Chinese Pantry Giveaway

To celebrate the official launch of my cookbook, I have lined up many fabulous prizes and giveaways. For this giveaway, I am partnering with AsianSupermarket365.com to bring you the Chinese Pantry Giveaway. Three (3) lucky winners will win the Chinese pantry bundle, retail value: $60+.

Many people are not familiar with Chinese ingredients and that’s why I hand-picked the following items for you so you can make authentic Chinese dishes in my cookbook right away:

Amoy Gold Label Light Soy SauceAmoy Gold Label Dark Soy SauceAmoy White Rice VinegarGreat Wall Chinese Black VinegarLee Kum Kee Premium Oyster-Flavored SaucePagoda Shaoxing Rice WineMing Lee Shang Soy Bean Paste with ChiliQueen’s Sweet Bean SauceDried Egg Noodles

To enter, just leave a comment below.

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day (one comment per day strictly enforced), plus the bonus entries below:

Five (5) Bonus Entries:

Like Rasa Malaysia on Facebook. Leave 1 extra comment for this.Like AsianSupermarket365 on Facebook. Leave 1 extra comment for this.Share this giveaway on Facebook. Leave 1 extra comment for this.Follow Rasa Malaysia on Twitter. Leave 1 extra comment for this.Join Rasa Malaysia email subscription. Leave 1 extra comment for this.

This giveaway opens to US residents only and closes on Nov. 6, 2011 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be randomly selected and contacted on Nov. 7, 2011. Good luck!

The prizes are proudly sponsored by AsianSupermarket365.com, your online source for Chinese ingredients.

OTHER COOL GIVEAWAYS:

5 signed copies of EASY CHINESE RECIPES and here (hosted by My Cooking Hut).

Two (2) Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker Giveaway

ManPans 10? Stir Fry Wok and Steamer Set.

ShowShanti Chinese Apron Giveaway

Wok Star Kit Giveaway

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Building a Japanese Pantry and Mizkan Shopping Guide

June 21st, 2011 | Endorsement, Sponsorship | 26 Comments

One of my favorite things to do is shopping, especially for food and ingredients that I use a daily basis to prepare all the mouthwatering dishes you see on Rasa Malaysia. I can spend hours walking the aisles of supermarkets, scouring the shelves looking for produce, sauces, spices, etc. Because of my focus in Asian cuisines, I tend to shop more at Asian supermarkets and specialty stores that carry Asian ingredients. Lucky for me, I live in Orange County, Southern California…the diversity here means that I can pretty much find any ingredients, be it fresh produce, imported goods, or hard-to-find items at the many food stores here.

I get many emails from my readers, many of them are very keen to try my recipes but have no idea where to shop for the ingredients called for in the recipes, for examples: salmon teriyaki, Japanese beef rolls, and hand roll (Temaki) recipes where Mizkan Japanese condiments are the key ingredients. So, today, I am taking you all shopping—albeit virtually—to my favorite food stores where you can get practically all Japanese ingredients. It’s going to be fun, let’s go…

Our first stop is Mitsuwa Marketplace, which is the largest Japanese supermarket in the United States. There are currently eight (8) stores here; the one I go to is at Costa Mesa, Orange County. I love Mitsuwa a lot—the store is always clean, and most importantly, you can find really fresh fish (sushi-grade fresh) and all kinds of Japanese products in that store. If you wish to stock a Japanese cooking pantry, go to the aisle where Shoyu (soy sauce) and Cooking Sake are. You will find the basics such as a variety of Japanese soy sauce, sake, mirin, rice vinegar, BBQ sauces, and more.

You can also find the complete range of Mizkan Japanese condiments at the same aisle: Mizkan AJIPON® Ponzu, Mizkan (Bonito Flavored) Soup Base, MIZKAN HONTERI® Mirin Seasoning, Mizkan Rice Vinegar, Mizkan Sushi Seasoning.

These Mizkan Japanese condiments can be used for a wide range of dishes in Japanese cooking. For cooking ideas, you can check out the Japanese recipes on Rasa Malaysia.

Other than the market, the Japanese food court inside Mitsuwa Marketplace beckons with stalls selling ramen, soba, udon, and bento boxes. There are also stores selling Japanese bakery, mochi, kitchenware, Japanese books and magazines. If you are a fan of Japanese food and culture, you ought to check it out.

Next, we are going to H-Mart, a Korean supermarket which has many stores in the United States, especially in the East Coast. There are four (4) of them in Southern California, one very close to where I live.

Even though H-Mart is a Korean store, you can find non-Korean products in the shop, for examples: Japanese, Chinese, and even Vietnamese food products. The first aisle is where you will find all the Asian sauces and seasonings. Unlike Mitsuwa, the sauces and condiments in H-Mart are grouped by types and not by brands. If you are looking for the complete line of Mizkan Japanese condiments, please check out the various sections of the aisle: the ponzu shelf, the mirin shelf, the rice vinegar shelf, and so on.

Here is a bottle of Mizkan AJIPON® Ponzu, which is great as a dipping sauce for gyoza, marinade, and pour-over sauce.

If you live in California or Hawaii, there is Marukai, a Japanese food specialty store that offers some of the best selections of Japanese products (I love the Japanese utensils and serving ware sold at Marukai!). You can also check out Nijiya Market. All in all though, it’s easier than ever to stock a pantry of Japanese ingredients. Retailers such as 99 Ranch Market, Uwajimaya, Chinese, and Korean stores usually carry a supply of Japanese food products. You might also find Japanese condiments at Vietnamese stores, case-in-point: the first picture of this post was shot at a Vietnamese market in Little Saigon, Orange County. If you live in a small city and have no idea where to shop for the ingredients, reach out to your local Japanese restaurants for help. I am quite certain that they will point you to a good source.

Once you find a store, always start at the condiments aisle and purchase the basics: soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ponzu, and soup base. Then move on to the other aisles for other ingredients such as sushi rice, kombu (seaweed), bonito flakes, and the ingredients called for in the recipe. If you are an online shopper, you can buy Mizkan Japanese condiments online at AsianSupermarket365. The other online options are Marukai and Amazon.

You will soon realize that it’s rewarding to build a Japanese pantry. Have fun shopping for Japanese ingredients and happy cooking!

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Backpackers Pantry Asian Curried Stirfry (Spring 2010)

The Asian Curried Stir-fry by Backpacker's Pantry. Rice, potatoes, apples, peas, carrots, corn, onions, tomatoes, and an ancient family curry seasoning. SPECIFICATIONS of the Asian Curried Stir-fry by Backpacker's Pantry Makes Two 12oz servings Vegetarian Just Add Water to enjoy!

Price:

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Basic Asian Pantry

We have selected our favorite key ingredients that span the countries of the pacific rim for the home gourmet chef! This collection contains the fundamental ingredients for Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, and many other asian favorites! Chili Oil, Coconut Milk (1 large, 1 small), Curry Paste (Green, Yellow, Red), Hon-Dashi, Fish Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Dried Shitake Mushrooms, Straw Mushrooms, Chow Mein Noodles, Rice Noodles (Medium), Oyster Sauce (Lee Kum Kee Premium), Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs), Plum Sauce, Jasmine Rice, Sushi Rice, Rice Paper/Spring Roll Wrappers (8.5"), Rice Vinegar (White), Sambal Oelek (Ground Fresh Chili Paste), Sesame Oil (Pure 100%), Sesame Seeds (White), Soy Sauce (Light & Regular), Sriracha (Hot Chili Sauce - A Vietnamese Favorite!), Sweet Chili Sauce, and Tempura Batter.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon