Thai Chef Takes You Grocery Shopping!

Ever been overwhelmed by all the options at the Asian grocery store when you're shopping for Thai ingredients? This video is exactly what you need. I take you on a tour of an Asian grocery store and talk through how to choose the right products for Thai cooking and appropriate substitutes.
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About Pai:
Pailin “Pai” Chongchitnant is the author of the Hot Thai Kitchen cookbook, co-host of a Canadian TV series One World Kitchen on Gusto TV, and creator and host of the KZbin channel Pailin's Kitchen.
Pai was born and raised in southern Thailand where she spent much of her "playtime" in the kitchen. She traveled to Canada to study Nutritional Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and was later trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in San Francisco.
After working in both Western and Thai professional kitchens, she decided that her passion really lies in educating and empowering others to cook at home via KZbin videos, her cookbook, and cooking classes. She currently lives in Vancouver, and goes to Thailand every year to visit her family. Visit her at hot-thai-kitchen.com

[@ahill209]

I used to eat at a local Thai restaurant in California once a week. They had an adjoining grocery store. One day, I decided I wanted to make my own pad see iew. I was wandering up and down the aisles, putting what I thought I needed into my cart. One of the waitresses saw me and asked me what I was shopping for. I told her. She took everything out of my cart, and said, "Now, I will show you what you need." I am so grateful for her kindness and help. My version wasn't as good as theirs, but it was 90% as good. Gotta have the right ingredients!

[@pizzaishappiness7994]

😂, great story.

[@davidleong6606]

So kind and generous to help share their “secret”. But maybe she gave you only 90% of the ingredients. Just sayin. ;)

[@pavel9652]

I wouldn't go overboard with the ingredients. Obviously, there would be differences, but the technique is also important. See the "Pro Chef & Home Cook Swap Ingredients" series from Epicurious ;) Personally, I swapped all the rice noodles with linguine pasta (flat spaghetti) and all the dishes are great. I like pasta and it is much cheaper and easier to get in Europe. It is non-traditional and all pro thai cooks would condemn and expell me from their communities, but it is great food! ;)

[@myrtlekitty]

@@davidleong6606 maybe the 10% lacking was due to inexperience, there’s also technique

[@margomack37]

Was it SAMANLUANG in LA??

[@TiannNChong]

"Thai Auntie" lol love how Pai has embraced it

[@suesmith3914]

Wow I like to go shopping in that store they should have one in my town of Oklahoma Love your tee shirt kiddo Thanks for sharing this video ไพลินน้องยังไม่แก่ที่จะเป็น auntie เป็นพี่สาวดีกว่า Bye bye

[@jasonwong5919]

Best looking Thai auntie by a country mile!

[@noktilux4052]

@@jasonwong5919 Need to call the show Hottie Thai Kitchen.

[@georgianaburungiu9742]

@@suesmith3914 y as yw5w

[@Richard-om7vd]

@@suesmith3914 Sue, I live in Edmond.

[@chasdrum]

Wow. You're amazing. A Chinese store owner in Dallas when I was in college befriended me and showed me how to cook a number of dishes. We ended up friends even though he had very little English. He'd invite me for dinner with his family and demonstrate various techniques. That was more than 50 years ago. I've been enjoying cooking and eating Asian food ever since and thought I knew a lot about ingredients. But I got more useful information from this 17 minute video than in years of chatting with cooks and store owners. So concise and straight-forward. You've got a fan. Thank you!!

[@maydavalle]

Lucky❣️

[@Trungdong82]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ_Go6yNpcifapo

[@arnowillekes7979]

Omg I’m in luvvv ❤😂😋

[@itsover9008]

What a beautiful friendship!

[@ramencurry6672]

There should be a movie about that

[@cyber0198]

As a Thai-American child estranged from his family, this video (and your channel overall) has helped me to reconnect with my culture a lot. You make Som Tum just like the way my Yaipin used to. Thank you so much for sharing the best parts of our culture that many people don't get to interact with on a day to day basis unless they're Thai themselves.

[@DocBree13]

❤

[@Tracydot3]

You should come to Thailand one day. It's awesome here.

[@cyber0198]

@@Tracydot3 I visited a long time ago when I was a kid

[@bradleybrown8399]

I shopped in a Vietnamese grocery once, where I was the only 6' 2" white guy in a store full of tiny Asian grandmas... At the checkout, the cashier noted my purchases and remarked "oh, you know how cook!" in an adorable accent. Yes, I know how cook, and was pleased with her validation.

[@bambinaforever5720]

О, poor thing, your mamma didn’t validate u enough, u search it from random people who are 90% just making a conversation

[@MRSketch09]

Lmao...

