamy milk so the drink is satisfying but not overly rich. We found this chocolate to a fragrant finish that is slightly reminiscent of coconut.

Most people only know Ibérico pork for jamón ibérico, the ultra-luxe Spanish cured ham, but the melt-in-your-mouth meat tastes delicious in any form. For the highest-quality Ibérico products, we trust family company Fermín, which is based in Salamanca, Spain, and was the first authorized exporter of Ibérico products to the United States. We love that these dry-cured sausages are coarsely ground for a meatier texture and to emphasize their marbled appearance. Thinly sliced, they taste tender and rich, with the naturally nutty and sweet flavors that Ibérico pork is prized for. This set of 3 includes warm, peppery Mild Chorizo made with sweet paprika and balanced by garlic and oregano; smoky Spicy Chorizo with hot paprika, cumin and a nutty boost from nutmeg; and Salchichón, a Spanish equivalent of salami that is minimally spiced to highlight its robust meaty flavor. As an added bonus, Fermín only uses pure salt to cure its chorizo, for a cleaner flavor than other brands made with nitrates.

Kayanoya's Dashi Stock Powder is the best version of this essential Japanese ingredient. In addition to the traditional bonito flakes, the powdered soup stock gets layers of savory complexity from sardines, herring and roasted flying fish for a meaty-rich flavor and delicate aroma like smoked fish. And unlike many store-bought versions, it's not overly “fishy” or salty.

In addition to miso soup and other Japanese applications, use it to make seafood paella, soups and stews for a smokier, more refined flavor than fish stock. Kayanoya’s stock packets are designed much like tea bags and can be used in two ways: For a clear broth, place the stock packet intact in a pot of water; for a stronger, cloudy broth, tear the packet open and add the powder directly to the water. Either way, in just a few minutes the easy-to-use packets yield complex stock that tastes homemade.

Literally translated as “top of the shop,” this Ras El Hanout is a warm, complex, savory North African spice blend that can be a go-to rub for chicken, grilling, or simply mixed with Greek yogurt or softened butter. Every pantry should have a jar. Key ingredients in this blend include saffron, rose petals, grains of paradise, fennel seeds, monk pepper, galangal, orris root, white peppercorns, anise star, lavender, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cardamom and allspice.

This sampler pack of thin-sliced Ibérico meats includes classic Jamón Ibérico ham as well as Lomo Ibérico, dry-cured pork loin. Similar to prosciutto but with a drier texture—which actually makes it less stringy and tough—Jamón Ibérico's high fat content yields a sweet, decadent and intensely aromatic flavor. And slightly leaner Lomo Ibérico is nutty and meaty, with a touch of sweetness; smoky pimentón de la Vera (a type of Spanish paprika) and earthy garlic enhance the pork's savory flavor, which is best served at room temperature to fully savor its complexity. Adhering to tradition, these artisanal meats are dry-cured in mountain air with only salt as a preservative during the curing process; a ham master decides by smell, sight and touch when the pork is perfectly done.

Japanese producer Sugimoto grows their shiitake naturally on sawtooth oak logs, which are known in the country for imparting sweet, dense flavor into the mushrooms, and then dried with an far-infrared method, which minimizes moisture more than other brands to preserve quality and taste. These woodsy shiitakes are then ground into a fine powder that’s easy to sprinkle into all manner of savory dishes to add a touch of umami. Its flavor is delicate, but can easily be amped up the more you sprinkle into your dish, adding a lovely mushroom character to dishes without the prep work.

We love the complex, mouth-numbing quality of floral, piney Sichuan peppercorns, but their aromatic compounds are notoriously short-lived, so store-bought dried versions are often stale and flavorless. Like a bold wine that needs a bit of time to breathe, Green Sichuan Pepper Oil has powerful resinous aromas and earthy, funky notes that some might find daunting when the bottle is first opened. No need to worry: With a bit of air, that intensity mellows and softens, and the oil's complex crushed-pine aroma comes through, along with floral-citrusy notes.

