How to Navigate an Asian Food Market

If you want to cook Asian food, and you’re unfamiliar with the cuisine, the easiest (and simplest) thing to do would be to head to your local grocer. But very few grocery stores are stocked with every single ingredient you’ll need…unless you head to an Asian market, that is. If you’re an alien to this kind of cooking, it can be confusing to navigate such a foreign land. But rest assured, there is help.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Start with what you know. If you know that your recipe calls for rice vinegar and soy sauce, start with the basics and head to that aisle. When you venture into unfamiliar terrain (as in needing hundred-year-eggs), you’ll be thankful you knocked out the easy stuff beforehand.

2. Choose wisely. For those living in a big city, finding an Asian market can be a cinch. But if you’re in a smaller city, a good market might be slim pickens. Pick the markets that have the freshest ingredients with the most quality.

3. Adopt the Curious George way of life. Snoop into everything, fully embracing the aromatic scents and vibrant colors of every product.

4. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to look stupid and put yourself out there. Ask as many questions as you can think of because that’s the only way you’ll ever find out anything worth listening to. Assume that the people who work at an Asian market know better than anyone else.

5. Experiment. Every time you head to the market, buy something you’ve never worked with before and test it. See if you can make something new and delicious out of it.