[@ewq123ify]

I feel like that would happen to me, I work with Indonesians and I am 6' 1", so I call myself big papa at work

[@4LLT0G3TH3R]

@@ewq123ify but does anyone else call you that

[@ewq123ify]

@@4LLT0G3TH3R no but I think it's funny and they do as well

[@ExclusiveLM]

At 7:01 the little girl in the background pushing the tiny supermarket cart was the such a cute moment !!!!!!!!!!

[@benjaminhixson3918]

Glad I wasn’t the only one who saw it lol

[@imalittleeggroll]

I was born in 🇰🇷 Adopted at 3 months. Now 43. I’ve just NOW got the time to start exploring ALL Asian dishes…I have learned the most from you! I made Nam Jim Jaew and my family loved it (including my 83 year old Caucasian father). I’m thankful for your channel! ❤

[@lanalorenzen]

I like this woman a lot: intelligent, articulate, straight-forward, no nonsense. The Thai Restaurant in St. George, Utah, Benj's Thai Garden, is excellent. Unfortunately, St. George is relatively small (except in the Winter) and doesn't have a Thai or any Asian store. As a whole-food, plant-based fan, I'd cook a lot more Asian if we had a store here. And speaking of Asian, I could easily live on the superb Japanese rice, Koshihikari rice; it is exquisite! There's no comparison between Japanese rice and the rice you buy at your local supermarket. I've subscribed!

[@pearlexi]

Wow I actually never bought coconut milk from the carton before. Good to know that it’s better than the canned version. I’ll try that next time. Thanks Pai!

[@swisski]

Also another good thing about the carton is that you can store any remaining coconut cream/milk directly in the carton for a while, whereas in the tin you would want to remove unused portion to another container or else it risks going rancid/getting a tinny flavour.

[@sammys1010]

@@swisski as a South Indian we use quite a lot of coconut paste and milk. But we r used to taking it fresh from the coconut 🥥. Never tried the packaged one before. It's a time saving idea for once in a while usage. Thank you.

[@swisski]

@@sammys1010 Of course scraping the coconut fresh is the best way in terms of freshness and quality, but as you know it is rather labour intensive. Also most people living outside of tropical climates don’t have easy and cheap access to fresh coconuts so the convenience of prepared coconut cream/milk is almost always chosen. The brand that I like the best is called Kara (from Indonesia) and the stuff that comes in the tetra pack is 99.9% pure coconut cream.

[@sammys1010]

@@swisski yes same kara I've seen on super markets.. let me try it. Thanks

[@troystallard6895]

Stands to reason, if I stop and think. I've bought the carton versions of chicken stock and broth for years, and just keep a couple of the canned ones for emergencies.

[@waydehomemade5368]

Overwhelmed is an understatement. In DFW we have an H Mart. It's the size of a super Walmart packed with interesting but unrecognizable items. There was literally an entire isle devoted to soy sauce as was and entire isle of noodles. I finally stopped a lady about my age to ask about black vinegar. She directed me to her daughter whose an accomplished cook. They both shared they were of Thai heritage and gave me a great tip. Once you find the item your'e looking for, see which brand has the most taken from the shelf. That might be a good indicator of which (black vinegar in this case) was most popular. I've used that tip several times over my many trips, usually with good results. Thanks for the education.

[@cleteblackwell1706]

H Mart is amazing!

[@AA123TD]

i like the 99 Ranch Market too

[@chacallachaise]

Most purchased could also indicate cheapest. But, could indicate that it’s the beat quality.

[@dreammfyre]

Man, this is like lightyears beyond what we have in most of Europe. To me an Asian store means something the size of a gas station.

[@jgage2840]

It’s true, Canada is an ethnic foods shopping dream. Thank you multiculturalism!

[@danielzimmerman5837]

This isn't common across Canada unless you're in an area with a larger South Asian population.

[@rasdan1192]

Lemongrass and Lime Leaves: plant it yourself. It's easy to maintain and grows really fast.

[@bojohannesen4352]

🙄

[@cilantro5635]

depends where you live.

[@Apollo440]

07:55 I love it how people just turn around the moment they see that filming is going on. So polite!

[@att4760]

They Canadian

[@spuds6423]

​@@att4760 I live near Canada....they're not ALL that polite!!! Especially the Quebeckers !! 🤔🤣🤣

[@att4760]

@@spuds6423 hahaha

[@SuperDorame]

Khun Pailin ka, I love you!!. I'm a Thai as I have found your channel recently. I always relied on my mom cook when I was a kid and when growing up I live alone as working in Bangkok. I usually don't kook as its cheaper if eating street food in a dish. I can cook for not manny recipe ( sure that only my favourite ones) . Im hooked with your channel, inspired me to cook more. I have to manage work life balance and then I would have time to enjoy cooking. Beyond watching you cook with fun and delight, I love to read the foreigners's comments to feel their enjoy and happy that they can follow you and make a nice meals to themselves , their family, their kids and their friends. Im happy with them, and proud of you that taught them to cook Thai food and yess!! Thai foods are flexible , they can also adapt for their taste and ingredients sometimes. Just woul love to Thank you to make your channel with talented cooking skills and always have beautiful smiles, you make lots of people delight, keep go on. Love love.

