What to buy at ethnic grocery?

HereLieWe
HereLieWe Posts: 233 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Tomorrow I'm going to a large international food store. They specialize in Asian foods, but they have food from every continent. Among the things I'm getting are:

- spices for curry
- tofu
- fresh produce

but I also want to get some other foods there. I have no restrictions on my diet and I like to cook. Can you suggest anything?

Replies

  • greenkm2289
    greenkm2289 Posts: 8
    We had some awesome girls from China to go.with us one time, and they taught us how to make authentic dumplings, yum! The people there are super friendly, don't be afraid to ask them for help and advice, it is so much fun to try new things!
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    rice noodles, fresh roll wrappers, nori, tamarind paste, miso, tea, tamari, sesame oil, vinegars...
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    If you can find it, black rice!
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Oh yeah, black rice with coconut milk. Yum.

    http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/bstickr.html
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,965 Member
    Anything you can buy at the Asian grocer will be cheaper than a regular supermarket in my experience. So I stock up on regular stuff like pepper, rice, chestnuts, frozen prawns and scallops.

    I normally get rice paper wrappers (lower cal than normal wraps), bulgogi beef from the frozen section (its sliced paper thin so handy for making homemade jerky), edamame (both shelled and unshelled from the deep freeze section), won ton wrappers (for making lasagna cupcakes) and dashi powder (a japanese stock powder made of dried tuna which makes a great fish stock). Also Asian instant bouillion blocks are a lot tastier than Western counterparts.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,965 Member
    And you are in season for fresh pea shoots. Delicious as salad or cooked as spinach (wilted with some butter and garlic).
  • justcat206
    justcat206 Posts: 716 Member
    Our faves are rice noodles, coconut milk, basmati rice, goat meat, all the spices of course and it's great for things like tapioca starch and rice flour for those of us who are gluten free. Also curry paste and sriracha. I know there are other things I used to buy there before we moved too far away. We just like to wander the aisles and pick out new things to try :)
  • sylviedroz
    sylviedroz Posts: 95 Member
    try and get some egg tofu if you can. usually is shaped like a tube rather than a block. it's lighter, silkier and tastier than regular tofu. seriously it's divine i don't even eat regular tofu anymore x
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Hot sauce.. I love hot sauce from different places.
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    Tao Kae Noi seaweed. It's from Thailand and it's delicious, especially the tempura seaweed.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I prefer middle eastern specialty stores, and I buy olive oil, zataar, olives, dolmas, syrian bread... etcetc :)
  • navygrrl
    navygrrl Posts: 517 Member
    KIMCHI!!!! That's what I always get at the asian grocery store, because what they sell in the regular supermarkets are but poor imitations. I like to put it in all sorts of things, and also just to eat it from the jar.
  • miriyummy
    miriyummy Posts: 37 Member
    Coconut water is sooooo much cheaper in the asian supermarkets.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    Basically tons of fresh green vegetables. The quality is generally much better than regular grocery stores, with a much wider variety. I usually pick up at least one exotic thing I haven't tried before (preferably one I can't pronounce!) just to give it a try. Fish and meat can be variable quality in my experience. I sometimes pick up a small container of some fiendishly hot spicy pickled vegetable, but have to hide it from my husband because of the sodium content.

    You can buy huge bags of rice, if that's your thing, but they generally have a poor selection of unprocessed rice, and I like my whole grains.

    When I get home, I use my Chinese cooking "bible" - "Every Grain of Rice" by Fuchsia Dunlop - and work my way through the pile of veggies during the week.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I get my seafood at an Asian market when I can. It is the best place for stuff like baby octopus. Cheap, too.
  • HereLieWe
    HereLieWe Posts: 233 Member
    Thank you so much for the wonderful suggestions, everyone! If anyone else is going to one, I suggest buying the low-calorie shirataki noodles, and sauteing them with enuki mushrooms, soy sauce, hot sauce, and miso paste!
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Ooooooo! Get the diet tea. Go home, brew a batch and then drink.

    Enjoy your bathroom for a good portion of the day after that.

    (Yes, I have personal experience. I was not always on board the healthy weight loss train.)
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    Get fruit! I love love love tropical fruits that aren't sold in most Western supermarkets. They should be in season too :smile:
  • FireStorm1972
    FireStorm1972 Posts: 1,142 Member
    I love the garlic chili paste nice and spicy, Baby Bok Choy is daily for me along with Bean Sprouts, and broccoli. Makes a great stiry fry with a little soy and a good protein such as chicken or lean steak or fish. Oh ya the Siracha sauce too that stuff packs a punch.

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