Handcrafted by multi-generational soy sauce makers, this condiment is made by mixing sweet and juicy Taiwanese pineapple with black soybeans and salt and leaving the mixture to ferment for 180 days in earthenware pots. The golden brown liquid has a fruity fragrance, but that pineapple note mingles with the more savory flavors once the sauce hits your palate and yields a sweet, delicious funkiness and nuanced saltiness. More bright and fruity than the deep caramel of standard soy sauce, the condiment also packs a complex umami flavor not only from the nuttiness of the soy, but also from the distinctive fermented pineapple—a flavor layer that can’t be found in grocery stores.

Soy paste is an essential Taiwanese flavoring agent that appears everywhere from bustling night markets to cozy home kitchens, made from cooking coy sauce with rice starch to give it a more viscous, decadent texture akin to oyster sauce. This one is handcrafted with fermented soy beans aged for 450 days, giving the paste its distinct sweet-umami character that sets it apart both from standard soy sauce and other fermented bean products like salty Miso and spicy Sichuan Doubanjiang. Its nutty quality almost reads like roasted peanuts, while its caramel sweetness and savory saltiness hit the palate immediately. Tender flecks of rice are visible throughout the dark brown sauce, adding another layer of toasted flavor.

These flavor powerhouses are the only small-batch, hand-fermented black soybeans available in the United States. A unique pantry staple typically used in Taiwanese and Chinese dishes, these soft, salty soybeans—not to be confused with the green legume found in American grocery stores—are a critical ingredient to Mapo Tofu, bean sauces and seafood dishes. Contrary to most widely available brands, these beans—after being fermented with koji and salted for 180 days—are packaged immediately, keeping them moist and succulent. Earthy, salty and a little sweet, they bring a funky, savory depth to dishes.

Peanut oil is great for stir-frying thanks to its high, 450℉ smoke point, but most brands can taste bitter on the finish. Not Dong He’s Cold-Pressed Peanut Oil. It’s made with Tainan No. 9 nuts, a special peanut varietal with a high oil content only found in Taiwan. Using the same practices since 1921, Dong He never heats the peanuts or oil during production, which could harm the flavor and reduce the nutrients in the finished product. This cold-press technique makes the oil’s aroma so warm and nutty, our kitchen team likened it to smelling “liquid peanut butter.” But the flavor is still mild enough to work well in both sweet and savory applications—it adds a nutty flavor profile to any dish. And unlike vegetable or canola oil, it won’t turn bitter when stir-frying, frying or searing thanks to its higher smoke point.

Beloved in Hawaii and Taiwan, plum powder is the tangy, fruity, salty and sweet topping that brings life to anything you sprinkle it on. Unlike other versions loaded with extra preservatives, this plum powder is made from just four natural ingredients by Shangi, a third-generation family organic plum orchard in Central Taiwan. Each batch starts by brining fresh plums in coarse sea salt for six months, before rinsing, sun-drying for two months and grinding them into a fine powder. The resulting flavor is somehow sour, sweet and savory, bringing just a touch of salt, zest and sweetness to freshly cut fruit, noodles, salads, rice, popcorn, ice cream, yogurt, shaved ice and more. Best of all? This plum powder, unlike every other commercial brand on the market, contains no artificial colorings or sweeteners like aspartame.

Made to order by a husband and wife team in Central Taiwan, this hot sauce from Taiwan reminds us a little of sriracha: it’s thick and almost completely smooth. On the nose, it leads with sweet chili, then expands to reveal an underlying, clean funk. On the palate, the sweetness for the pepper is almost fruity, with a touch of savory garlic just enough tongue-tickling vinegar tang to round things out and provide a refreshing note. There’s also a lingering heat that we love.

Bright and umami-forward, this all-purpose Traditional Firewood Soy Paste is made with black soybeans and rice flour, which are fermented for 6 months before being heated over a wood fire. Thick but still pourable, we like the sauce as a condiment, marinade or ingredient in sauces. Its versatile flavor is distinct but familiar; it’s reminiscent of soy sauce, gochujang and steak sauce, warmly spiced with a hint of anise from licorice and mirin. Use it for a complementary flavor in recipes that call for Chinese five-spice. Or use it to coat noodles, stir-fry vegetables and marinate meat with this balanced sauce.