[@user-fn3qd8fc3c]

🏎️DEEPSQUAD🇯🇵TV🗺️

[@gooffie29]

ขอบคุณที่ทำคลิปนี้ออกมานะคะ มีประโยชน์กับคนต่างชาติมากๆ แถมช่วยโปรโมทสินค้าไทยด้วยค่ะ

[@tvc184]

I luckily worked as a police officer for over 37 years in a mid size (I guess) city in Texas with about 10,000 of its 60,000 residents being Vietnamese with a scattering of Lao and Thai. For that reason there are several Asian stores in the city with a heavy southeast Asia influence. I worked almost exclusively for several years in the heavily Asian populated areas so I ate Vietnamese food about four days a week. Fortunately again, about 20 years ago a Thai restaurant opened out of our city but only about 15 miles away. It became my mother’s favorite food. About 75 miles away is Houston with huge Asian stores. I retired about a year ago but still live within about 15 miles of several Asian stores My wife is Korean so I had a lot of influence from Korean and southeast Asian cuisine. My wife cooks a lot of Korean food but loves Thai, Viet and Chinese. But the whole point…. she loves other East Asian foods however she might want to fight if someone suggests that other instant noodles (like Mama) are better than Nongshim (especially Shin Ramen or Neoguri), Samyang, etc. 🤣🤣🤣 As much of southeast Asian food as I have eaten and cooked over the last 35 years, I still learned a lot about shopping for various items from this video. My wife buys Squid fish sauce (nước mắm) but I had no clue that it was Thai. I also didn’t know that Aroy-D was Thai and a “go to” and respected brand. I have seen it many times and bypassed it to get other brands. At 66 years old, I guess this old dog is learning new tricks. Edit: new tricks, not no tricks 😀 Great video.

[@joshevans5127]

Another big thing to note when buying jasmine rice is the crop year. "2022 Crop" will tell you that you have rice that has been harvested and milled in the current year.

[@ladkong]

Love to go to T&T whenever I am in Toronto. I am a Chinese Jamaican living in Florida for the past 45 years and watch all your shows giving them a thumbs up and they are great. I cook a lot after I retired and watch your show to expand my repertoire.

[@donaleeslack4925]

I spoke to a manager at the T&T market near me. I suggested that purhaps twice a month there could be a guide that takes groups of their non Asian customers or any customer thru the store teaching and showing what ingredients to use for maybe a couple of dishes to cook at home. I love Asian foods and would like to get a better understanding of the ingredients. It's a win win for all. New revenue for store and Lots more eager customers 😀

[@unkindguy88]

I almost cried in envy YOUR ASIAN STORE IS SO CLEAN! You guys know what I mean.

[@nissan_skyline]

HAHAHA it's those smaller, family owned stores that are usually not so clean. Whenever I went shopping at one of these stores with my mom as a kid, I'd always ask to wait in the car cause I hated going in there lol. They make me feel claustrophobic.

[@orientalmoons]

The ones in the UK are often a bit untidy... or a lot. And a lot smaller than the one Pailin went to. I have to travel to another city about 10 miles away and there's a few there including a Thai specific one, but the biggest is one that has a lot of Chinese (especially Cantonese) but does still have things like Thai soy sauce. It can be a bit confusing what they put on the Thai/Korean etc shelves and what they put with the main noodle section.

[@John-mb7yl]

I love watching lovely Pai. She's like a breath of fresh air...a cure for depression

[@daoyang223]

Been watching her since the start. Completely forgot about her for like 4 years. Just came back recently to watch her stuff again. Nice to see she's still cooking.

[@adasharp9512]

So I work in the grocery industry building schematics for stocking sections. I just so happen to be working on Asian categories and have an interest in Thai and Japanese cooking. This unexpectedly gave me some very valuable insight. Not even what I watch your channel for but much appreciated. I love your videos. Very informative and you make it fun.

[@ninjagamer1359]

I don’t think I’ve ever even eaten Thai food but this lady is so pleasant and informative I’m still watching, haha, makes me want to try some new things!

[@Bergarita]

Please do yourself a favor and get some Thai Food! Start with Pad Thai as that is the signature dish. But, the currys are also amazing. Enjoy!

[@fredrikliljeblad1209]

Dear Khun Pailin, This is a PERFECT guide to Thai food. I wrote a Thai cookbook in my native Sweden, which has remained a best-selller for years. I love Thai food, which is the best on the planet, I feel. You have taught me to like coconut milk in paper cartons, which I use exclisively now. I am addicted to Durian,which my partner makes me wrap very tightly and eat quickly! I love your programme/channel. Do keep it up.

