This mouth-numbing dark red spice paste features earthy ground chilies and warming spices like ginger, cumin, clove, cinnamon and anise. Sichuan peppercorns provide that mouth-tingling “mala” quality, while savory miso and soy sauce ground the paste with an umami base. This is different from the other pastes we’ve tried, since it leaves the Sichuan peppercorns whole rather than crushed, so the heat is not only much more manageable but also lets the chilies shine.

Though it’s a riff on Japanese shogayaki, a dish of thinly sliced fried pork in a miso ginger sauce, this funky and bright paste can be used for so much more. Unlike a traditional plain miso, this one offers a sharp brightness from the ginger and also from shallot, adding more complexity to the salty, umami-packed flavor profile of miso. A touch of coconut sugar rounds things out and produces a malty sweetness. With a dollop of this paste, you’ll need very little else to flavor a dish.

Mekhala red curry paste has bright chili heat punctuated by galangal, lemongrass, cilantro roots, ginger, shallots and white peppercorns. It is great blended with coconut milk and used as a simmer sauce for all manners of meats; the sweetness of hearty root vegetables like butternut squash or sweet potato also pairs well with this paste. We also like to use it “neat” as a quick and easy flavor enhancement. Try it as a rub for roasting meat or on salmon. Started in Singapore by a pair of entrepreneurial women disappointed in commercial curry pastes made from dubious ingredients, Mekhala curries are organic and vegan. We love that this red curry paste packs bold flavor even without the traditional underpinning of fish sauce or shrimp paste.

Characterized by the bold flavor of green chilis and fresh herbs, Mekhala green curry paste is spicy but not overwhelming, with a complex cumin/coriander earthiness and a verdant, floral aroma. We also like the clarity and citrus juiciness from lemongrass, Kaffir lime and galangal. This green curry paste is ideal for pairing with coconut milk. Try it for lighter foods like chicken or white fish, or make a dressing for vegetables: Blend a spoonful of the paste with thick coconut milk and lime juice, then toss with blanched green beans, spinach or roasted eggplant.

With subtle Indian flavor influences, Mekhala yellow curry paste is mild, a little smoky and strongly flavored with turmeric. It’s quite good when blended with coconut milk and simmered with sautéed beef or lamb, though it works equally well with chickpeas or even meaty red lentils. Started in Singapore by a pair of entrepreneurial women disappointed in commercial curry pastes made from dubious ingredients, Mekhala products are organic and completely vegan. Even without the traditional underpinning of fish sauce or shrimp paste, this curry paste is bright and bold, living up to the classic flavor profile we love in Thai curries.