Said Sarah: Asian Supermarkets

Chinese drink packaging

For a while now, you no longer have to trek into Soho to get your Far East fix. Chinese supermarkets are popping up on every high street and they are stocked with ingredients to make your authentic Asian meals. Whether you are trying to recreate a ramen you slurped in a back street of Shanghai or if you are just trying to divert from your standard Wednesday night Tesco pizza, you have to check out your local.

The packed shelves

You will find everything, from udon and soba noodles to Japanese Asahi beer and it's so much cheaper than even the well stocked mainstream supermarkets. My local is Far East Story on Junction Rd, London. You can either pop in knowing exactly what you are after or Simon, the owner is always up for discussing the merits of a particular soy sauce or how best to steam your dumplings. I bought a bamboo steamer for a couple of quid in soho after his recommendation and I use it to steam everything from fish to green veg.

The shelves are stacked to the ceiling with popping bold multi coloured packaging, often with no English translation. I never leave without trying something new and this time I walked away with, dried sweet potato - the perfect at work snack, which tastes bit like dried mango.

Dried Sweet potato

If the thought of going into a supermarket and not seeing baked beans and apples scares you a little bit, write these Asian essentials and treats on your shopping list and you can't go wrong:

1. Shaoxing vinegar – jazzes up your dumpling dipping sauces and soup stocks

2. Char su buns – See earlier post here, just like the ones from the chinese bakery in Soho!

3. Toasted sesame oil – drizzle over dumplings

4. Kikkomans Soy Sauce – Full of flavour

5. Soba noodles - Japanese for buckwheat, best used in a hot noodle soup
6. Su Mai pork and prawn dumplings. Amazing.

Far East Story, 126 Junction Road, N19