What to get at an Asian and European market?

[Hears The Water]

I am so excited. Next month we are going to a nearby town that is big enough to have some ethnic markets and we are going to visit them. Right now I am kind of into Korean food and culture. (Kimchi Chronicals, Eat Your Kimchi and Maangchi are my big shows right now) And I really want to try more of it. So I am thrilled to get to go to an Asian market. I have read reviews of the place and they also have cooking equipment as well. I have wanted a wok for a long time and this is my chance to splurge a little bit on myself. I make stir fry at home, using ginger and garlic and veggies. I am enamored with ginger and garlic and also sembal, siracha and chili garlic sauce too. I Have been told that I really need to try fish sauce and I have tried kimchi but I want to make my own. So what are some things that I should try, as a newbie to Asian foods?

While we are in that town we are also going to an "European" market. I have seen them on facebook and I am really excited abut trying all kinds of mustards, cheeses and a few of the olives. The fresh tatziki sauce for me and the fresh bread for my son both look great too.I also read reviews about this store and one of them says "The chocolate aisle will change your life." So I ask the same question about this store. Is there anything you would recommend for me to try that I might not normally get here in the Midwest of America?

Now for the tricky part. I have food allergies and health issues. So no wheat, almonds, or pecans. I eat low sodium (so hard to do with using soy sauce) and almost no carbs, so no rice either. I know I mentioned the chocolate aisle... so I may have to skip that, since I can't eat chocolate one square at a time. And no alcohol either. I guess I am so excited about this because I have been so bored with what I have been eating, and I want to try new things and brighten up what I am tasting. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I know I am going to be overwhelmed so having a list will be of a help.
God bless you and yours
Deb

[jen74145]

We buy seaweed and vegetables at our Asian market. I buy seaweed salad and force myself not to inhale the entire container and call that lunch.

Lychees when we can get them.

[Hears The Water]

I have tried the dried nori and really don't like it. I keep trying it hoping I will eventually, but so far, nothing. My son, on the other hand, LOVES it. We buy the little packets of nori and he could eat it all day. That is why I just can't get into sushi... the fish-food flavor of the nori makes me gag. Are there different kinds of seaweed then? I am assuming that since you ate a salad of it, there is fresh stuff out there?
God bless you and yours
Deb

[lonelytree]

I get Bacchus-D. Great for soreness.

[dkhern]

w/allergies and issues id cook at home from scratch. you can question waiters and all but they are waiters and dont know how kitchen cooks. counter personnel want to make sale. dont take chances. get creative at home.

[Hears The Water]

dkhern. Thank you for the advice, that is what I am aiming for. But so many things in an Asian grocery store/market will be new to me so I was asking for ideas as to what to try. I think, based upon your reply that you may be thinking that I am going to a restaurant... is there one out there called "Asian Market?"
God bless you and yours
Deb

[beaglady]

Baby bok choy and other greens. Weird mushrooms.

Fermented Black beans (to use in sauces)

Bean thread noodles.

Sesame oil. Lots of it. Both regular and black.

Seaweed salad is made from fresh seaweed - Don't know what kind, but it's bright green, crunchy translucent threads that taste like sesame. Definitely try it.

[Oggie]

The prices on spices you commonly use might possible be quite a bit lower at the Asian market.

Also, look for high-quality soy sauce (Pearl River Bridge is a fairly common brand) or sesame and other oils.

Fish sauce is usually inexpensive and is an ingredient in most Vietnamese dishes.

There are many types of Asian noodles that are fun to try.

[frogmammy]

I got some baby bok choy yesterday! I LOVE bok choy in soups! Found a recipe for garlic grilled baby bok choy and tomatoes...great! If you don't have any five spice, pick some up. Maybe some GOOD curry, too.

If you like cheese, you might look at some of the English and Irish cheeses. Yesterday I picked up a "Cotswald Double Gloucester w/onion" that has a VERY bold taste, but is absolutely fantastic with crackers. Also look for Lemon Curd (it's a kinda lemon jelly). If they have Bangers (an English/Irish meat sausage) you might pick that up for "Bangers and Mash", which is TOTALLY great! I've got a great recipe, so let me know if you find Bangers!

You might look for a Bavarian Mustard....good with about any meat.

Bosnian cookies are not as sweet as American ones, so I always like to pick up some cookies, usually something filled with hazelnut. Mexican cookies are also not as sweet as ours.

In BOTH stores, have fun in the veggie and fruit section!

Mon

[frogmammy]

Oh, and read up on the DIFFERENT types of rice! You will be amazed at the different types of rice they have.

I know, you don't eat much (if any), but you might want to try something so totally different!

Mon

[CaliannG]

Oh my! REAL soya sauce, with mushroom! You don't need a lot of it, just a little dab will do ya. Fish sauce is an imperative; it will really add to stir fries!

