What to Buy at an Asian Market: Demystifying the Foreign Aisles
By: Ally-Jane Grossan
Asian grocery stores are intimidating. Odd fruits, unintelligible labels and foul smelling dried sea vegetables can scare off even the most adventurous shopper. With this guide of 10 Asian grocery store treats, there’s no reason to fear the unfamiliar products stacked ceiling-high. These alien objects will quickly become staples in your repertoire with a little guidance and research. Of course there are specifically Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai markets (and the other 40 or so countries in Asia) but most Asian markets will stock a wide range of products from neighboring countries so you’re likely to find most of these items in any Asian market. Don’t forget to stock up on rice, noodles, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegars while your there as the prices are much better than your fancy grocery store. Asian markets, because they import directly, are able to offer princes at a fraction of what other stores might charge for soy sauce, noodles, and especially produce.
Soba noodles
If you’re living on a tight budget, there’s no reason to buy unhealthy packets of instant ramen when Soba noodles are just as cheap and infinitely better tasting and better for you. Soba noodles are thin, sturdy noodles made from buckwheat and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Soba noodles should cook for about 6 minutes in boiling water, much faster than pasta. In the summer, enjoy soba noodles chilled with a dipping sauce of dashi or ponzu and in the winter, add soba noodles to soups. The buckwheat taste can be a bit strong at first, but once you start dipping you’ll grow to love its comforting flavor. Experiment outside Asian cuisine and add soba noodles to Italian pasta dishes and cold salads.
Sichimi Togarashi
This magical tiny bottle is filled with a Japanese spice blend of red pepper that is delicious on meats, soups, and fish. Roughly translated from Japanese, sichimi togarashi means “seven layer spice” referring to the traditional blend of sansho pepper, citrus peel, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, ginger, garlic and shiso. Depending on the brand and quality, ingredients may be different. Brands like “House” and “S&B” make a nice blend. Use Togarashi like you would paprika or Old Bay. It’s spicy but not devastatingly hot like cayenne pepper. Sichimi togarishi is the most common blend, found at ramen shops across the globe but you’ll likely encounter a whole shelf of Togarashi’s to choose from. Check the ingredients list to compare blends: some will have a higher concentration of pepper (Ichimi Togarashi) or citrus (Nanami Togarashi). Togarashi can easily replace ground black pepper in many recipes. Rub fresh fish with a mixture of togarashi and rock salt and broil for a perfect savory crust.
Gochugang
Think of gochugang like barbecue sauce. There are so many different styles, flavors, and levels of heat in this tomato-based Korean hot sauce. You may need to experiment with a few brands to find one that’s not hot and not too sweet. The consistency is like tomato paste and takes some getting used to. Gochugang is often added to Bi Bim Bap, a steaming hot pot of rice, vegetables, and meat. Because of its thick consistency, gochgang is best when added to bowls of rice, to meat marinades and slathered on sandwich bread for an extra kick. Coat a teaspoon of gochugang on a tortilla and top with cheese for a smoky hot quesadilla. Add a tablespoon of gochujang to a beef and broccoli stir-fry.
Bonito flakes
These paper-thin morsels that resemble wood shavings are in fact very thin slices of a dried smoked fish. Bonito flakes are a key ingredient in dashi broth and provide much of the salty sweet and smoky umami goodness that is ubiquitous in Japanese cuisine. Elevate your scrambled eggs with bonito flakes or add the flakes to a simple bowl of rice with a raw egg and onions for a filling and nutritious breakfast.
Dashi
Cooking Japanese food without dashi is like cooking French food without butter. Dashi is a stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu seaweed that lends a rich smoky flavor to a broad array of things like ramen, turnips, and steak. Dashi broth is essential for making miso soup and simmering vegetables and I add it to just about every soup I make. It just adds a little something extra. You can make your own dashi by boiling high quality bontio flakes and kombu or you can purchase instant dashi, sold in little jars or packets. The tiny granules dissolve instantly in hot water. Have you ever ordered tempura in a Japanese restaurant and caught yourself wanting to drink the subtly sweet and salty dipping sauce? That’s dashi that you love!
Miso paste
This light brown paste is made from fermented soybeans and is the star ingredient in miso soup. To make your own miso soup simply add 1 tablespoon of miso paste to 2 cups of hot water mixed with ½ teaspoon instant dashi. Then add your favorite toppings like tofu, chopped scallions, and dried seaweed. Stock up on a small tub of miso paste and it will last for many months. Use it to flavor roasted vegetables, salad dressings, and fish. There are many different kinds of miso and most are made with soybeans. The two most common types are red or white miso and both are delicious in soup. White miso is more mild and often favored over red miso, but make sure you try both before you decide or mix them together.
Ponzu
Ponzu is like soy sauce’s younger, hotter sister and has a lighter citrus flavor because it’s often made with yuzu (a Japanese citrus) or lime juice and vinegar. Once you try ponzu you may never go back. Ponzu is most-often used as a dipping sauce for dumplings but its piquant flavor is perfect for steamed green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and snow peas. Use ponzu like you would regular soy sauce and remember that a little bit goes a long way. Look for ponzu right next to the soy sauce and Kikkoman is a widely available brand.
Kimchi
Kimchi is so popular right now, it hardly needs an introduction but the refrigerated section of your local Asian market is your best bet for enjoying this deliciously spicy fermented cabbage at home. Eat kimchi on its own as a pre-dinner snack to settle your stomach, or chop it up and add it to a hot oiled pan with rice and an egg for a quick and impressive fried rice. Kimchi is usually made with Napa cabbage but radish kimchi is easy to find and makes an excellent palate cleanser after a steak dinner. Kimchi is delicious mixed into scrambled eggs and in a cheese quesadilla. There are many brands available in the U.S. and often grocery stores and restaurants make their kimchi in-house, so don’t be afraid to buy a large unmarked plastic garbage bag full of the stuff. Tobagi is a delicious brand available nationwide with the biggest range of pickled vegetables and spice levels. Try Tobagi’s cubed radish kimchi.
Dried shitake mushrooms
Use these delicate dried mushrooms to flavor soups and rice dishes or reconstitute in hot water for a mushroom that’s even more flavorful than the fresh version. Fresh Shitake mushrooms can be hard to find and spoil quickly. Keep a giant bag of dried shitakes in your pantry to pull out to add flavor and texture to stir-fries, soups, noodles, and stews. Simmer shitake mushrooms water to make a rich vegetable stock to flavor risotto or polenta.
Fish sauce
Don’t be daunted by the rows and rows of glass bottles all labeled with “fish sauce.” Just grab a bottle and run. You might want to hold your nose while cooking with it as fish sauce has a pungent odor. But be sure to avoid the oddly retro packaging of the Squid brand – it doesn’t taste very good. This amber liquid is the central pillar of Southeast Asian cuisine, called “nam pla” in Thai cuisine and “nuoc mam” in Vietnamese. It’s what makes your pad thai tangy and what you dip those Vietnamese summer rolls in. Fish sauce is brilliant when mixed with lime and makes a quick and easy marinade for shrimp, white fish, and salad. Toss thinly sliced cabbage and raw onion in equal parts fish sauce and lime juice, let the vegetables marinate for a few hours and serve this refreshing slaw alongside meat or fish.
Author Bio: Ally-Jane Grossan is an editor and food writer in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes and food adventures can be found at Ally-Jane.com.
