I will never forget
the exact moment I first tried Asian food. I was thirteen years old
and previous to that I had only really been accustomed to the
traditional British fare that my mother would serve. The closest we
ever got to ‘foreign’ was a spaghetti bolognese on a Friday
night. So, I was to find myself sitting in a Chinese restaurant in
the port town of Le Havre, France on a rather dismal night, staring
at a menu not only in a language I had little grasp of, but
containing a whole array of exotic sounding dishes I had never
encountered before. Getting me in the restaurant had been a feat in
itself. I was somewhat of a picky eater, but with my parents patience
wearing thin I ordered the “Chicken with Cashew Nuts” and
tentatively took my first bite. It was at this serendipitous moment
that my love affair with Asian food and cooking in general began.
Britain, being the
multi-cultural hot pot that it is, afforded me an opportunity to
experience the best Asia had to offer. From fiery Indian curries to
the complex layers of flavors that is Thai, I greedily ate up
everything and anything placed before me. As I grew older and began
to travel my palate accompanied me on a culinary awakening. So, when
the company I was then working for decided to send me to Korea, the
thought of the myriad of gastronomic possibilities that awaited me
filled me with anticipation. On arrival, however, I was, to put it
bluntly...a little disappointed.
Don’t get me
wrong. I love Korean food. I love their warming stews and broths. I
love the social occasion that is Korean barbeque. But the cuisines of
other nations were sorely lacking or non existent. I therefore had
to wait for trips back home to fill my suitcase full of ingredients,
until someone told me of the existence of an “Asian Supermarket”
right here, in Sa-sang, Busan.
My first trip there
was like bumping into an old friend. The shelves were stacked high
with ingredients I thought I would never see again: cardamom pods,
cumin, ghee, basmati rice, lentils, fresh lemongrass and coriander,
and lamb. Here in this tiny little shop I had everything needed to
get re-acquainted with my favorite food.
Over the years, as
the foreign population of Busan has grown, most notably with migrant
workers from South and South East Asian nations, so has the number of
stores. At the last count there are now four. All pretty much sell
the same. But in each there is always a surprise waiting: shallots,
Thai bird’s-eye chillies, tamarind, shrimp paste and even bags of
salt ‘n’ vinegar potato chips. One of the best bargains is “Thai
Jasmine Long Grain Rice”, which at only $15 for a 10kg bag is
considerably cheaper than Korean rice.
Most of the owners
are from South Asia. The owner of the newly opened “Shahjan Mart”
hails from Balochistan, somewhere on the Iran-Pakistan border, he
informed me. He himself, will be a familiar face to anyone who has
bought a kebab from the van outside Family Mart in Kyungsung on a
Saturday night.
The first and
original store, “Asia Mart”, that poky little store I first
visited all those years ago, has recently undergone a significant
expansion and face-lift. It’s probably the easiest to shop in, but
I always make a point of buying something from all the stores
including “Asian Food Mart and “New World Mart” on my visits
there.
Of course, times
have changed and most supermarkets now have an “International Food
Section”. But if like me you crave for something more authentic,
such as the rewarding feeling of crushing up lemongrass, chillies and
galangal to make your own green curry or the aroma of the
sub-continent eminating from black cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves
sizzling in a pan. Then, a trip to Sa-sang never fails to disappoint.
Directions: Take Subway line 2 to Sasang and either transfer to
the LRT line to the airport, one stop, to Renecite, or
follow the LRT line on foot until you get to E-Mart.
Facing E-Mart look for the small street to the right. Three of
the Asian supermarkets are on this street. “Asia-Mart” is
just around the corner to the right.
Naver Maps Street
View Reference: http://me2.do/xtcJ7tfu
Google Maps: Street
View: http://goo.gl/maps/bPhWC
