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a field guide to ethnic grocery stores FAR EAST, FAR NORTH by Alexandria Diaz-Tello
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Page 1: Far East Far North

a field guide to ethnic grocery stores

FAR EAST,FAR NORTH

by Alexandria Diaz-Tello

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If lost, please return to:

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a field guide to ethnic grocery stores

FAR EAST,FAR NORTH

by Alexandria Diaz-Tello

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CONTENTS

Introduction Purpose Acknowledgments Using this book

Chinese Spotlight recipe

Indian Spotlight recipe

Vietnamese Spotlight recipe

Russian Spotlight recipe

City Map

7-9788

1117

2125

29 37

4147

50

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With this guide, you won’t just learn about the stinkiest fruit native to Southeast Asia and where to buy it, you’ll be sup-plied with everything you need to explore hidden gems of North Austin and meet new people.

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.

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,

About this book (purpose)

Introduction

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.

Get to know a place before you harsh it, mkay?

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 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

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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.

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

Understanding this guide

Hopefully this guide will help pass their view on to you.

A special thanks also goes to my accomplices, Michael Diaz-Tello, 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.

The format of this book is pretty straight forward. Open up to any section to learn about an ethnic grocery store that spe-cializes 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.

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Freezer Section

Deli

Restaraunt AttachedFruit and Vegetables

SeafoodMeans the store has an area dedicated to storage of frozen foods.

Store has area dedicated to cutting and weighing of meat.

Store has affiliated restaraunt within or next to grocery.

Fresh produce is sold in this establishment.

Fresh (and in some cases, living) seafood is sold in this grocery 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.

Introduction 9

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Chinese Spotlight

Asia Market

The main attractions at Asia Market are their unique vegeta-ble selection that typically costs less than produce at other local grocery stores and the attached restaraunt, Asia Cafe that serves authentic Cantonese cuisine.

Daily 10am-9pm

Address

Phone

Hours

(512) 331-5780

8650 Spicewood Springs Rd

Chinese Spotlight, Asia Market 11

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apple sodaDescription:

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.

$ 0.99Price:

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OATMEAL IN A CANDescription:

Thirsty for some breakfast? This stuff takes the idea of instant oatmeal to a whole new level. The cans are sold unrefridger-ated and come with cute little spoons for convenience.

$ 1.05Price:

Chinese Spotlight, Asia Market 13

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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 prop-erties, and is often used in the management of Diabetes.

Price: $ 2.89 per pound

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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

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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 cardiovas-cular health as well as improve the immune system’s response to invaders.

Price: $ 1.29 a bag

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Tofu corn fritters

Chinese Cuisine

fresh ears of corn, shucked 1/2 cup firm tofu, drained, crushed1 small yellow onion, chopped5 cloves garlic, crushed 1 egg, beaten (optional)1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 4 green onions, chopped 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped1-1/2 cups flour 2 cups canola oil for deep-frying

a simple and easy asian snack

15 minutes

What you’ll need:

What to do:Prep:Cook:

15

recipe from mtsupermarket.com/recipes

10 minutes

5 minutes

TIME:

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.

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Indian Spotlight

Gandhi Bazar

Hidden between an Olive Garden and a McDonalds, Gandhi Bazar is a breath of fresh air to the Anderson Mill neigh-borhood. Here you’ll find the usual imports as well as unique organic products and an assort-ment of religious artifacts.

Daily 11am-9pm

Address

Phone

Hours

(512) 249-7600

12809 N FM 623 #3

Indian Spotlight, Gandhi Bazar 21

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curry in hurry

Description:So quick to prepare that they’ve dropped the “a”, these vegetar-ian curry pastes are sold ready-to-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

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supplement section

Description:This store carries many health supplements, including a line devoted entirely to diabetes management.

They also have a section dedi-cated to organic Indian foods that can’t be found at an ordi-nary imports store.

Price: varies

Indian Spotlight, Gandhi Bazar 23

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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, some-thing that is totally unique in the world of Indian grocery shop-ping.