[@robertm4050]

I finally went to a good Asian market. I was so lost, but I found whole lemon grass. I cut the bottom 2 inches and popped them in water. I planted them in the spring when it was warmer out and they are getting large now. I have grown them before, just pop them in the basement for the winter and water them a couple times and they pop right back the next spring. Cost me $2 for six plants and the one I ordered was just 2 plants and cost me $25 plus shipping. So many plants will grow back from their base or tops.

[@corgisaan]

WOW thank you Pailin! I thought i knew my Asian grocery shopping until i watched this video! Appreciate all the info!

[@kathlynterry8196]

This comes at the perfect time. I’m just beginning to dip my toe into the water because I’ve been craving Thai food. This will help me not spend six hours at the Asian market looking at all the stuff!

[@bobbyjrodriguez]

I love this woman her presentations are always on point!

[@corinneskitchen]

I wish we could save her videos to find them again

[@packrat9433]

As a pretty experienced Thai and Vietnamese cook (Total Gringo from Mississippi), I still found this extremely helpful! Thank you so much! I have access to multiple very good Asian grocery stores. I definitely learned more about navigating them from you.

[@daniellashaw1661]

Thank you so much for this. I’ve recently been getting into Asian cooking and this is really helpful. My husband and I went to T&T once and I was overwhelmed at all the product. You can totally make a day of it. Thank you for clearing some things up. I can’t wait to go back and check out some of the products you were talking about.

[@GeneralFresh]

From now on, I will be getting my coconut milk in cartons! Thank you for the tip Pailin. :)

[@ulf373]

Yeah same here. Aroy D in tetra packs sure tastes better :)

[@droqueplot]

Wondering where coconut milk in the carton is found in south Texas ?

[@vimch7264]

In Thailand, when we can't get our hands on fresh coconut milk, we always go for the ones in milk cartons :D I don't think I've seen any Thai using the canned ones!

[@cindychurch925]

This tour and your explanation about things was so clarifying. Thank you so much. I LOVE Thai food and my New Year’s resolution for 2023 is to learn to cook authentic Thai food at home. I was so lost about where to start and then I found your channel and recipes. I am super excited

[@Desi7077]

this video is the answer to my prayers. Many a time I have been lost and aimless in the store terrified of asking someone regarding the variety of ingredients that I’ve been seeking after. This is going to be so helpful for me. Thank you so much 😊

[@preston74]

Feel free to ask, we love to help.

[@troystallard6895]

Maybe I've just been lucky. But the people I've asked for help in Asian stores seemed to enjoy going out of their way to help me.... kind of like spreading the gospel, I guess. :)

[@Linda-pd8en]

@@troystallard6895 Most all of the ones I ask in ours don't speak English they say.

[@troystallard6895]

@@Linda-pd8en I'll admit some of them do more gesturing and pointing than they do talking, but at least they're trying to help.

[@Trungdong82]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ_Go6yNpcifapo

[@crushivintage]

Pailin's Kitchen, is one of the top cooking channels on KZbin and in the universe! Still so happy to take her advice and cook her recipes. Thai food is wonderful! Visit your local Thai restaurant or take out in your area. Take Pailin's advice and make some at home. She knows her stuff.

[@5pac3man]

*Finally* I have a Thai auntie 🥰 I’ve been cooking Thai for a very long time. I recently moved to EU and don’t have access to the same brands as I used to. Your explanations of why certain brands are your favorites (i.e. ingredients) has been extremely helpful to choose what to buy here. Thank you! ❤

[@hinas_for_life]

Just rewatched this video, had so much fun again. You really are a match made in heaven as a cook with your happy and fun personality. That's why your loved so much!!! Happy New Year from Japan!!

[@cjinasia9266]

This was so entertaining. The aisles are so wide and the floor is so clean. No boxes piled up everywhere and ten brands of everything. We only see that at Big-C or Tesco. They even turned on the lights for you. We buy the fish sauce 3-4 big bottles at a time. The curry paste comes in little plastic envelopes. Since they are everywhere we do not keep much inventory. We buy shrimp paste in the half kilo tubs though. There are two kinds of Thai rice, Jasmine and sticky. We eat sticky rice three times a day. Khao Suai is restaurant food. You need to do a kantoke series to show the other dishes that do not go on Jasmine rice. They are very different.

[@benzionbenzion]

I am so grateful to come upon your channel because I am so interested in Asian Cuisine and you break everything down so wondrously for me. I would be daunted by all of the choices. You make it so clear!!!

[@kareny4573]

My gosh you are amazing in how you explain the differences in ingredients and your recommendations too ! You really got my attention ....and I have learned a lot. Thanks !!!

