What to Buy at a Chinese Supermarket
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2015
- Here are some items you should buy when shopping at a Chinese Supermarket.
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When we lived in Arizona there was a small Asian store we went to all the time. They kept the fish and crabs and things in live tanks in the back. First time we went in not only were they all helpful but when the butcher learned we lived 40 minutes away he packed our fish in a cooler with ice over it at no charge.
Someone, not sure who she was, walked around with us and translated the packaging and offered advice on the best brands. Most who worked there did not speak English but they went out of their way to help.
I went back there ALL the time and even got some recipes and cooking tips. BEST STORE in America..I think the name was Mekong Market....Years ago but for everyone in the Phoenix area check it out....
Julia
That sounds amazing.
isabel elenes I’ve had that experience as well, though I found that after an extended period of time they did soften up quite a bit.
Was there today, awesome market!
hey I go there it's such an amazing spot to be in
"Hey they sell the thing my parents use to beat me with" hahaha this guy xD
6:50
I chew sugar cane whenever its in season down here in south louisiana. Its a tradition here. Its so good
They sell them as snacks in Hawaii also...
gildrop yea im in south texas we grow it here so it's like super cheap candy when you're a kid.
gildrop My dad grows this on his plantation. Well... HE doesn't grow it.
mini dwarfdude The slaves do?
In South Carolina we also chew sugar canes, then again we are Mexicans and many Mexicans chew it so 🤷♂️
I'm not Asian but I love shopping at Asian supermarkets because of the variety, the products are so unique and foreign to me and sometimes i end buying a lot of random things on a whim. I wish i could read the labels but i've learned a few helpful hints from watching this video, especially with the noodles so thanks Mike !
They should have the labels in English as well.
At our supermarket they have a sticker label that is translated in English so you know what is in the product. I was for so long buying these delicious seaweed potato chips that were so good but later found out that they missed one important thing in the translation for quite some time until they got caught in a inspection for not having a fully translated label. Come to find out there was an ingredient in the certain brand of chips that can cause reproductive damage to women. I was like wait what? No wonder my medicine was not working for so long. It was being counteracted by that ingredient. I stopped eating the chips and made sure that I do not buy anything with that particular ingredient. One has to be careful when one cannot read what is in the food. I was so bummed it was the best tasting seaweed flavored tato chips ever.
HikaruRain what was the ingredient?
misskahu I have learned that every culture has a great dish. I love to learn about the ingredients and how to use them. The Asian and Halal stores have so many great ingredients and my interaction with the individuals is always friendly and rewarding. I have learn so much and will continue to expand my love of all great food that other cultures enjoy.
I used to sit on the rice bags eating candy... Lol
Yes! Me too.
Then someone customers said I was crazy... I was only 8
+XDavidX2004 I still do it :D
+XDavidX2004 hahahaha i remember sitting on them but the people working there got madat me and told me to shoo away.
+XlDavidXl ahahaha yes the rice bags
yes to the Chinese sausages. For those who's never had them before, they are smoked and are eatable out of the package, but it is suggested that you cook it first. First they are sweeter then other sausages and secondly they have lots of fat in them. Best way I uses them is to pan fry them (don't add any oil) till most of the fat is melted out, put them on paper napkin to draw out the grease. Make an omelette put it over rice with the sausages, a bit of good soy sauce and hot sauce.
Chinese sausage with egg over rice and some thick, dark soy sauce is an actual dish. They serve it a lot as a breakfast item in Hong Kong deli restaurants, and more traditionally, a liver sausage with vegetables with a short grain rice in a clay pot.
I almost always steam them embedded in a pot of rice, after the rice has absorbed most of the water. It takes about 5 minutes to "cook".
Pop them in a rice cooker ;)
I love adding them to ramen. Or scrambled eggs. 😋
I would not eat them right out of the package because they are not cooked. The best is to put in sweet rice when the water is boiled. You could also cook them for one minute in a microwave.
