FAR EAST, FAR NORTH a field guide to ethnic grocery stores by Alexandria Diaz-Tello
If lost, please return to:
FAR EAST, FAR NORTH a field guide to ethnic grocery stores by Alexandria Diaz-Tello
CONTENTS Introduction Purpose Acknowledgments Using this book
7-9 7 8 8
Chinese Spotlight recipe
11 17
Indian Spotlight recipe
21 25
Vietnamese Spotlight recipe
29 37
Russian Spotlight recipe
41 47
City Map
50
Introduction About this book (purpose) With this guide, you won’t just learn about the stinkiest fruit native to Southeast Asia and where to buy it, you’ll be supplied with everything you need to explore hidden gems of North Austin and meet new people.
as I grew up around it, but I know that for every obnoxious SUV owner, there’s also a badass Indian mom who owns her own restaraunt.
It has been said that nothing interesting happens north of Hyde Park in Austin, Texas. My hope is that this book will serve as an adequate rebuttal to this hipster sentiment.
For the well-adjusted reader, this guide will hopefully give some cool insight into the wide variety of products you will find when shopping at any ethnic grocery store. Granted, prices won’t always be better, but nine times out of ten you’ll find a fresher or more flavorful version
When compiling this field guide, my aim was to show a unique facet of Austin that can only be experienced when visiting the “mall zombie” North Side of our great city. I’m a little biased on the topic,
Get to know a place before you harsh it, mkay?
of what you’d find at a regular grocery store. Not to mention, if you have questions about any products the store owner is almost always Introduction 7
on-site, ready to talk or suggest a new recipe for you to try. Don’t get me wrong, H-E-B is pretty sweet, but there are just some conversations that you just can’t get from the college aged kid stocking the imports section.
Acknowledgements The concept for this field guide wouldn’t exist were it not for my mom and dad. Hailing from Mexico and Cuba respectively, they like to think they’re your average parents, but without their unique perspective of the world, I would’ve never realized: 1. Just how many types of “Austin Experiences” a person can have. 2. How to find the beauty in any situation, location, or person. 3. How important it is to combat your own preconceptions.
8 Far East, Far North
Hopefully this guide will help pass their view on to you. A special thanks also goes to my accomplices, Michael DiazTello, and Urton Anderson for helping make my visits happen. Word to my insanely talented peers and professors in the Graphic Design program at St. Edward’s University. Y’all rock so hard it ain’t funny.
Understanding this guide The format of this book is pretty straight forward. Open up to any section to learn about an ethnic grocery store that specializes in a particular country. There you can read about the unique features of this store. At the end of each chapter you will find a tear-out recipe card for a native dish that can be prepared using common items, as well as items found at the featured store.
Located next to the country name and its associated store you will find the following icons. Each icon represents a different department that you will find in the featured store.
Deli Store has area dedicated to cutting and weighing of meat.
Freezer Section
Seafood
Means the store has an area dedicated to storage of frozen foods.
Fresh (and in some cases, living) seafood is sold in this grocery store.
Fruit and Vegetables
Restaraunt Attached
Fresh produce is sold in this establishment.
Store has affiliated restaraunt within or next to grocery.
Introduction 9
Chinese Spotlight
Asia Market Hours Daily 10am-9pm
Address 8650 Spicewood Springs Rd
Phone (512) 331-5780
The main attractions at Asia Market are their unique vegetable selection that typically costs less than produce at other local grocery stores and the attached restaraunt, Asia Cafe that serves authentic Cantonese cuisine.
Chinese Spotlight, Asia Market 11
apple soda Description: This Taiwanese drink can also be found at MT Supermarket and other import stores around Austin. If you’re looking for something different but not too crazy, this drink is it. It’s like a lighter, more refreshing version of Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider. Plus, the can is so cool that it’s practically begging to be washed and hoarded.