[@puppett4594]

These video guides are sooo helpful, things taste way better with these products! Thanks

[@ccl6192]

This was so helpful. I love Thai food but getting takeout all the time is not practical so I have been experimenting. The last time my dad came to visit we went out to a Thai cooking class. We figured out the reason we love it some much is that the spices and flavors used are very similar to Mexican food but with lemongrass instead of cumin and more seafood 😄. I was blown away to see how they made chile paste and how similar it is to how we make chile paste. We also LOVE tamarind. There’s a spicy tangy coating we pair with fruit or candy called chamoy. If you ever have trouble finding tamarind in the Asian store go to the Mexican store. There are always tons of options

[@OptimumServices416]

This was very helpful! I'm Chinese but I really enjoy Thai food however going to my local Asian market I'm just overwhelmed with all the different brands! It's just like the Chinese brands it's just overload! Unless I know which brand to use I am stuck trying to determine which brand to buy. I have a hard enough time with the Chinese ingredients but when I am trying to throw together a Thai dish I honestly don't want to spend more time deciding which brands to buy than cooking. Thank you the video is very helpful!

[@theyellowsparks]

You’re my favorite chef to learn from! Always the best tips!

[@lukegibbons9953]

Thanks for your great advice and all the work you put into your videos. I struggled for years to make recipes from a Thai cookbook while asking many of the questions you answer in this and other videos. I am grateful for the intentionality you put into this channel. Will definitely keep seeing what is new. Thanks Pailin!

[@lateshachurney5965]

Oh my goodness you must have been reading my mind from your last video. I was thinking wouldn’t it be great to have a video come out of touring and learning about products from an Asian grocery store. I have been to a few Asian grocery markets in the past and you are so right about all the different products. Thank you for this video. You have a beautiful store there in Canada too.

[@LaMaiStyle]

In my Asian store there are huge inflation prices. I can’t believe the squid brand fish sauce is $6, the 3 crab brand is $13, 5 pound bag of sweet rice is $17, a medium papaya is $8, sour bamboo $8 and large red curry $8. This is an awesome video.

[@xymzk]

Food prices are generally out of cool. I actually order Asian groceries from Weee bc the local stores are even more expensive (like 2x) for worse quality. A lot of stuff is 2-3x the price compared to before the pandemic.

[@AdamHotThaiKitchen]

I'm guessing part of it is shipping ... some of the other things I buy are way up ... even on Amazon. :( (my creatine powder has tripled in price) Cheers! Adam

[@grandmundi7107]

where are you? I think squid brand still just costs around 3NZD where I live.

[@richardt1792]

Do you mind if I ask, what city are you in where the prices are so high? I live in Los Angeles and I find the Asian market to be less expensive that the local supermarkets. H Mart is the best overall.

[@SolarAbyss]

Rice has doubled. We buy 50lb bags which used to be ~$38, now $70!

[@BrianKSmith-ds2sh]

Thanks, Pailin! I just purchased your recent cookbook and this video is exactly what I needed to get going! You are the BEST!!

[@carlycunningham1]

i used to work at a Thai restaurant and I've missed these flavors so much!! I'm so glad I found your page, you're awesome!!

[@danutagajewski3330]

Thank you "Auntie" Pai!! Wasn't aware of the "kits" - perfect size and package of ingredients for the one-off/occasional Thai dish that a lot of us, like me, make! Loved this walk-through video!

[@ascendantP]

Great Asian supermarket walkthrough! I hope your family is enjoying your long awaited trip to Thailand! You deserve a long and relaxing vacation!

[@lorigillespie8729]

This video popping up for me tonight is very timely. My son and I used your green curry paste recipe just this evening. We were making it to dehydrate for camping. It turned out beautifully. Now, knowing what products to look for will make our next forays into Thai cooking that much better. Thank you for such helpful videos and for the delicious, easy to follow recipes!

[@dervoss3841]

Really happy to see that I have access to genuine Thai brands and genuine Thai receipts. I used to work with a Thai chef and he showed us the way his mother cooks. It's definitely one of my favourite cuisines

[@KSGomez88]

I love these types of videos you do! They are so informative and helpful, you help me feel a tad more confident with these ingredients!! 🙏

[@josephmarciano4761]

As always. Chef Pailin nails it! Approachable, knowledgeable, and generous with her advice for rookies. I've been cooking Thai/Chinese/Japanese/Vietnamese for many years at home. I always learning something new from Pailin's videos.

[@amandaquek6506]

Hi Pailin appreciate you for making such videos . You are Not only a KZbin chef that’s shared great recipes but also very educational and informative helping and one step further for others to understand in- depth on the ingredients we are using . Truly you are my top list youtube chef to follow after so many years . Been listed you as my Thai cuisine champion Whenever I craved for Thai food . But having said that .. Your other non Thai recipes are a hit too . And to those who haven’t tried her recipes yet , go try one now (no false promise always ) 👍👍👍

[@atticablack]

I love T&T so much. You're so right about everything, what a great guide! I always spend way too much on fun stuff, it's too easy!

