Asian Food Manufacturers

[itch22]

Kikkoman or Pearl Bridge? One example of several questions that arise when trying to choose which brands are best in Asian grocery stores. Trial and error seems to be the only methode.

Anyone have any favourite brands or recommends any paticular products?

[torakris]

If you are choosing between these two soy sauces then it would depend on what kind of food you are making. Kikkoman would be best for Japanese and Korean style dishes, while the Pearl River Brand would be best suited to Chinese.

If plan on cooking a wide avriety then I would recommend Kikkoman as the best all-purpose, HOWEVER do not buy the Kikkoman that is made outside of Japan, that stuff is crap. You want a bottle that was made in Japan, it should have Japanese writing on it and a sticker taped to it translating the name, ingredients and such.

For more on soy sauces check out this great thread from the China Forum:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=18720&st=0

and this one from the Japan forum:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...=0entry231493

and don't forget that even among brands there are different types, light , thick, low in salt, tamari, special ones fro sahimi, etc

If you have questions about other products just start a thread about them specifically, everyone here loves to share their favorites!!

[Mabelline]

My little ladypal at the Korean Food Store picks for me; I am a stout believer in pictures on the can. Then I take them to her, and if she cracks up, I realize that dog won't hunt. Plus my grocery stores are becoming way more sensitized to ethnic nowadays.

[SG-]

I'm generalizing but Lee Kum Kee is quite reliable for Chinese sauces. Kimlan is also a good alternative for chinese style soya sauces.

[Mabelline]

I was going to go look at my stock of cans and bottles, and surprise, darling SO has wiped me out while I was ill. Oh well, another shopping trip. But I do know I've used the Lee Kum Kee,as well, with good results.fifi, what are those ones they always sold in Krogers with the red and black labels in little bottles. Foodstuffs like lily buds, sichuan peppercorns, preserved black beans, oyster sauce, hoisin,plum sauce, good stuff, and downright cheap. I wish I could get those up here.

[itch22]

Where I live, there is only one ethnic grocer and it is primarily Filipino. The owner has order several items for me, but when it comes down to brands it is trial and error. When he orders a case of Kikkoman Miran, not a bottle but a case because I am the ONLY person in my town that uses it, it is a bit of an investment. I buy Kikkoman because it is all I know for mirin.

I just think that if I buy by the case I might as well do some research on brand names. For doing any food related research, like any smart person, I start here in the eGullet.

If anyone knows of "authentic" brands available here in Canada or the US please let me know. Any "Imported by" info off the label would be awesome, that way finding a distributor is easier. And for the suggested products already, thanks I'll check them out.

[torakris]

If are wanting to know more about mirin, especially all of the different types look at this previous thread from the Japan forum:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=30998

A good brand name for mirin in Takara.

[stephenc]

Wei-chuan is a pretty reputable brand..

[little ms foodie]

I was shopping for Mirin today and had a hard time. Is it actually called cooking wine?? I have always been opposed to buying cooking wine but that is all I saw, in the aisles with the soy. I couldn't locate any in the wine section.

[Jinmyo]

I was shopping for Mirin today and had a hard time. Is it actually called cooking wine?? I have always been opposed to buying cooking wine but that is all I saw, in the aisles with the soy. I couldn't locate any in the wine section.

←

Yes, it's a cooking wine. Too sweet to drink. One can get good mirin but it's $20 to $30 a bottle.

I use it as a sweetener.

The commonly available stuff is basically weak corn syrup.

[little ms foodie]

oh good, I ended up with Kikkoman Mirin. It has manjo also written on it next to some Japanese writing. yellow lable primarily.

thanks jin, I was so worried I was buying the equivilant of a chardonnay cooking wine! eek!

edited to ask: should this be stored in the fridge after it's opened?

Edited January 29, 2005 by little ms foodie (log)

[memesuze]

For instance, Victor Sodsook in True Thai, includes an excellent ingredient list with suggested brands. He put me onto Squid brand fish sauce, Chaudoc coconut milk, Lee Kum Kee chili-garlic sauce. I can find these in most of the Asian markets here. A friend from Taiwan uses Pearl River brand sauces. A few years ago, all you could get was LaChoy or Kikkoman soy sauce. Now there are all kinds in well stocked Asian markets and I stay confused. Even in the big markets though, I have not seen Kikkoman that was made in Japan.

←

In the Thai Cooking at Home thread today, ScorchedPalate cites Kasma Loha-Unchit's choice of coconut milk and tells of her mnemonic to remember which to choose - and it isn't Chaudoc: mnemonic

Seems we have a difference of opinion from the experts....

Edited January 29, 2005 by memesuze (log)

[torakris]

I was shopping for Mirin today and had a hard time. Is it actually called cooking wine?? I have always been opposed to buying cooking wine but that is all I saw, in the aisles with the soy. I couldn't locate any in the wine section.

←

Actually the mirin you want to be looking for is called hon-mirin ("real" mirin) and it should be in the liquor aisle.

take a look at the mirin thread for some more information.

[EdS]

I've been using Hakusan mirin, made in Napa of all places. They make decent sake too. I've done the rounds of the Japanese markets here and all I see from Japan is the crappy cornsyrup stuff. The Hakusan mirin goes for about $7 around here. It's the real thing but I don't know how it compares to a good hon-mirin from Japan. Maybe I should try to get some better stuff by mail-order.

[prasantrin]

[in the Thai Cooking at Home thread today, ScorchedPalate cites Kasma Loha-Unchit's choice of coconut milk and tells of her mnemonic to remember which to choose - and it isn't Chaudoc: mnemonic

Seems we have a difference of opinion from the experts....

←

Personally, I would go along with Kasma Loha-Unchit's suggestions, rather than Victor Sodsook. Sodsook's cookbook is a little too Westernized compared with Loha-Unchit's book.

[prasantrin]

Where I live, there is only one ethnic grocer and it is primarily Filipino.  The owner has order several items for me, but when it comes down to brands it is trial and error.  When he orders a case of Kikkoman Miran, not a bottle but a case because I am the ONLY person in my town that uses it, it is a bit of an investment.  I buy Kikkoman because it is all I know for mirin.

I just think that if I buy by the case I might as well do some research on brand names.  For doing any food related research, like any smart person, I start here in the eGullet.

If anyone knows of "authentic" brands available here in Canada or the US please let me know.  Any "Imported by" info off the label would be awesome, that way finding a distributor is easier.  And for the suggested products already, thanks I'll check them out.

←

Once you have decided on which brands you want to buy, would you consider doing mail-order rather than ordering by the case from your local store? While it is preferable to buy local, I'm sure stores in Toronto or Markham would have a much better selection and many would probably do mail order. Even with the price of shipping, it would still be cheaper (and more practical) than buying a case.

Here's another thread on Asian food stores in Toronto.