Price:
$ 0.99
12 Far East, Far North
OATMEAL IN A CAN Description: Thirsty for some breakfast? This stuff takes the idea of instant oatmeal to a whole new level. The cans are sold unrefridgerated and come with cute little spoons for convenience.
Price:
$ 1.05
Chinese Spotlight, Asia Market 13
bitter melon Description: This stuff is all the rage all over Asia. You can typically find it in drinks, curries, and even in pickle form.
Keep an eye out for this wrinkly melon, as it is widely recognized for its anticancerous and properties, and is often used in the management of Diabetes.
Price: $ 2.89 per pound
14 Far East, Far North
fresh bean curd (tofu) Description: Regulars who shop at Asia Market come in daily for their freshly made Bean Curd, tofu noodles, and tofu pouches.
Made from the thickened skin that rises to the top of soy milk when it is boiled, this is an item you won’t find at your local H-E-B.
Price: $ 3.99 a bag
Chinese Spotlight, Asia Market 15
enoki (enokitake mushroom) Description: Straight out of a Miyazaki film, these long, ghostly mushrooms are commonly used in East Asian foods, particularly soups.
They typically grow on the Chinese Hackberry tree and are thought to promote cardiovascular health as well as improve the immune system’s response to invaders.
Price: $ 1.29 a bag
16 Far East, Far North
Chinese Cuisine
Tofu corn fritters
15
TIME: 15 minutes
a simple and easy asian snack
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 5 minutes What you’ll need: fresh ears of corn, shucked 1/2 cup firm tofu, drained, crushed 1 small yellow onion, chopped 5 cloves garlic, crushed 1 egg, beaten (optional) 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 4 green onions, chopped 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1-1/2 cups flour 2 cups canola oil for deep-frying
What to do: In a blender, blend the corn, tofu, onion, garlic, and egg until finely ground. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and thoroughly mix with the salt, pepper, green onions, coriander leaves, and flour. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large wok and drop in a tablespoon of the mixture for each fritter. Deep-fry for 2 minutes or until light golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with Peanut Sauce or Soy Lime Sauce. recipe from mtsupermarket.com/recipes
Indian Spotlight
Gandhi Bazar Hours Daily 11am-9pm
Address 12809 N FM 623 #3
Phone (512) 249-7600
Hidden between an Olive Garden and a McDonalds, Gandhi Bazar is a breath of fresh air to the Anderson Mill neighborhood. Here you’ll find the usual imports as well as unique organic products and an assortment of religious artifacts.
Indian Spotlight, Gandhi Bazar 21
curry in hurry Description: So quick to prepare that they’ve dropped the “a”, these vegetarian curry pastes are sold readyto-serve. They are prepared and delivered to the store daily by the Austin-based company Curry in Hurry.
Since the curries are cooked on a daily basis, the flavors change from day to day, and you can call ahead to figure out what’ll be offered.
Price: $ 4.99 For more information about Curry in a Hurry products visit www.curryinhurryaustin.com 22 Far East, Far North
supplement section Description: This store carries many health supplements, including a line devoted entirely to diabetes management.
They also have a section dedicated to organic Indian foods that can’t be found at an ordinary imports store.
Price: varies
Indian Spotlight, Gandhi Bazar 23
self serve Grains & Rice Description: Spend five minutes talking with the owners about their store and you will hear about their pride and glory, the self serve rice and grain section.
The sizing and variety offered makes choosing rice a highly customizable experience, something that is totally unique in the world of Indian grocery shopping.
Price: varies
24 Far East, Far North
Indian Cuisine
Chickpea-Spinach Curry
25
TIME: 25 minutes
served with cucumber yogurt sauce
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 10 minutes What you’ll need: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger 2 tablespoons curry powder 2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed kosher salt and black pepper 1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt 1 cucumber—peeled, seeded, and chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
What to do: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, spinach, 2 cups water, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve the chickpea mixture with the yogurt sauce and naan.
recipe by Dawn Perry for realsimple.com
Vietnamese Spotlight
MT SuperMarket Hours Daily 9am-9pm
Address 10901 N Lamar Blvd
Phone (512) 454-4804
MT Supermarket is the Mecca of Asian import stores in North Austin. Though the store is Vietnamese owned you can find Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Indonesian and Mexican items here.
