My Asian supermarket essentials

Yes, I would get a Shin Ramyun tattoo, thanks for asking

The Asian food storecupboard in my house was recently looking rather bare. This spikes my anxiety because, unsurprisingly, we eat a lot of Japanese food. Our home-cooked meals can also often be Chinese-inspired too, and of late a couple of Thai dishes have made it into rotation. With this in mind, Asian supermarkets are the only place where I can pick up the essentials to make my favourite foods in acceptable size containers, as I find my local supermarket stocks things like soy sauce in bottles that would barely last 2 weeks in this house.

So last week, off I tootled to my local Asian supermarket (luckily for me and my driver/husband, this shop houses an excellent Chinese restaurant, so no need to shop hungry!), and did a big shop. I got all the items that I absolutely needed, plus quite a lot that I didn’t need, but will defintely be used and enjoyed!

I thought I’d share the things that I always restock, maybe to inspire you if you’re always looking for new things to try or add to your cooking.

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From the fridge

• Enoki & shimeji mushrooms - Enoki mushrooms get all crispy when fried, and the texture of shimeji mushrooms is one of my favourites for noodle soups or Japanese curry. I’ll also get some king oyster mushrooms if they are reasonable.

• Kimchi - Korean-brand kimchi is unbeatable from a flavour and spice point of view. Check the label if you’re vegetarian or vegan, though.

From the freezer

• Dumplings - the effort to deliciousness ratio for frozen dumplings should be illegal. They cook in minutes and always feel like a treat, plus there’s a type of dumpling for everyone!

• Udon - For all my thick chewy noodle lovers, get your udon from the freezer section. They are worlds away from a dried noodle and cook quicker. A portion of frozen udon, some frozen dumplings cooked in the same water then added to some dashi is the perfect weeknight meal. I’ve had this exact meal twice this week.

• Thinly sliced meat - I love gyudon (Japanese beef & rice bowl), but it requires really thinly sliced beef that just isn’t available in regular supermarkets here in the UK. We get the pork sometimes too to make Japanese shogayaki.

Store cupboard

• Japanese rice

• Noodles - These are additional to the udon. We’re not brand or shape loyaut a usualy go for a ramen-type wheat noodle.

• Soy sauce - I’m a Kikkoman stan.

• Light soy sauce

• Mirin - a Japanese rice wine that adds a sweetness

• Cooking sake - don’t use your good stuff to cook with!

• Dashi - Dashi is a Japanese stock made from fish and kelp. I like to get the box of little sachets of dashi so it’s easy to portion out. I use it to make soup for udon (mix your dashi pack with about 250ml of boiling water in a bowl and add your drained udon), aswell as loads of other Japanese meals.

  

  Shimaya dashi packet

  N.B. Soy sauce, mirin, sake and dashi, mixed together in various ratios, are the base of so many of your favourite Japanese dishes and form an integral part of Japanese cooking.

• Japanese curry blocks - Any brand imported from Japan will be good. Take the spice level guide with a pinch of salt though, as Japanese food is rarely spicy.

  

  Japanese curry blocks

• Sesame oil

• Kewpie mayo

• Oyster sauce - unlike most of the other things on this list, this has to be kept in the fridge after opening.

• Sriracha - Hannah got me into the Black Pepper one, and I also have a yuzu one on the go at the moment.

• Miso

• Japanese pickles - pink pickled ginger, always!

• MSG - I’m going to write in some detail soon about MSG, what it is and where you could use it in your cooking. It’s such a kitchen asset, akin to salt, and absolutely nothing to be worried about. Ajinomoto brand is the G.O.A.T. for this.

  

  MSG

• Packet noodles - There’s something for everyone in the magical packet noodle aisle and what you gravitate towards is as unique to you as your fingerprint. I’m a Shin Ramyun girl - discovering it almost 20 years ago was life affirming and I still adore it.

loml

• White and black seasame seeds - always in larger packs for a more reasonable price.

Extra treats

Here are the things that aren’t integral and I don’t buy everytime, but are delicious and worth a try:

• The Chinese bakery goods - particularly the savoury stuff is 100% my bag

• Lemongrass/spring onions/fresh chillis

• Panko breadcrumbs

• Additional chilli sauces/chilli crisp

• Crisps - sometimes there’s some really fun flavours, the last ones I got were cumin lamb flavour

• And frankly anything that just takes my fancy. Last week I bought Vietnamese bún riêu soup blocks because I bet they will be so good.

I’m absolutely not an expert here but East Asian food is a total passion of mine, as is the Asian supermarket! I would always suggest a trip to your local Asian supermarket, as you get ingredients high quality and excellent value plus they always have everything you need (and more!).

What are your faves from the Asian supermarket? What should I be buying on my next visit? I’m always interested in the South-East Asian aisle but need to be guided and the best pastes and sambals to buy!