I always get my veggies from the Chinese supermarket, because not only is it cheaper I get more veggie and the one I go to has GIANT bundles of green onion (which I use crazy amounts of). And meat's super reasonable too. The 99 Ranch I go to has an entire butcher counter for pork! I've actually turned quite a few non-Asians to shopping there after one day I heard a couple complaining about how expensive ginger was at the regular supermarket, and the ginger was TINY!
I was born in Markham, Ontario in the year 2000. since then it has become less of a Chinatown, but when I was born it was beautiful. Chinese supermarkets left right and centre, tons of restaurants, everything. My family moved away shortly after I was born, and etching your videos makes me wish I lived near a Chinatown. I just love the food and the supermarkets so much. your channel has inspired me to move either to a Chinatown or to China itself, even though I speak no Mandarin or Cantonese.
*watching
You are funny!!
Born and raised in Scarborough. Still live here and my sisters up in Markham now. You should see it now. Its like the Agincourt area but on roids. Basically a city of Chinese and South Asians now. Most of the best restaurants are up there I'd argue and not in Chinatown (both Spadina and Broadview Chinatowns). And for those of you not from Toronto, yes we have four or more distict Chinatowns or districts.
I am in Toronto now, i was born in mainland china and I found Toronto is more friendly and easy-going for foreigners. If you want to try Chinese dishes, Toronto has almost everything you want, I never miss hometown food when I'm in Toronto. BTW, the waitress here do speak English well and the menus are in both language, so feel free to dine in Chinese restaurants or visit T&T!!
Oh I missed the bar-b-q duck in Toronto and snake soup in Vancouver. I live in the U.S. and don't know how could any one afford to live in Canada.
Those packaged vegetables are now expired.
Jettybear lol😭😭😂😂😂
Jettybear yeah
Now way expired
your comment expired just before you posted it.
Lmao
Thank you so much for this Mike, it has been really helpful. My son now works in a Chinese restaurant and your videos have been a Godsend.
+April Barnett thanks for watching! :-)
Sasori I dunno where you live but my local Kroger sells them in the Asian or World aisle.
Ae-Ri Bae bpinoyfo
Pinoyfood
Ae-Ri Bae
You can buy it on amazon if I'm not mistaken.
I'm sooo glad you did a couple of tutorials on Chinese food shopping. I try to cook Chinese at least once a week,but always be missing something. Because of you, I'm getting the knowledge I need to cook Chinese better. Thank you.
Oh my God you're so right, I had the audacity to walk into an Asian supermarket at 10am on a Sunday mind you and that place was packed like a Kaiju was outside, I'm talking lines from the register to the freezers in the back. It was chaos and I kept wondering where the hell did you all come from I lived in CT all my life and I've never seen so many Asians in one area, then I looked at the door and it said Chinese New Year tomorrow, I got the hell out of there. I can wait on fresh lo mein noodles for another day.
Lol was it a-dong in West Hartford...that place is insane on weekends
@@krispbakon3422 I did NOT know that yesterday. Hahaha! Toddled around forever looking for stuff getting odd stares from practically everyone. All their eyes said " wtf are you doing here?" 😬😂
🤣🤣 this was me when one of the bond movies came out on our island. Like where all these white folks come from or hiding at?!
Wow, I'm doing the Asian grocery store right! You chose lots of my favorite things: that soy sauce (I don't know what it is, but the flavor beats all others), hot preserved radish/veggies, Asian ramen, and I agree, a resounding NO to store bought hot oil. :) Not too shabby for a white girl, haha. Thanks for the tour of your local store!!
chinese sausages are the most delicious, i'll admit! i'm generally a pescatarian (sometimes i eat chicken and other poultry), but when i was in college, all my roommates were chinese and my first roommate was an AMAZING cook; she used to make the most delicious fried rice out of leftover rice from a nearby taiwanese restaurant, mix in some chinese sausages and canned eel and egg and it was literally the most delicious thing i have ever eaten! (my second roommate maybe not so much .... she cooked all the time but she REPEATEDLY gave everyone in our circle of friends food poisoning, so i avoided her cooking! i guess it's like you say - either you can really cook amazingly or you can't cook at all!)
