Building a Southeast Asian pantry in Minnesota used to mean either mail-ordering specialty items or making do without. That’s changed significantly — but only if you know where to shop.

This guide covers the essential ingredients for Thai, Vietnamese, Lao, Cambodian, Filipino, and Hmong cooking, and where to find them reliably in the Twin Cities.

Fresh Aromatics

These are the backbone of Southeast Asian flavor and can’t be substituted:

  • Lemongrass — essential for tom kha, curry pastes, and larb. Look for firm, pale stalks.
  • Galangal — often mistaken for ginger but distinctly piney and sharp. Available fresh at Shuang Hur year-round.
  • Kaffir lime leaves — used whole in soups and curries, or sliced thin in salads.
  • Thai basil — broader, darker leaves than Italian basil with an anise note. Critical for pho, pad krapow, and Vietnamese stir-fries.
  • Vietnamese coriander (rau ram) — a must for Vietnamese bun bo Hue and fresh spring rolls.

Specialty Produce

  • Green papaya — for som tam (papaya salad), shredded raw.
  • Banana blossoms — used in curries and salads across Thai, Lao, and Filipino cuisines.
  • Bitter melon — available in both the Chinese and Indian varieties.
  • Taro root — for desserts, soups, and Polynesian-inspired dishes.
  • Pandan leaves — fragrant, used in rice, desserts, and drinks.

Pantry Staples

  • Fish sauce — multiple brands including Tiparos, Megachef, and Squid brand.
  • Shrimp paste (belacan, kapi) — essential for Malaysian and Thai curry bases.
  • Tamarind paste and blocks
  • Rice flour, glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch
  • Palm sugar and coconut sugar

Shuang Hur carries all of the above consistently, along with a broad selection of Hmong-specific ingredients including fresh herbs and specialty greens that most other Twin Cities stores do not stock.