Where to buy
Where to find Asian ingredients in the UK, from the big supermarkets to the best online shops. Honest advice on what to buy and where.
52 guides
UK shoppingBlack Sesame Seeds and Paste in the UK: Where to Buy
Black sesame seeds have a deeper, nuttier and slightly bitter taste than the white seeds most people know....
UK shoppingMakrut Lime Leaves in the UK: Fresh, Frozen or Dried
Makrut lime leaves have a bright, floral citrus smell. They are used across Thai, Lao and Indonesian cooking,...
UK shoppingGalangal in the UK: Paste, Fresh or Frozen, and Where to Buy
Galangal is a root related to ginger. It has a sharp, peppery, citrusy flavour, and it is a...
UK shoppingDried Shiitake Mushrooms in the UK: Where to Buy and How to Soak
Dried shiitake are whole or sliced mushrooms that have been dried. The drying concentrates their flavour, giving a...
UK shoppingGlutinous Rice Flour in the UK: Where to Buy It
Glutinous rice flour is milled from sticky rice, and it makes chewy, springy doughs. It is not the...
UK shoppingFermented Black Beans in the UK: Where to Buy and How to Use Them
Fermented black beans are black soybeans that have been salted and fermented until soft and dark. They are...
UK shoppingPandan: What It Is and Where to Buy in the UK
Pandan is a long, fragrant leaf used across Southeast Asian cooking, prized for its sweet, grassy aroma, often...
UK shoppingDashi Bags in the UK: Where to Buy Them and What to Choose
Dashi bags are tea bag style sachets filled with kombu and bonito flakes. You steep one in hot...
UK shoppingNam Prik Pao: What It Is, Best Brands and Where to Buy in the UK
Nam prik pao is a sweet, smoky Thai chilli jam made from roasted chillies, shallots, garlic and dried...
UK shoppingChinkiang Black Vinegar in the UK: Where to Buy and Which Bottle
Chinkiang black vinegar is a dark, malty Chinese vinegar with a mellow sourness. It takes its name from...
UK shoppingWasabi in the UK: Paste, Powder and Where to Buy Them
Most wasabi sold in the UK is not made from wasabi root. The green paste in a tube...
UK shoppingTamari: What It Is, Best Brands and Where to Buy in the UK
Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce made with little or no wheat, giving it a smoother, less sharp...
UK shoppingSambal Oelek in the UK: Where to Buy It and Which Aisle
Sambal oelek is a simple Indonesian chilli paste. It is made from chillies, vinegar and salt, with no...
UK shoppingCentury Eggs: What They Really Are and Where to Buy Them in the UK
A century egg is a duck, chicken or quail egg preserved for several weeks in a mixture of...
UK shoppingKatsu Curry Sauce Mix in the UK: What to Buy and Where
A katsu curry sauce mix is a packet of powder you stir into water to make a thick,...
UK shoppingSichuan Peppercorns in the UK: Where to Buy Them and Which Aisle
Sichuan peppercorns give Sichuan food its tingling, numbing character. They are less common than most spices, so stock...
UK shoppingRice Paper Wrappers in the UK: Where to Buy Them and Which Aisle
Rice paper wrappers are in the world food aisle of most UK supermarkets. Look in the South East...
UK shoppingKombu in the UK: Where to Buy It and How to Use It
Kombu is a dried kelp, rich in natural savoury flavour. A single sheet can flavour several litres of...
UK shoppingPonzu Sauce in the UK: Where to Buy It and How to Use It
Ponzu is a Japanese sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar and citrus juice, usually yuzu, sudachi or...
UK shoppingThai Curry Paste in the UK: Where to Buy and Which Colour
Thai curry paste is now a mainstream item in most UK supermarkets. The main choice is not the...
UK shoppingDumpling Wrappers in the UK: Where to Buy Them
Dumpling wrappers are almost always chilled or frozen. Check the fridge or freezer rather than the dry shelves...
UK shoppingKewpie Mayo in the UK: Where to Buy It and Which Bottle
Kewpie is a Japanese mayonnaise made with egg yolk and rice vinegar. It is richer and tangier than...
UK shoppingOyster Sauce in the UK: Where to Buy It and Which Aisle
Oyster sauce is one of the easier Chinese ingredients to find. Most large UK supermarkets sell a bottle...
UK shoppingHoisin Sauce in the UK: Where to Buy It and How to Use It
Hoisin is a thick, sweet and savoury Chinese sauce, made from soybeans, sugar, vinegar and spices. It is...
UK shoppingFurikake in the UK: Where to Buy It and Which Flavour to Start With
Furikake is a dry seasoning that you shake over rice. Most blends mix toasted sesame seeds, dried seaweed,...
UK shoppingGochugaru in the UK: Where to Buy Korean Chilli Flakes
Gochugaru is Korean red chilli flakes, made from sun dried chillies. It gives kimchi and many other Korean...
UK shoppingTamarind Paste in the UK: Where to Buy It and Which Form to Choose
Tamarind is a sour, slightly sweet pod fruit used across Thai, Indian and other South and Southeast Asian...
UK shoppingGalangal substitute: what to use instead
Galangal looks like ginger and is not ginger. Swapping one for the other is the most common mistake...