These videos about Asian supermarkets are great. It would be nice to see videos about other individual kinds of ingredients- Korean, Japanese, Indian, and Vietnamese for instance. I am from Toronto and we have so many Asian markets that offer a huge range of typical delicious and yet affordable ingredients that people may not know exist. As you said, don't be scared. Try it! Millions if not billions of people have, and it is staple comfort food!
Can't believe this is a year old. I've been wandering around my local Chinese supermarket in awe wondering what on earth I need to buy. Being a Westerner new to Chinese cooking it all seems a lot clearer thanks to this. Love your channel, please keep up the good work!
I love this! I constantly shop at my local Asian supermarket, but it is awesome to finally have some guidance!
I'm not Asian but in the last 10 years, the number of Asian grocery stores has exploded in my community and I'm learning to identify all the wonderful ingredients I can see there. I don't get the impression you are a vegetable kind of guy, but a video on Asian vegetables would be good. (If you have any Vietnamese/Japanese friends, take them with you to help with the video) I love Chinese sausage. I'll buy a pack of them and just eat them as a snack. They have a sweet/savory taste that's very addictive. Not good for your health though. I don't live in a part of the country that has access to fresh fish and I see a lot of frozen and not so fresh looking fish in Asian markets. I have very little experience cooking with fish. I want to eat healthier, but I find all the fish/seafood options to be intimidating. I do encourage people to check out the cook ware and gadget aisle because you will find things there you won't find else where. My latest triumph is finding one of those Japanese, plastic graters they use for grating daikon, wasabi, ginger and garlic. They grate the food without grating off the tips of your fingers.
Please! do like you yourself suggested and do a follow up/Part 2 video on this (in fact Chinese supermarkets are so vast you could probably do a series)! It was SO interesting and informative! I go to one all of the time but didn't know about several of the things you showed. Also, you should try those boba milk tea ice cream bars that are half boba milk tea on one side and vanilla on the other--they could be more generous with the boba but they're still really yummy.
Love mikey chan videos. Very genuine, very human.
I make food from scratch, so I tend to buy the stuff in Asian markets for making dinners for family and friends. I get fresh asian produce, meats, and ingredients to make traditional Japanese, Chinese and or Thai foods.
Personally I grew up loving bitter melon! I feel like it's definitely the way it's prepared. The way my parents made it was really flavorful and the bitterness was a secondary thing. It's also really good for you so that's another incentive to eat it!
My wife really loves it too. I didn't care for the taste.
my parents make it with meat and stuff stuffed inside
I just had that "omg" moment when you are munching on sunflower seeds and Mike picks up and recommends the exact same sunflower seeds that i was eating.
+Vuong Le Nguyen hahahaha nice!
I absolutely love your videos! Thanks for all the information!
I just discovered the Old Dry Mother's chili crisp sauce. It's spicy but has a lot of crunchy flakes in it. I can't get enough of it. It's great on sandwiches!
I love him for this~
Hope he does more~
I love going into my local Asian markets, they are all over my hometown and I always recommend my friends to go to one of them to buy things like snacks and drinks and even fruits. Part of the reason I love going is half the time when I am looking at different snacks or treats, especially when it is not busy, one of the shop workers or other Asian adults will come up to me and start pointing out other things that I would like based on what I already have in my hands. 'You like this? You like this too!" the grin that comes over these people's faces when I choose something that they recommend is something that lightens my heart. The other half of the time I get weird looks as a very white, very american young woman walking into the store with my again very white very american very Germanic father, walking into an Asian supermarket and picking out things some Caucasians would never pick up. [My dad spent a few years in Japan while my grandfather was overseas and they both have instilled a love for Asian cuisine and culture. It also doesn't hurt that I grew up surrounded by Vietnamese families. My favorite thing would be when one or more of them would bring in the large container filled with piping hot spring rolls made the day before. Christmas parties were always awesome in my class growing up.]
Oh my gosh! Love this video!!! I always get overwhelmed going to a Chinese supermarket but now I know what to get. Make another one with more recommendations!!!