This honey mustard from one of France's leading brands is a welcome change from the overly sweet supermarket varieties completely lacking in mustard character. Bornibus Honey Mustard has a touch of sweetness from honey but leans savory overall, with a deep, rich mustard flavor that's mild enough to be universally appealing, even for those who don't like spice—plus, we guarantee you'll love its incredibly smooth texture.

With over 95% of store-bought shiitake mushrooms being produced artificially in China, you might never have had one that’s naturally grown. Japanese producer Sugimoto grows theirs on sawtooth oak logs, which are known in the country for imparting sweet, dense flavor into the mushrooms, and then dried with an far-infrared method, which minimizes moisture more than other brands to preserve quality and taste. Natural shiitakes contain a special compound that makes for a much richer umami flavor, and that’s clearly evident in these mushrooms. Their flavor is earthy, meaty and slightly sweet, nothing like the dirty taste and aroma that can often plague dried mushrooms. The koshin varietal of shiitake are larger and fully opened—pleasantly chewy, yet still tender, and are an easy way to add convenient savoriness to all manner of dishes, especially noodle dishes.

Rose water is the aromatic, subtly perfumed essence that defines the flavor of many of the baked goods of the Middle East; it has the remarkable capacity to cut through saccharine sweetness. We like that Mymouné's product tastes clearly like rose and has a natural, not chemical, flavor, so it isn't perfumey like supermarket versions.

Haku Black Garlic Shoyu is a sweet, salty, and umami soy sauce with complex aromas of earthy must. Brewed with wheat, shoyu has a sweeter, rounder flavor than other types of soy sauce, and black garlic imparts hints of fig, raisin, molasses that complement this shoyu’s subtle sweetness. Black garlic shoyu is often used in Japan as a finishing shoyu or as a stand-alone ingredient.

With a name that means “pickled” in Hindi, achaar is a staple Indian condiment that adds a fiery, tangy accent to any meal. New York-based company Brooklyn Delhi uses fresh, local produce in its award-winning achaars, which are prepared in small batches by founder and chef Chitra Agrawal. 

Robust, savory-sweet Tomato Achaar features bright tomato fruit enhanced with tart tamarind, earthy garlic and nutty sesame oil, for a subtly spiced, well-rounded sauce with just the right amount of tang. The achaar's mild heat level and smooth consistency make it an easy, complexly flavored substitute for tomato paste in soups and sauces—if you don't use it all for dipping. 

And even those averse to raw garlic will love Roasted Garlic Achaar, which showcases the caramelized, mellow qualities of roasted garlic. The sauce has spicy-sweet notes up front, followed by an aromatic lemony tang and lingering mustard pungency. We love Roasted Garlic Achaar whipped into mayonnaise and smeared on sandwiches, or use it as a softer alternative to minced garlic or shallot in salad dressings.

• Net Weight: 9 ounces
• Ingredients: Tomato Achaar: locally grown tomatoes, sesame oil, expeller pressed canola oil, garlic, salt, red chili powder, tamarind, spices (black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, asafetida), unrefined sugar cane | Roasted Garlic Achaar: roasted garlic, lemon, non-GMO canola oil, salt, red chili powder, spices (black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, turmeric), unrefined sugar cane

Only eight islands in Japan produce Okinawan brown sugar, or kokuto, a raw smoky sugar that is made by slow-cooking sugarcane juice in a centuries-old production method protected by the Okinawa Prefecture. It is smoky and intense, with a tobacco-like aroma and a perfect balance of sweet and bitterness. The Japanese sugarcane imparts a slight fruity aftertaste, and its naturally high mineral content is not only healthier for you but also translates into complex warming spice notes. Use Okinawan brown sugar as a smoky alternative to dark brown sugar, or take advantage of its spicy, bitter notes to add depth to savory recipes. Try it in rich meat braises, swapping out some of the molasses in our Sweet Soy-Braised Pork—it pairs wonderfully with the umami of soy sauce. Similarly, try it in recipes with fish sauce, such as our Stir-Fried Beef and Ginger with Garlic and Scallions or Stir-Fried Black Pepper Chicken with Green Beans; in both cases, substitute an equal amount of Okinawan brown sugar for the white sugar the recipe calls for.