Trend: Shopping List



Soy sauce
Hometown sushi hero Genji has gone national, selling its own bottled soy sauce in the Whole Foods stores that feature Genji Express fresh sushi. Genji’s sauce contains less sodium than the typical supermarket variety and uses high-quality ingredients like mirin (rice wine) to produce a richer flavor. Try it on spicy tuna maki or as a pork marinade. At select Whole Foods Markets; wholefoods.com.

Yuzu juice
The juice of the Japanese citrus fruit yuzu is a fashionable Asian fusion ingredient, known for extreme tanginess and lemon-lime flavor. It can stand in for any acidic ingredient, adding a unique taste to everyday sauces, dressings and marinades. Find it at Asian markets like H-Mart, 1720 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill; 856-489-4611.

Tamarind paste
Caravelle makes this sweet-and-sour paste concentrated from the pulp of the sticky Asian tamarind fruit. It’s a key element in that indescribable Southeast Asian flavor; try it in pad Thai, vinaigrettes, curry and stir-fry to get restaurant-quality results. Swarthmore Co-op, 341 Dartmouth Avenue, Swarthmore; 610-543-9805.

Noodles
With supermarkets stocking more and more Asian noodle options, you no longer have to let Barilla linguine stand in for lo mein. Try buckwheat soba noodles cold in a salad, thick udons in a brothy soup, and wheat-free rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp. All available at Wegmans, 2 Centerton Road, Mount Laurel, 856-439-7300, and other area locations; wegmans.com.

Daikon
Ignore the unfamiliar name; this sweet, snappy, jicama-like veggie is just a gigundo radish. Find one that’s firm and smooth, and cook it to add crunch to any dish, grate it raw in salads, or test your skills at carving—maybe a rose or bird—for garnish. OK Lee Produce, Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch streets, 215-922-1353; readingterminalmarket.com.