Hey Man... recent subscriber here. I'm really liking a lot of your videos. The look into the supermarket is really fascinating. I understand why you may not like the bitter gourd though. Over here we call it Ampalaya. I guess you just haven't tasted this prepared well. If the dish is done right, usually dipped in salted water and squeezed to remove much of the bitterness, sauteed with onion, egg and a bit of shrimp, it can taste really nice. Plus we have a special salad recipe for it which is just awesome.
Hey Mike, in my country bitter gourds are a must eat...best way to reduce the bitterness is to cut them up and wash them with salt water..later when cooking just add a chicken soup cube...tastes really good then...
cant believe in the wide world of youtube i accidentally found you have another channel. ive been watching you for a long time on beyond science. i was looking at chinese and asian markets and how to navigate them as i explore my cooking and came across you. it was so good to see a familiar face when doing something so new, i clicked and thumbs upped before the first word.
This was so helpful!! I’m always so lost in these types of stores but I know there’s a lot of hidden gems and now I don’t feel so intimidated to go.
Love this please do more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being a non Asian and one that loves asian food, I found this video very informative.
Thanks Mikey! Love your videos.
I needed this video so much! Thank you! Already went with a Chinese friend, so many things to discover
Hahah, this is like my paradise :) This asian supermarket is amazing. Please break it down in other videos like you said ! It reminds me so so much of good food memories hahah (the small round biscuits, the yakult...). I used to always have a pack of chinese sausages in my fridge. It's the best when the week is over and you don't have anything in the fridge anymore ! Chinese sausage always comes to the rescue ! Here in Sofia, I found only one chinese little store for now, and unfortunately I haven't been able to find half of the things I look for and also, it's really weird but the brands are not the same and the products really taste different. Like, the sesame oil for instance, a complete different taste ! It's really interesting but it makes it really hard to cook my beloved asian food in these conditions xD Btw, Y NO RED BEAN ICE CREAM ??????? :p
+Kelyrin's Cooking & Bento yup, i will :-) I don't love red beans hehe
I absolutely LOVE the smell inside my local Asian supermarket. I don't know what it is about it... pungent, earthy, fishy, it just smells like the promise of yummy food in my belly.
I LOVE your videos Mike!!! So many foods you pointed out I Love. Thank you for extra info and tips. I eat Asian every morning just about for breakfast but now have some new items to try. Thank you Again!!!
I love this because I love the asian market but easily get lost , the spices and sauces videos are so very helpful. Thank you!
I need a lot more information, particularly for which fish to get, which baked tofu is best, but also more info on their unique veggies and fruits. Bring in your grandma next time and lets see what she can teach us.
Yakult. Seriously? Is that a particularly chinese thing? Because in the UK thats just a standard yogurt supplement drink thing.
+ondank Also said USA on the package. :P
+ondank Ok, checked wikipedia, some japanese dude came up with it.
+ondank you are right. I think it's originated from the UK. As a child, I have only seen them in supermarkets in Hongkong (when it was still a British Territory).
+ondank
+Wenkai Zhang
It's Japanese
+Wenkai Zhang its japanese dude
This was AWESOME!!!!! Thank you so much for this! Going shopping this weekend!
Thank you so much, this was so educational!! You gained a new subscriber, thank you again!!
Old Dry Mom!!!! You crack me up, Mike. That's the worst and funniest translation I've ever heard.
Is it normal in America to say lychee as "LeeChee"? Brit-Chinese here, I've said it as "liechee" all my life and am now subsequently confused...
Yeah, most Americans pronounce it “lee-chee.” Some people also say “lit-chee.” I prefer “lee-chee” myself.
I think it's because we use the 'ly' from adverbs like 'doubly' or 'accidentally.'
Here we call them 'leesjay' (j is like 一 pronunciation)
Lychee
My guess is it depends on what chinese is prominent in those regions? Since lychee is a Chinese fruit it’s the Lee sound in mandarin. Not sure about canto
Great video - I love my Asian markets, and have had so much fun learning new recipes. I especially like the vegetables, and try new things (sweet potato vines? ) whenever I can. Thanks Mike!
Love any Asian Markets . Very Helpful Show.