[@kdstoffel7574]

Awesome content! I’m lucky to live in a community with several Asian markets. Knowing what to look for and what to avoid is an absolute nightmare. Thanks for the info, it’s given me a bit of courage and clarity for my next visit. Edited to add (in case Pai is reading): This kind of info for the non-Asian shopper could EASILY be a whole series. A knowledgeable KZbinr could make an episode (or more) for every section in the store. Tons of info, tons of recommendations, and tons of sponsors - everyone wins.

[@_I_don-t_know]

This might be one of the best videos ever made on how to navigate / shop for AsIan grocery store products. So well made, clear, informative and encouraging that I hit the LIKE and SUBSCRIBE buttons 👍

[@bigonegeorgegrace]

This was such a fantastically useful and well done video. Thank so much for your clarity, wisdom and good nature!

[@ericbrenenstuhl6039]

This is my first time to your channel, as an aspiring Southeast Asian home cook and a lover of most of their food especially Tom Yum, I was pleasantly shocked by the content of your video! You answered so many questions and provided links which I will watch about the things I had the most questions about. Thank you so much for such a comprehensive and relatable video! You've earned my subscription and I look forward to more of your videos! ฉันได้เรียนรู้หลายๆ อย่างจากคุณ I hope this means I've learned so much and thank you!

[@sammys1010]

Oh I'm an Indian and had never seen anybody explaining so detailed and wow about the sauces and other Asian ingredients... teally really usefull... this is the first time I'm watching ur video and it's really amazing. Thank you.

[@nureshmihassim1759]

Try her recipes they are amazing.

[@sammys1010]

@@nureshmihassim1759 yes I'm trying her recipes one by one. Really nice. Thank you Nureshmi Hassim.

[@gamemakerdude]

I remember asking for a video like this awhile back. Thank you so much for doing this, it's extremely helpful!

[@livingonaclaud]

This was so helpful! I absolutely adore Thai food and Asian food generally and I am always there at the shop trying to figure out what to get. Shout out to Mama noodles too - I felt so validated when you said it was the best, haha! So yummmm. Thank you for this wonderful guide.

[@hoptoi]

Thank you for this, and all of your videos. I now have my grocery list ready, thanks to you!

[@haileybalmer9722]

That was extremely enlightening and answered a few questions I had. I'm glad to know that the carton of coconut milk is the good kind. They almost always add sulfites to the cans of coconut milk (Savoy brand does not), and I get violently ill from sulfites. That's also why I make my own tamarind paste. Most of the stuff that's premixed is poison to me.

[@debrankine6453]

Such an in-depth, incredibly well presented video. I’ve learned so much. And will be more confident in my Thai ingredients purchases in the future. Heartfelt thanks for sharing your vast knowledge of Thai cuisine with us devotees.

[@rayajayce2034]

I am thrilled I managed to buy most of these basics through the research I did and you've confirmed I got it right! Yay! Thanks!

[@miahconnell23]

The Kingdom of Thailand has been low-key running an international soft-power flex and positive PR campaign by getting their flavors and cooking essentials out to the wider world. 🌏🙌❤️

[@yesiancook]

This is so awesome ! I’m Filipino but I always get overwhelmed at the Asian mart and this is sooo so so helpful. Thank you !

[@blacksorrento4719]

My knowledge on Thai products has just been greatly expanded upon. Course 101 for shopping in an Asian Food store or in my case aisle. 😊 I live in a country town in Australia. The local supermarkets are definitely expanding their range. Thank you for your concise no nonsense approach, very much appreciated. 👍

[@SurfFishingFan66]

This was perfect, thank you so much! The soy sauce discussion is what I really needed and also, I didn't know about the difference in processing between the canned and carton coconut milk. Didn't know about the hom mali for Thai jasmine rice either. Lots of useful information just in time as I create my grocery list, now I'm more confident on what to purchase. Thanks again for sharing!

[@vincechan455]

Sawadee sister Pailin. Thank you so much for teaching us genuine, authentic Thai cooking and ingredients.

[@colbygill1976]

Pai, I've been watching you for years and I found new/helpful tips from this video! I don't have a large asian grocery where I live (East Coast Australia), so it's nice to see a bit of a walkthrough of a typical asian grocer. Albeit, I do have a well-stocked small asian supermarket that has most things I need, including an expanding frozen section with many items I've never seen/know how to navigate. If you're so inclined, I'd love a part 2 diving deeper into other aisles/ingredients including the less common items most people wouldn't have common knowledge on. Thank you!

