In preparation for this months’ recipes for Thai food we visited Hong Kong supermarket in Chinatown NYC on the crossing of Hester and Elizabeth streets. This market is great if you are looking for any ingredients for Asian food.
I wasn’t sure initially if I would find all the ingredients I needed for the recipes I had in mind, but was pleasantly surprised to find all the items I was looking for including fresh raw green papaya. As soon as you enter the market you feel this wild hustle and bustle around you that I love.
Starting with fresh fruit and then moving to the leafy greens and tubers, this is the place to go to for fresh lemon grass, galangal, baby ginger, cherry tomatoes, fresh green beans & lime leaves all of which will be used in our recipes this month.
Going further back the first aisle you will find bottled galangal & dried red thai chillies that I will be using to prepare delicious Panang red curry paste. Looking for dried shrimp? Walk towards the right end of the store you will find the frozen and refrigerated section where you will see sealed, packed dried shrimp. Other things you will find in this area if interested – wanton covers, dried fish and meats & freshly prepared noodles.
I try and go to this market at least once a month to stock up on produce. A quick walk from the 2, 3 lines or the B line. I often play soccer at Columbus park in Chinatown which makes it easier to visit the market and purchase what I need.
Overall, most items you find in this market are cheaper than other stores across Manhattan. If you are looking to buy pork belly this is where you will find great quality pork belly at $6.99 to $7.99 per pound which is a steal.
[…] salad. If you live in NYC and wonder where you can get raw green Papaya, the answer is Chinatown, Hong Kong supermarket. I found there all the ingredients for some of the other dishes we will be featuring this month as […]
[…] I always bought curry paste from the supermarkets as I was lazy to make it from scratch. But this time around I wanted to try the pure recipe made from scratch. And it was so so rewarding. Trust me making this curry paste and then using it to make the flavorful Duck Panang curry will change your life! Such a fragrant and flavorful recipe and in fact not so hard to make. All you need are the right fresh ingredients. […]