Vietnamese Spotlight, MT Supermarket
29
Durian Description: The Durian typically grows to be about a foot long, weighing between 2 and 7 pounds. This combined with its spiky exterior makes loitering under the Durian tree into a potentially fatal experience.
The fruit’s also infamous for its odor, which is so bad that many countries ban its consumption in enclosed public spaces like hotels. Its smell leaves one’s breath, as Anthony Bordain delicately put it it, “like you just french kissed your dead grandmother”.
Price: $1.99 30 Far East, Far North
Instant noodles Description: Instant noodle brands range from the Nissin Stove Top that graces most dorm cupboards to the more exotic brands that can only be read with the help of an employee. (Hint: those are typically the best ones)
The instant fare here covers the whole gamut of carb and broth combinations imaginable, ranging from your standard Japanese Ramen noodle soup to the trendy Vietnamese Pho.
Price: $.35-.1.25
Vietnamese Spotlight, MT Supermarket 31
seafood market Description: In the event that you wish to taste the creatures of the deep, you can buy them by the pound at MT Supermarket. Maybe you’re making Squid tea sandwiches, Shark soup, or a traumatizing aquarium--whatever you need it for, these are just a few of the many types of seafood they have in stock. 32 Far East, Far North
Just keep in mind that you’re going to need to pay to have it gutted, or you’re gonna have a bad time. This section is not for the faint of heart.
sting ray Description: I hope that if you remember anything from this field guide it’s that if you need some Sting Ray meat, MT Supermarket’s got your back.
The only edible part of the sting ray is its wings. Many imitation crab meats are actually made from the wings of Sting Rays and other skate fish.
Price: $ 2.49 per pound
Vietnamese Spotlight, MT Supermarket 33
shark Description: Though its pretty unnerving to see it being sold by the pound, apparently shark is pretty delicous. MT Supermarket may be one of the only stores in Austin that sells the stuff but it’s a fairly common delicacy.
Shark is typically served marinated and grilled as a steak. Before you rush out to buy shark for your next barbeque, remember that the fish often has extremely high mercury content.
Price: $ 2.89 per pound
34 Far East, Far North
pictured above: a lovely squid eye
squid Description: Yes that is an enormous squid, and yes, that is its enormous horrifying eye. A fun fact to remember as you gaze into it? Squid are carniverous, often feeding on tiny sealife, including crabs, plankton, and oh, almost forgot, other squid.
Another fun fact? When confronted by predator, the squid releases an ink called sepia, the same sepia that was used to develop photographs in the late 18th century.
Price: $ 4.99 per pound
Vietnamese Spotlight, MT Supermarket 35
baby squid Description: Aww, they’ve got the whole family! Usually, it takes between 3 and 5 years for a baby squid to mature into a full-grown creepy squid. Don’t worry about eating this little guy in his infancy though, global warming has actually helped the squid by accelerating the rate at which it process food.
36 Far East, Far North
This means squid are maturing faster, and their populations are now higher than ever. More calamari for everyone!
Price: $ 3.29 per pound
Vietnamese Cuisine
Peanut Sauce A delicious addition to any meal
15
TIME: 15 minutes
What you’ll need:
What to do:
½ cup Un-Sweetened Coconut Milk
Heat the oil in a frying pan and
¼ cup Chunky Peanut Butter ¼ cup Sa Cha Sauce 2 tbs Sugar 1 tbs Fresh Lemon Juice 2 tsp Soy Sauce 2 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce 1 tsp Sesame Oil ½ tsp Curry Powder
add the garlic, chili paste, and tomato paste. Fry until the garlic is golden brown. Add the broth, sugar, peanut butter, and hoisin sauce, and whisk to dissolve the peanut butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Garnish with the ground peanuts.
Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 10 minutes
recipe by Whats Cooking? for food.com
Russian Spotlight
Sasha’s Russian market & Cafe photo by tripadvisor.co.uk
Hours
Easily overlooked amongst the
Daily 9am-9pm
many strip malls of West Anderson Lane, Sasha’s is truly a hidden gem. With bizarre snacks and a wide variety of beverages, it is the perfect
Address 7817 Rockwood Ln, Ste 102
Phone (512) 459-1449
place to pick up a unique gift for friends and family.
Russian Spotlight, Sasha’s Russian Market & Cafe 41
pelmeni Description: Pelmeni is a traditional Russian dumpling that is typically stuffed with chicken, beef, or veal--all of which are sold in this store. Given its grab-and-go nature, Pelmeni has a connotation as a food primarily for children and bachelors. Summed up, Pelmeni is like Russian Ravioli.
42 Far East, Far North
Fun fact: Pelmeni is derived from pel’nyan’, which is a Russian word meaning “ear bread”. Yum.
Price: 4.99
balichok (balyk fish) Description: In Russia, the word balyk refers to dried fish that has been salted and had its bones removed. It is added to other dishes to add flavor or can be eaten by itself as a snack.
Basically, this stuff is the Russian equivalent of Beef Jerky, and it is typically eaten accompanied by a cold beer.
Price: 6.59
Russian Spotlight, Sasha’s Russian Market & Cafe 43
TINY TINY BAGELS photo by flickr user Windell Oskay
Description: One of the many unique items Sasha’s carries is its mini bagels. They come in two unofficial sizes- tiny (shown here) and tinier.
The texture and taste is more kin to that of an unsalted pretzel than it is bagel, but the little guys are perfect with hot cocoa or jam.
Price: 3.99
44 Far East, Far North
Sirok Description: If you are looking for an inexpensive, cold treat, this is it. Slavic in origin and similar to a cake-ball, a sirok is essentially a bar of cheesecake that has been dipped in chocolate and frozen.
In Russia, there are many flavors and brands of this popular kid’s treat. Sasha’s carries multiple brands, including flavors such as original, vanilla, and chocolate.
Price: varies Russian Spotlight, Sasha’s Russian Market & Cafe 45
Pickled Anything Description: As you can imagine, the process of pickling food arose from the need to preserve foods during Russian winters, but continued because it just tastes so good. Sasha’s is pretty serious about
the pickled imports they carry, devoting an entire row to all things preserved. Bulgarian tomatoes? Tiny fish? Like the Portlandia sketch, you name it, they can pickle that--and Sasha’s probably has it.
Price: varies 46 Far East, Far North
Russian Cuisine
Schi (sauerkraut) soup
Traditional cabbage dish and renound hangover remedy
55
TIME: 55 minutes
What you’ll need: 2 lb fresh pork 3 lb head cabbage 2 lb can sauerkraut 3/4 lb dried beans 1 medium onion 1 16 oz can tomatoes 1/2 cup flour (optional) 1/2 cup butter 1 onion-large
back to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings.
Remove bay leaf and peppercorns from pot, if desired. Serve soup in warm bowls with dill and What to do: In a large saucepan or Dutch sour cream as garnish. oven, sauté onion in butter until Accompany with rye bread, if translucent. Add cabbage, desired. carrots and celery and sauté Prep: 15 minutes about 3 minutes, stirring Cook: 40 minutes frequently. Add bay leaf, peppercorns and water or stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. recipe by Barbara Rolek for Add potatoes to soup and bring easteuropeanfood.about.com
1. Asia Market 8650 Spicewood Springs Rd
2. Gandhi Bazar 12809 Ranch Road 620 N
3. MT Supermarket
10901 N Lamar Blvd,
4. Sasha’s Gourmet Russian Market 7817 Rockwood Ln #101