[@lorichartrand6465]

This is wonderful. I have totally been that person overwhelmed by all the choices. This is very helpful. I am planning my next trip to T&T now. Thank you!

[@janake7]

Omg!!! I am a lover of all Asian cuisine but Thai is my ultimate. I appreciate this so much. I love Jasmine rice so much thanks for your lovely tips.

[@massavincy]

Incredibly helpful, useful and well-explained. I truly learned a TON from this video. You're a great teacher. 😊

[@marcheck3400]

The soy sauce section can be overwhelming with all the varieties it comes in, but generally what most recipe need is light soy sauce. Read the ingredients list. Good light soy sauce should only contain soy, wheat, salt, and maybe some preservatives and colouring. Absolutely avoid ones that are made from Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) or "soy extract" because they taste the worst, but also the cheapest. Some lower-medium quality soy sauces are a blend of both naturally fermented sauce and HVP. All soy sauce producing cultures has it's own unique variant and classification, some with no direct equivalent in other cultures. In the Chinese method, top grade "light" soy sauce are called Head Draw (Tau Chau), because they are the "first press" from the fermentation vat. More salt and water are added to the spent mash and brewed further to get lower grade sauces. "Dark" soy sauce are made from the last draw and mixed with caramel, and they are accordingly called Old Draw (Lou Chau). One variety of dark soy sauce is called Cooking Caramel (Sai Yau), where the mash is exposed to the sun yielding a thicker sauce and has larger amount of sugar and caramel added in later. Light soy sauce are less dark, more fragrant and saltier. Good for adding flavour and fragrance to your cooking without changing it's colour too much, making it a good all rounder. Dark soy sauce are less fragrant but still has flavour, usually used in braising stock, stews, and dishes where brown colouring is desired such as fried noodles. Cooking Caramel are usually used as a dipping sauce and can sometimes also be used in the same way as dark soy sauce. With its higher sugar content it adds a attractive luster but its higher caramel content also makes it a bit bitter, it's sticky texture makes it harder to handle, and it burns easily. It is also quite normal to use both light and dark soy sauce in the same dish, fried noodles being a good example. Light soy sauce is added during high heat stir frying, drizzled near the rim of the wok to intentionally avoid the noodles and hitting the hot metal instead so that the sauce is seared. This produces a very pleasant aroma, but does very little in colouring the noodles. For this purpose dark soy sauce is used, usually diluted with some water and at lower heat so that it is easier to mix in, then the heat is cranked back up after all the noodles are evenly coloured. The Japanese method has an entirely different classification method. Unlike the Chinese method, each variety of Japanese soy sauce has its own distinct recipes and processes. "Standard" Japanese soy sauce is dark/thick soy sauce (koiguchi). It is totally unrelated to Chinese dark soy sauce, and is best described as stronger version of Chinese light soy sauce. Light/thin soy sauce (usuguchi) are brewed with rice added in, making it less dark but fragrant, suitable for broths and delicate dishes. There are also other exotic types such as tamari (liquid byproduct from miso manufacturing), double fermented soy sauce, unrefined soy sauce, and white soy sauce (almost colourless). And then there are blends/flavoured soy sauces. The most common one is sweet soy sauce, which is Chinese dark soy sauce with added syrup. Chinese mushroom soy sauce has added straw mushroom extract, while Chinese seafood soy sauce contains extra spices. Japanese dashi soy sauce contains dashi stock made from dried fish, dried shellfish or seaweed. You might also find some odd ones such as spicy soy sauce made in Malaysia and Indonesia.

[@asadb1990]

actually good soy sauce only has water, soybeans, wheat and salt. no food color or preservatives. one good example is the kikkomon brand.

[@elenas4587]

Very informative, thank you 🤗

[@christinajones7696]

Thank you so much.

[@TedInATL]

I've noticed that in every single cooking video I've ever watched where dark soy sauce is added, the cook always says "for color". Doesn't that short change it for the flavor it adds, however subtle?

[@marcheck3400]

@@TedInATL Good observation. It is a question of cultural preference really. Where I come from (Malaysia), our Chinese community are made up of numerous subethnics, and all have different opinion on the use of dark soy sauce. In my own experience, the Cantonese prefer their food "clean looking", so they tend to use less dark soy sauce and use it sparingly only for colouring. But in my hometown our Chinese population is mostly rural Hakka people. We don't put that much care on appearance in our more rustic food culture, so dark soy sauce are often used more liberally. We prefer heavier flavour, and because dark soy sauce is far less saltier, we can use much more of it to season our dishes before we start to oversalt it. Dark soy sauce works better for us. In fact in my family when we say soy sauce, what we really mean is dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce usually ended up forgotten in the back of the kitchen cupboard for months. One example of non stew/braise heavy dark soy sauce use is Kuala Lumpur style Hokkien Mee, a Malaysian Chinese fried noodle dish. Unlike that usual light golden brown colour most Cantonese cooks prefer, this one is so overloaded with dark soy sauce that the noodles are glistening. Some cooks even use Cooking Caramel for this dish. Ironically this dish manage to not only survive but end up a regional specialty in a city famous for its Cantonese cultural influence.