Sake to cook with...the alcohol cooks away, but it really adds to the flavor of fish and chicken dishes. Also umeshu (plum wine) to cook with, to add sweetness to some dishes. (I am a hardcore fan of sweet and spicy.)

REAL wasabi! Expensive, and worth every penny! The stuff they sell in most stores is nothing but common horseradish sauce with green food coloring...believe me that real wasabi tastes different.

[K.B.]

spring roll wrappers (not egg roll wrappers, although those are good, too) and cellophane (thread) noodles are staples that we pick up. I've been looking into ways to make these at home, but I haven't tried it yet. With a nice spring roll wrapper, you can put together all kinds of home grown veggies and meats and sauces to make a meal for anyone.

fish sauce (nam pla?) is very helpful in making most southeast asian foods taste "right". shrimp paste is another good ingredient to pick up if you want to use it when making your kimchi.

coconut milk (heavy and light cream versions) are handy for making different curry sauces.

hot (spicy) red bean paste is great for korean and other types of dishes. my first lettuce wraps were pretty much stir fried chicken, carrots sauteed in hot red bean paste as the filling. simple, but still delicious!

Have fun and explore

[City Bound]

Check out some firm tofo to fry up, check out kimchi, check out seaweed, check out japanese sweet potatoes (yum, these are really good), and check out grass jelly. I you get a can of grass jelly, chill the grass jelly, and then add sugar or honey to it in a bowl......that is the way they eat it in china for dessert.

In the russian places check out blood sausage, check out a dierent brands of kvass (it is a drink), check out pickled watermelon and pickled apples, and check out some resh made russian breads if they have them (they make the best bread).

[suzyhomemaker09]

I'm guessing that you are going straight down Campbell Avenue..as both the " European market and Seoul Markets are on that street.
European market has some really nice sausages and of course olives are my favorite thing to get from there.
The Seoul market has several employees that are non oriental and can help you find anything you may need....

I buy my tofu there....noodles ( they do have quite a few rice types of rice noodles )....they have fresh produce including mushrooms of different types...
The interwebs are a great place to research recipes...perhaps find some that interest you and then base your shopping around those.
Also not mentioned was Mama Jeans market.....have you ever been there?
It's a healthfood store that has the most amazing apothecarium type herbs and spices for sale....tons of local produce and a host of other goodies...it's on Campbell avenue as well...just a bit further toward downtown.

[rileyjo]

I live in a very multicultural city and I love browsing thru the specialty ethnic shops. I've been known to tap someone on the shoulder and ask them how they are going to prepare the weirdness in their shopping cart.

At the Asian market, I buy a Lavender Cream Tea. It comes in little single serving tubes and it reminds me of hot chocolate, only Lavender!
The clerks at this store say thank you and bow as they hand over your change.

I live in Canada (Quebec) and all the neighbours tell me that the best Quebec cuisine is found on the English side in Ottawa. There's a little 24 hour deli that rocks the French Canadian food. If you can find a friend who is willing the share their cultural tastes, it will open up a whole new world of fun food.

[City Bound]

red bean icecream is good

[Big Dave]

The asian market in Waldron Ar only takes cash. Just my .02

[libby]

Some high quality curry paste or powder! I grew up eating chicken curry over rice with fruit and veggie toppings. As an adult, I've discovered that it goes with so many things! Great in lentils, black beans, or crockpotted (is that a word?) meats. Yummy on cauliflower or potatoes. Get some good Indian type Curry,and if you like the far-east flavors you can get Thai curries, too. And if you get Thai curry of course you need coconut milk.
I just moved to SW Mo-Where are these stores?

[Hears The Water]

Originally Posted by suzyhomemaker09

I'm guessing that you are going straight down Campbell Avenue..as both the " European market and Seoul Markets are on that street.

Also not mentioned was Mama Jeans market.....have you ever been there?
It's a healthfood store that has the most amazing apothecarium type herbs and spices for sale....tons of local produce and a host of other goodies...it's on Campbell avenue as well...just a bit further toward downtown.

Yes! You figured my itenerary out, LOL. Mama Jean's is the first stop. I didn't ask about it because I have been there once. LOVED that place. It almost made me want to move to that town. Every so often I drop hints that they should open up a store in my town, but so far, nothing has worked. LOL

Thanks for the advice, I was planning on buying a couple of cases of tofu that is in the aseptic packages, for long term, but trying some fresh stuff wouldn't be bad either. I like tofu, just don't love it... yet.
God bless you and yours
deb

[bywaterdog]

Two things for sure; ginger root and turmeric root. You can "grow your own spices" both are related plants and depending on your U.S.D.A. zone can be grown outdoors.