Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Favorite items in Chinese stores


aroberts

Recommended Posts

Dried seasoned seaweed

Shrimp chips (often Calbee's Wasabi-flavored ones, but I've tried different ones too)

Noodles

A pack of individual portion things of miso soup

Not that those are the only things I buy, but those are pretty consistent. I'd buy more things regularly if it wasn't pretty much on my way home.

"I know it's the bugs, that's what cheese is. Gone off milk with bugs and mould - that's why it tastes so good. Cows and bugs together have a good deal going down."

- Gareth Blackstock (Lenny Henry), Chef!

eG Ethics Signatory

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Superstore has almost everything that the one Asian market downtown has but at better prices. Lotus root, yan cai, mung beans, dou ru, fen si, pi dan, huge bundles of noodles.

At the Asian market we get haws candy, Giant Tree brand dou ru, dou nai. But it's a good stop, generally, with the a butcher on the other block that hooks up pork stomach, ears, tails, guts, and a ghetto Vietnamese noodle joint that's got good porridge and bowls of rice noodles with half a cow in each bowl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in a metropolis of Southern California so we have a large variety of Asian markets. Fresh tofu (as in hand made), duck legs, chicken feet, soup bones, fermented tofu, curry pastes, fresh ginger, herbs, fresh and dried noodles of all types, konnyaku, interesting snacky stuff for the teenagers (they really like the barely sweet rice/corn crackers that come 2 to a pack inside the bigger bag), various chili pastes......the list is quite long. Many Asian markets do not mist their vegetables so they can be kind of dried out. I recently found a Korean market that has the most eye popping vegetables at reasonable prices. The aisles are not navigable with a cart, but the enthusiasm level is high and the quality is exciting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know if these are exported, but if so, try looking for vacuum-packed bag of shelled peanuts called Jiu Gui Hua Sheng (酒鬼花生 Drunkard's Peanuts). These are deep fried usually with a little dried chili and sprinkled with a little sugar. Since moving to China these have become a staple supermarket purchase (along with spicy fermented tofu and Japanese mayo). I like to put them in a covered bowl with some Old Bay Spice, chili flakes and whatever, and then let give them a good shake. The oilyness of the nuts will give them a good smothered in seasonings look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

--Any of several varieties of tofu (regular firm, baked seasoned, fermented with chile, dried bean curd skin)

--Konnyaku products--noodles, knots, blocks, etc etc

--Condiments--especially Pearl River Bridge brand dark soy sauce, and toban jian

--Veggies--esp. soybean sprouts; eggplants; daikon; bok choy

--Dried shrooms/fungi--esp. shiitakes and wood ear

--Sea vegetables, esp. kombu

--The occasional fish head or chunk of pork belly :biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brandon's Superstore is getting in more and more Asian products and produce, but their flyers often advertise items we smaller cities do not get. :angry: At least they are sending out larger quantities of gai lan, wintermelon, etc as the Chinese population increases. I can get many of the grocery items like fu yu, fu jook, basic sauces.

Our one and only little Asian grocery is packed to the gills with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamess, and Spanish products. More "outlandish" sauces, gooceries I get from Li. I support him whenever I can. Fresh vegetables are a problem for him - he has to order huge quantities before they ship. He will have lotus root, see goo, etc for CNY.

When I hit the big city of Winnipeg, I make sure I have my credit card! Always come home with my car loaded with these items: ham yu, lap gnap, lap yook, ho see (dried oysters), my preferred brand of foo jook, shirataki noodles, fresh ho fun, cheung fun, Thai basil, lemongrass, vegetables like guy choi, ong choi, soybean srpouts, fresh bak hap (lily bulb), BBQ meats from the shop inside the market, and always, more bo jai yuen for my Mom at the herbalist. :smile:

I need a trip to the city!

Dejah

www.hillmanweb.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Usually stuff on a list --- fresh noodles, or refills of sauces and so on.

BUT -- what I always look for are Japanese cucumbers. Can't find them in a regular supermarket and not always in small Asian markets. But in Chinatown -- or in a large Chinese supermarket, they are available. Love them! Raw or cooked!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brandon's Superstore is getting in more and more Asian products and produce, but their flyers often advertise items we smaller cities do not get. :angry:  At least they are sending out larger quantities of gai lan, wintermelon, etc as the Chinese population increases.  I can get many of the grocery items like fu yu, fu jook, basic sauces.

Yeah, a few weeks ago Superstore had a full page of cool stuff like pomfret (great deepfried and sprinkled with cumin) and lotus root and youtiao. But Moose Jaw Superstore just didn't have it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to go 70 miles to get to a Chinese grocery store. I usually stock up when I get there. Soy sauce, beans sauce, fermented black beans, lap cheung, dried mushrooms, tea, dried shrimp, fresh water chestnuts and lotus roots if they're available. Also get ginger candies and usually dishes of some sort if they have pretty ones in stock.

I really need another trip to Stockton.

Editted to add: wine and Szechuan pepper if available.

Edited by BarbaraY (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...