Many mis-attribute sriracha to Vietnamese cuisine, thanks to the presence of sriracha bottles on the tables of most pho restaurants, but in reality, the condiment hails from Thailand. What we associate with sriracha sauce (the beloved green-capped bottle in almost every home and most diners) isn’t actually the same style as what you would find in Thailand. The Thai style is less acidic and slightly sweeter, with a thinner texture and mellower heat, and this one showcases those qualities perfectly. It’s sweeter and milder than the typical rooster-adorned bottle of sriracha you’re likely used to seeing, with much less of a vinegary tang. It has a distinct savory complexity thanks to the fermentation process and the addition of tropical-sweet pineapple vinegar—which they craft themselves—to boost the fruitiness of the chilies. A twist on the traditional.

Made just from organic pineapple, this clear, golden-hued vinegar has an undeniable fruitiness that’s somewhat akin to a very high quality apple cider vinegar, but with a tropical nuance and more complex backbone that definitely sets it apart. And compared to a white balsamic, it’s a bit less sweet, but has a similar roundness and fruitiness. You won’t find anything like this in grocery stores, but it’s such a delicious alternative to any popular sweet-leaning vinegar you like. It’s flavor won’t smack you with cloying pineapple flavor like sipping pineapple juice might, but it’ll reveal itself slowly, along with a warm, caramel-like base note that balances out it’s vinegar brightness.

Tom Yum is a soup from Thailand with Chinese roots. It’s a hot and sour style broth, usually made with shrimp and a plethora of very fragrant aromatics. These seasoning pouches make it much easier to make a fresh-tasting version of the traditional broth at home without having to hunt down tricky to find ingredients like galangal and fresh makrut lime leaves (and we much prefer them to the often muddy-tasting seasoning pastes on the market). It has a strong lemongrass, makrut lime, ginger, galangal core, with alliums to round it out and keep it rich. The spice level is mellow and warming, not fiery. But it doesn’t just stop at Tom Yum with these spices, these packets feel almost more like a multi-purpose aromatic lemongrass-ginger stock base that can be used in multiple dishes and recipes. The fact that it was so richly aromatic with less than 30 minutes on the stove with only water as a base completely blew us away.

People have generally heard of sambal oelek—the “other” jar of red chili paste next to the ubiquitous chili garlic sauce from Huy Fong. But there are actually many styles of sambal. The chili sauce/chili paste hails from Indonesia, but is popular in places like Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Some are just chili based, some have extra ingredients for variation, from citrus to fermented shrimp. This one, a sambal bajak, is quite simple, but packs a good hit of heat. It’s a thick, silky puree of chilies with a slick of spicy oil surrounding it and has a slightly sweeter character than some, but still savory and grounded from the fermented soybean. We find it has more depth than other versions of sambal bajak we’ve tasted, with a smoother, more pleasant texture, too.

Made from cooked and heavily salted soybeans, tao-jiao is a popular ingredient and condiment throughout Southeast Asia. The beans are combined with a wheat and fungal starter to begin the fermentation process, resulting in a rich, savory taste. We love this Thai-style version, which is looser than miso and more saucy, punctuated with tender, toothsome nubs of soybean. A little of this Thai pantry staple will go a long way—it’s nutty, savory, with a salty-umami character and unique sweetness that we don’t get in miso. It’ll add depth and backbone to a dish with just one glug.

Sesame seeds are essential to the Milk Street pantry, with their nutty richness and satisfying crunch. And while high-quality seeds aren’t too hard to find, there’s always a risk you’re buying stale inventory. Not with these organically-farmed sesame seeds, though. Available in creamy white and nutty black, these come in vacuum-sealed packaging to ensure freshness while it waits to arrive in your pantry. The oxygen is literally sucked out, preventing oxidization. The nutty sweet sesame flavor we all love is especially robust, and stays firmly “sesame,” never slipping into the realm of generic nuttiness. Also of note, these are not pre-roasted like some brands. That makes them more flexible— in some cases using pre-toasted sesame puts them at risk of burning, such as when sprinkled on breads before baking or adding to a spice paste for grilled meats or broiled veggies.