[@hongkongfueynz3071]

Such a great video, and it answers a lot of the questions I ask myself when I go into the Asian supermarkets!

[@saragreenfield1648]

OH MY GOODNESS MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN CALLING YOU OUR THAI AUNTIE FOR YEARS!!! Haha we've even learned how to grow our own Thai chilis and holy basil so we can make your recipes better! Thanks for this and all your other videos!!! You're the best!!!

[@holidaygiftmall2517]

WOW... Did I learn a lot watching your video. I'm so glad that I found your video describing each of these products so thoroughly. I'm a novice, when it comes to cooking. So finding your channel was my good fortune! 🥠

[@gillmorevanderhaus]

Really interesting and informative video! Thank you for taking the time to make this. I'm sure that I'll be returning to this again and again.

[@riana2975]

Thank you, this was extremely helpful. Living in South Africa, we only have a fraction of the east asian options. But now I'll be able to navigate the products with more ease.

[@Guitar4life99]

Even if you aren't looking to go shopping soon (like I am), this was really insightful and I learnt a few things I never knew, thank you!

[@jenniferrodriguez-martinez7918]

This was incredibly helpful! Can't wait to go back to the asian market and stock up on my favorites as well as new recipes! 🥰

[@jojomorgan]

This is the great video of how to choose the right product to buy. I specifically learned about " the less ingredients the best, paper-pack for coconut milk, the quality trademarks of thai". Thank you so much Pai.

[@SovereignSelf2095]

I was raised in Richmond and I was so impressed with the new T&T location! So clean with fresh ingredients daily and their takeout and pastry section is amazing!

[@lukesmith3172]

You just made me want go look at a Thai store!

[@littlefurnace]

This is so helpful. I live in a very rural area in the UK and there are no large Asian groceries like this particular one near where I live. There *are* some very small convenience store sized places, but I've always been sort of nervous to go in because I've never had a clear idea of what I'm looking for. Now, even though the store in the video is different, I feel like I have a good idea of what I'm looking for, even in a small store. I think I'll go have a look at the weekend 😁 Thanks!

[@FlaMan991]

I really appreciate you showing us this information.. please do more in the future

[@WouldUMind4321]

You basically answered all my questions. Thank you so much Thai Aunty ❤️

[@jennifergraham3752]

This is the best, most informative video I have seen on the subject. Thank you

[@diabloplayatr]

How have I just now discovered your channel! I've learned more in 16 minutes than I have in a lonnnnng time! The coconut milk carton was a game changer.

[@cynajoy433]

Thank you! I’m always overwhelmed at my local asian grocery. Still, it’s one of my favourite places to go….I could spend hours just walking the aisles and looking at all the products.

[@tleung3924]

Good guide on shopping. You highlighted that little green label "Thai Hom Mail Rice". Its something that I never knew about. Incidentally, I was shopping at Costco and saw that little green label on the Kirkland Jasmine rice.

[@Shizukanexen]

I've never been one to eat Thai food, so I don't know why this was suggested to me, but I really wanna try Thai food now, thanks for being my guide Auntie in the supermarket. I really liked learning with you!

[@jelco996]

Toronto cook loving your channel and so happy it's Canadian! Thank you for sharing!

[@nelsonpagel2175]

Great to know what to look for now when shopping in an Asian store, Thai food is a favorite and I'm learning to cook it. I like the hint on what to look for when buying Jasimine rice and coconut milk.

[@jeng5591]

Thanks Pailin, my new Thai Aunty! Once I went to a T&T supermarket in Ottawa, near the airport. I just loved going through the aisles looking at all the interesting products. I wished I had someone to show me how to choose and use the right ingredients. Thanks to KZbin for showing me your video - my wish came true! Subscribed!

[@AC-ff1cn]

I'm also in Ottawa. Our T&T looks nothing like Pailin's. I recommend Green Fresh on MacArthur Rd. New location, very big aisles and very organized.

[@jeng5591]

@@AC-ff1cn thanks for the tip! I'll check it out when I'm back in Ottawa 😄

[@DavesRocketShop]

Scouting things out for my Thai wife who hasn't made it to Canada yet (soon!), I visited the local Asian grocery for the first time two days ago. I picked up some things, but boy this video will be handy! Thank you!

[@k9companion231]

First time watcher, follower, and poster. I lived in Bangkok for 10 years and have a found a local Thai restaurant and an Asian market but limited Thai products. Found you by accident but hooked on your videos! Thank you.