UK shoppingLemongrass substitute: what to use instead
Lemongrass is citrus without the sourness. That is the bit most swaps get wrong. The best lemongrass substitute...
UK shoppingSesame oil substitute: what to use instead
Toasted sesame oil is a flavouring, not a cooking fat. Replace it with the wrong thing and the...
UK shoppingShaoxing wine substitute: what to use instead
Shaoxing wine turns a decent stir fry into a takeaway one. If your supermarket does not stock it,...
UK shoppingGochugaru substitute: what to use instead
Gochugaru is what makes kimchi red without making it brutally hot. Swap it wrong and you either lose...
UK shoppingChinese five spice substitute, and how to make your own
Five spice is a blend, which means you can build it yourself from things already in the cupboard....
UK shoppingOyster sauce substitute: five swaps that work
Run out mid stir fry, or cooking for someone who avoids shellfish. Here is what to reach for...
UK shoppingFish sauce substitute: what to use instead
Fish sauce does a job nothing else quite does. These are the swaps that get closest, and the...
UK shoppingWhere to Buy Miso Paste in the UK, and Which Aisle to Check
Miso paste is sold in most big UK supermarkets and in Asian grocers. The shelf changes from store...
UK shoppingWhere to Buy Tofu in the UK: Chilled and Long Life Types
Tofu comes in two very different forms, and they live in different parts of the shop. Fresh tofu...
UK shoppingRice Noodles in the UK: Where to Buy Them and Which Width
Rice noodles are not with the pasta. Dried rice noodles sit in the world food aisle, with the...
UK shoppingFilipino Ingredients: Where to Buy Them in the UK
Most Filipino pantry staples are not stocked by mainstream UK supermarkets, so a Filipino grocer or an online...
UK shoppingWhere to Buy Curry Leaves in the UK, and What to Use Instead
Curry leaves are the small, glossy leaves of the curry leaf tree, used across South India, Sri Lanka...
UK shoppingFish Sauce in the UK: Which Bottle to Buy and Where to Find It
Fish sauce is a salty, savoury liquid made from fermented fish, usually anchovies. Its smell is sharp in...
UK shoppingWhere to Buy Japanese Ingredients in the UK
Finding good Japanese ingredients in the UK has become much easier over the past decade. There are now...
UK shoppingSomen Noodles: What They Are, Best Brands and Where to Buy in the UK
Somen are very thin, delicate Japanese wheat noodles, traditionally served chilled with a light dipping sauce in the...
UK shoppingSinigang Mix: What It Is and Where to Buy in the UK
Sinigang mix is a powdered souring base, usually tamarind-flavoured, that turns a simple pork or fish broth into...
UK shoppingKalamansi: What It Is, Best Brands and Where to Buy in the UK
Kalamansi is a small, tangy Filipino citrus fruit, somewhere between a lime and a mandarin, used to add...
UK shoppingBanana Ketchup: What It Is and Where to Buy in the UK
Banana ketchup is a sweet, tangy Filipino condiment made mainly from mashed banana, sugar and spices, coloured red...
UK shoppingAchiote (Annatto): What It Is and Where to Buy in the UK
Achiote, also called annatto, is a small red seed used across Latin American and Filipino cooking to add...
UK shoppingShirataki Noodles: What They Are, Best Brands and Where to Buy in the UK
Shirataki noodles are thin, translucent Japanese noodles made from konjac yam rather than wheat or rice, very low...
UK shoppingTonkatsu Sauce in the UK: Where to Buy It and How to Use It
Tonkatsu sauce is a thick, tangy and sweet Japanese sauce. It is the classic partner for katsu dishes,...
UK shoppingChilli Crisp in the UK: What to Buy and Where to Find It
Chilli crisp is chilli oil packed with crunchy fried bits, usually garlic, shallot and soybeans. Most people buy...
UK shoppingYuzu: What It Is, Which Product to Buy and Where to Find It
Yuzu is a Japanese citrus that tastes like a cross between lemon, lime and mandarin, sharper and more...
UK shoppingCoconut milk substitute: what to use instead
Coconut milk does two jobs in a curry: it thins the sauce and it carries fat. Any swap...
How our where to buy guides work
Asian ingredients can be hard to track down in the UK, and aisle layouts differ from shop to shop. These guides tell you where to look: which supermarket aisle to check first, whether big chains such as Tesco usually stock it, what to ask a member of staff, and when an Asian grocer or online shop is the better option.
Each guide also covers how to store the ingredient once you have it, and links to a recipe so you can put it straight to use. Stock changes often, so each guide shows the date it was last checked.
Common searches
Find a guide by cuisine
Japanese ingredients
- Japanese ingredients overview
- Miso paste
- Dashi bags
- Kombu
- Ponzu sauce
- Kewpie mayo
- Tamari
- Wasabi
- Furikake
- Tonkatsu sauce
- Katsu curry sauce mix
- Somen noodles
- Shirataki noodles
- Yuzu
Chinese ingredients
- Chinkiang black vinegar
- Fermented black beans
- Century eggs
- Hoisin sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Glutinous rice flour
- Sichuan peppercorns
- Dumpling wrappers
- Chilli crisp
Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian ingredients
Korean and Filipino ingredients
Everyday staples
- Tofu
- Rice noodles
- Fish sauce
- Curry leaves
- Tamarind paste
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Black sesame seeds and paste