Whoever bought these preserved vegetables
It is time to throw them out #2017
we livin in 2018 now
2018!
those rolling pins… yes dude I was beaten with them too…
I was beaten by my parents and grand parents with a double rattan stick wrapped in plastic (it was about two feet long and was used to defrost refriegerator)whenever I got less than "A' in school in Hong Kong.
Mine was a bamboo stick with dark feathers all around half of the stick. It is supposed to be a feather duster but many Chinese parents were, shall we say, “resourceful”? That thing was pretty wicked, especially the sound of the Bamboo as it cut through the air. Yeah, fun times... lol
Thank you so much for this channel!! SO happy I stumbled across this :D
I learn so much from your videos, thank you!
Mike, come to SIngapore. I will convince you to love Durian
+SchnoodleSchnu haha I would love to come
Dang it ! * currently driving to buy Mochi icecream.
Did you like it?
I loved this one Mikey!
Hey Mike your love of rain, great communication skills and overall good guyness was a great way to learn about cooking Chinese stuff at home!
I love how much of what you were showing in the Chinese Supermarket was either Japanese (Cup Noodle, Mochi) or Korean (Shin Ramyun). There's almost NO Chinese stuff in a Korean place, I can tell you.
korean dont like chinese so much hehe
I would love to go shopping with you in an asian store that way I would have someone to read the packages for me so I would know what I'm buying.
Apps can translate for you if you take a picture of the label
Almost every item as a english price tag
Yes..but he was obviously talking about the Asian only language packaging
Thanks good idea.Never thought of using an app on my phone.
Np man glad I could help
Thanks for sharing this video Mike it really helps me know what i'm buying.
Yay. I think I've hit the advanced level of Asian grocery shopping. You made some great picks. You hit SO many favorites of mine. Great tour. Since they have more than just Chinese groceries.. here is some other stuff to look for. Samanco goldfish ice cream bars are wicked. It's the same company that makes Melona. It's vanilla ice cream with sweet red bean, nestled between 2 goldfish shaped waffles. Super good. If you can find it, Beijing style yogurt is wonderful. Boy Bawang - garlic. My 4 year old son tried them and his response was "these are frickin good."
You are right about the crowd... I get run into and pushed around a lot... By OLD ladies! Man, they are aggressive in the markets!
I enjoy your vids a lot HOWEVER, it would work better if you would hold the product STILL instead of shaking it at us and the camera. It's hard to see the markings on the constantly moving product. Thanks.
Just pause it screen shot it then u can zoom in EASY
@@reznae2718 My lappie doesn't do 'screen shots' like maybe a smart phone does. It won't 'pause' in a shot that isn't blurry either. That is why I said what I said. But thanks for the suggestion. Few people hold a 'product without waving it'.
@@missyb9535 that's a shame and I got Samsung no smartphone lol my tablet even takes screenshots glad I don't have a lappie ☺☺ well he does heaps better now he was fairly new then MIKEY IS THE BEST NOW
Hi there, from a Polish Canadian ! I just LOVE this!! I love all sorts of different foods and now I found you to be my guide! I am new sub for sure!!
I finally found an Asian Supermarket a couple hours away and this will help quite a bit more on our next visit there when we go food shopping. Thank you again!
Gladio doesn't appreciate you roasting Nissin Cup Noodles
Every single time I go to an Asian supermarket, I pick what looks to be the shortest line, then just as I'm getting close to the till, the person in front of me gives some sort of signal and their spouse, kids, grandparents, aunts and uncles, all of whom have been holding places in OTHER lines come rushing over with their mountain of groceries, waltz past me and join their family member at the front of the line.
I must stress that this is an Asian supermarket, not a Chinese one... but.... is there some Asian culture where this is a normal thing to do? I hope that didn't sound too racist -- I'm actually genuinely curious.
Ruby Doomsday Same thing happened on most Asian countries. I think the main reason why it keeps happening is no one really complains like it is their common practice to just let it go.
A lot of countries don't know British queue etiquette. It's not that it's the wrong thing to do, it's just their way of doing things. Just let 'em be.
cut the queeue
It's their custom. Most foreign Chinese don't follow the rule of waiting in line, especially the uneducated one.
This was a fantastic video. Please please please do more like this!!! Thanks!