Price: varies

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Chickpea-Spinach Curry

Indian Cuisine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 large onion, chopped4 cloves garlic, chopped1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger2 tablespoons curry powder2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawedkosher salt and black pepper1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt1 cucumber—peeled, seeded, and chopped1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

served with cucumber yogurt sauce

25 minutes

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring often, until soft-ened, 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.

What you’ll need:

What to do:Prep:Cook:

25

recipe by Dawn Perry for realsimple.com

15 minutes

10 minutes

TIME:

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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.

Daily 9am-9pm

Address

Phone

Hours

(512) 454-4804

10901 N Lamar Blvd

Vietnamese Spotlight, MT Supermarket 29

MT SuperMarketVietnamese Spotlight

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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 del-icately put it it, “like you just french kissed your dead grand-mother”.

Price: $1.99

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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

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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 sand-wiches, Shark soup, or a trau-matizing aquarium--whatever you need it for, these are just a few of the many types of seafood they have in stock.

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.

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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

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shark

Description:Though its pretty unnerving to see it being sold by the pound, apparently shark is pretty deli-cous. 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 mari-nated and grilled as a steak.Before you rush out to buy shark for your next barbeque, remem-ber that the fish often has ex-tremely high mercury content.

Price: $ 2.89 per pound

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squid

Description:Yes that is an enormous squid, and yes, that is its enormous horrifying eye. A fun fact to re-member 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 con-fronted 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

pictured above: a lovely squid eye

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baby squidDescription: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.

This means squid are maturing faster, and their populations are now higher than ever. More cal-amari for everyone!

Price: $ 3.29 per pound

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Peanut SauceVietnamese Cuisine

½ cup Un-Sweetened Coconut Milk¼ cup Chunky Peanut Butter¼ cup Sa Cha Sauce2 tbs Sugar1 tbs Fresh Lemon Juice2 tsp Soy Sauce2 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce1 tsp Sesame Oil½ tsp Curry Powder

A delicious addition to any meal15 minutes

Heat the oil in a frying pan and 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.

What you’ll need: What to do:

Prep:Cook:

15

recipe by Whats Cooking? for food.com

5 minutes10 minutes

TIME:

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Daily 9am-9pm

Easily overlooked amongst the 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 place to pick up a unique gift for friends and family.

Address

Phone

Hours

(512) 459-1449

7817 Rockwood Ln, Ste 102

Russian Spotlight, Sasha’s Russian Market & Cafe 41

Sasha’s Russianmarket & Cafe

Russian Spotlight

photo by tripadvisor.co.uk

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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.

Fun fact: Pelmeni is derived from pel’nyan’, which is a Russian word meaning “ear bread”. Yum.

Price: 4.99

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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

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TINY TINY BAGELS

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

photo by flickr user Windell Oskay

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Sirok

If you are looking for an inex-pensive, 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 choco-late.

Price: varies

Description:

Russian Spotlight, Sasha’s Russian Market & Cafe 45

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Pickled Anything

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 to-matoes? Tiny fish? Like the Portlandia sketch, you name it, they can pickle that--and Sasha’s probably has it.

Price: varies

Description:

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Schi (sauerkraut) soup

Russian Cuisine

2 lb fresh pork3 lb head cabbage2 lb can sauerkraut3/4 lb dried beans1 medium onion1 16 oz can tomatoes1/2 cup flour (optional)1/2 cup butter1 onion-large

Traditional cabbage dish and renound hangover remedy

55 minutes

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add cabbage, carrots and celery and sauté about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bay leaf, pep-percorns and water or stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Add potatoes to soup and bring

What you’ll need:

What to do:

Prep:Cook:

55

back to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until po-tatoes 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 pepper-corns from pot, if desired. Serve soup in warm bowls with dill and sour cream as garnish. Accompany with rye bread, if desired.

recipe by Barbara Rolek for easteuropeanfood.about.com

15 minutes40 minutes

TIME:

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1. Asia Market

3. MT Supermarket

4. Sasha’s Gourmet Russian Market

2. Gandhi Bazar

7817 Rockwood Ln #101

10901 N Lamar Blvd,

12809 Ranch Road 620 N

8650 Spicewood Springs Rd

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