iPhone App Helps You Navigate Asian Markets

By Michelle Woo Wed., Jun. 8 2011 at 2:00 PM

Categories: Ethnic Eating 101

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We've sung many praises for our trusty Asian grocery stores--locally, we've got 99 Ranch, Freshia in Tustin, Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa, Thai & Laos Market in Anaheim, all treasure troves of wildly flavorful ingredients at affordable prices. But for the amateurs, or even experienced shoppers, navigating the aisles can be a head-scratching ordeal. Kinako, galangal kha, mang kho--huh? (That's toasted soy flour, aromatic rhizome and dried bamboo shoot, respectively.)

Which is why Andrea Nguyen, author of the award-winning cookbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and the blog Viet World Kitchen, worked with Chronicle Books to create the nifty new app, Asian Market Shopper.

Here's the description:

Finding and buying Asian ingredients does not have to be frustrating. Here is the ultimate guide for understanding the 100 most commonly-used staples--from fish sauce, Sriracha and tamarind to curry leaf--all pictured with audio pronunciations and selection and storage tips. How-to videos and 25 recipes get you going on cooking!

I like the idea of approaching a grocery store employee and saying, "I'm looking for . . ." and then whipping out a phone, rather than standing there for five minutes butchering the pronunciation and getting a blank stare.

There are shopping pointers, too. For instance, the entry for coconut milk includes a discussion of coconut cream and the differences between canned, frozen, dried and boxed. Helpful!

The app is $3.99 and available for the iPhone and iPad. The Android version is in development.

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