So here I am at Vietnam town, San Jose. I brought a group of moms to Maxim Supermarket (995 Mclaughlin Ave) to familiarize them with vegetables and sauces of an Asian kitchen.
My favorite part of the Vietnamese supermarket is the herb section. Herbs are essential in Vietnamese cuisine. The varieties of mint, basil and coriander are different to the Western variety. Notice the banana blossoms on the top left corner
 |
| This is the Saw Leaf Herb, named because of the jagged edges. It is usually served with Vietnamese Beef Pho. |
 |
| Galangal or Blue Ginger, is used extensively in South-east Asian cooking, especially curries. |
 |
| Saw Leaf Herb on top of my beef pho |
 |
Vietnamese Basil in the foreground and Rau Ram in the background, a herb that is used in South-east Asian cooking, known for its aromatic scent
|
 |
| And of course, navigating the sauce section can be tricky and confusing for the first-timer. |
Here are some of my inputs:
Fish Sauce - Thai or Vietnamese? The Thai version is stronger in flavor and the Vietnamese version is slightly more delicate. So if you're cooking Vietnamese, definitely go for the Vietnamese brand but if you prefer more robust flavors, reach for the Thai version.
 |
| I love the seafood section. There's so much variety. And they gut, clean and scale the fish for you. |
And my last word of advice, EXPLORE and be ADVENTUROUS! Go, bring home some herbs and incorporate into your cooking.
No comments:
Post a Comment