More of these videos please!!! Thank you!!!
7:38 Who's watching in 2017?
More Durian for me.
Mike I love ur videos! I went to a Chinese supermarket and bought some different thing candies cookies and fruit etc... and omg it was so good! soon I'll try sum real dumplings and drinks! I did drink the cold chi tea with those little balls in it! loved it! thanks for the videos!!!
Thank you for this, I love Asian food and markets, but often do not know what I am looking at. This was helpful!
Dude I love durian.
+linkcowgamergameplay Yeah, he is missing a lot if he didn't try it just coz of the smell.
Vinthiya Balachandran Lol, just like my sister xD
+Vinthiya Balachandran He's tried it before in another video and didn't like it.
Somarik Green I agree.
Will you still be doing this channel?
+Caleb Bennett of course :-)
+Strictly Dumpling can u do shout outs?
+Strictly Dumpling why did u actually leave OTGW and will you do any more TH-cam channels
yes, I love Chinese food so much..thanks for explaining things much better for me.I really like your channel
Thank you very much for these tips!
Bitter melon is extremely healthy for the human body!
they put the whole durian fruit in the freezer? this is such a disgrace for durian lovers in Southeast asia lol
I loved this video! super helpful!
Thanks for posting this! Definitely, shop and get out!
So just how dry is she?
+youareajackass2005 - "Old Dry Mom Hot Oil" - ew! But, great video :)
+youareajackass2005 the name "lao'gan'ma" doesn't mean "old dry mom". it means "old step mother" in Chinese. "gan" literally means dry and "ma" means mom. But "gan'ma" together means step mother.
I am in UK and my local supertstore stocks shrimp snacks and the same sunflower seeds. I think they are both great snacks. Because of your videos I treated myself to Dim Sum. I went on my own but felt confident in making choices with the dishes I ordered. It was a very cool experience and the staff in this particular establishment were very helpful and friendly! Thank you for your videos.
Thank you for this tutorial. I've learned alot just by watching you. I love Chinese food and is trying to learn as much as I can to master it. Thank you again.
Awesome video, I loved it ^^
You should definitely make another one of these supermarket videos!
Great information that I'll be putting to good use, tfs. And, keep the vids coming!
This is an excellent subject for videos, definitely would be interested in seeing a Part 2!
Loving your channel brother, just subscribed recently.
Can't wait to try your recipes! My stomach is growling hard from watching so many.
+HanSoloxcs Thanks :-)
Strictly Dumpling Thank YOU!
This is amazing, I really appreciate it! I love going to the Asian supermarket but never know what to get. I tried the Melona bars and I think I went to heaven. THANK YOU!!
I love all your videos!
I don't normally comment, but I just wanted to say thanks for the video! This is exactly what I was looking for since I always feel a little lost in these supermarkets and feel that I'm missing out on some really tasty foods. Unless I've had someone recommend something or I've tried it before it can be hit or miss when daring to buy something I've only a slight idea as to what it could be.
I love the clear jello in a can and the little yogurt drinks..
I'd love to see more of these please!
So helpful! Thank you
great video and love your energy and enthusiasm.
Thank you for the tour. I go to China town just about every weekend here in Houston and love many of the veggies and fruits. Durian is one of my favorite foods of all time. Jackfruit is good too, as are mangosteen, lychee, longan, rambutan, to name a few.
That was awesome! There is a very small Asian Market in Tyler, Texas and for someone like me, that wants to know how to cook Asian Food, it is really difficult to figure out what things are or whT you do with it. I am really glad I found your Channel and YES!, another Market Video would be awesome!
I love going to Fubonn’s, Hong Phat, Uwajimaya, and hole-in-wall corner markets. It’s like a magical wonderland.
I love Asian markets! I love finding new foods to cook. There's a Korean shopping center not too far from my house. They have a food court in the front and they have clothing and home goods, as well! Very cool experience.
That was so fun Mike! I have to drive 2 or 3 hours to get to a great Asian market. Thanks for all the tips. Well done
I love Chinese Supermarket shopping everywhere!
Awesome video, can't wait to go to my local supermarket and look for some of this stuff!