Mouthing Off | ‘Ethnic’ food shopping in Hong Kong: I’m all for convenience, whether at the local grocer or a supermarket international aisle
- ‘Ethnic’ grocery shops offer a wider range of special ingredients, usually at a better price than supermarkets, which usually only stock bestsellers
- Supermarkets’ ethnic food sections do make it easy to put together an authentic meal from another culture, though, even if some see them as racist
My girlfriend is ecstatic about a new Indian grocer near her in Shek Tong Tsui, in Hong Kong Island’s Western district.
She was looking to pick up some cardamom to try in a dish. The local Wellcome supermarket didn’t have any, while the stock at the Fusion supermarket down the road didn’t look good and was quite expensive for the tiny package.
She could wait until the weekend and trek over to Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui for a spice run. But she remembered this new little market near her building. We’ve been meaning to check it out and explore. Now was the perfect excuse.
Like most ethnic shops, it was full of snacks and fruity drinks from the originating country. There were chapattis in the frozen section, and korma sauce in a jar. But they also had ingredients not readily found in mainstream supermarkets: speciality goods selling at a fraction of the premium price in the “gourmet” food shops.
I love these independent stores, as do most people with an interest in diverse cuisines. The major chains obviously cannot stock everything, so they narrow their supplies to bestsellers from big food producers. Often, that means mass brands and recognisable labels.
If I want a serviceable tandoori marinade, ParknShop has me covered. But at the little Indian grocer, I could find everything to make a proper tandoori from scratch – well, except the actual tandoor oven.
