My favorite things from MT Market

[reinadetostones]

Having recently been pulled back into sweet100s fun post on fav items from Central Market, I thought I would start a thread for MT Market - in the Chinatown Center. Some of my favorite things:

- seasoned spicy laver, or korean style salty crunchy nori that eats like a chip with way less calories.

- dumplings - I can't even keep track of the many kinds of frozen dumplings they have to offer. Bao too.

- fresh, live fish-including dungeness crab - in season, cheap, but you have to cook it yourself

- cheap slabs of pork belly

- pocky - every kind imaginable

- fresh snow pea shoots for sauteeing

- snacks a-plenty

- 25 or 50 cent rides for the kiddos!

- proximity to Lily's soups (er, I mean sandwiches) and other good places to eat.

Anyone else shopping there?

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Central Market
4477 S Lamar Blvd Ste 100, Austin, TX 78745

[sqwertz]

Fresh rice noodles: chow fun, rolls, slabs, blankets.
Bulk jasmine rice.
Bottles of fermented mackerel for making salted fish fried rice.
Dried soup/noodle packets (with rice noodles, especially)
Various Tom Chua (Hue Sour Shrimp) with eggplant, papaya, or galangal
Mam nem
Mae Ploy Sweet Chile Garlic Sauce
Fresh pickling cucumbers
Cheap shallots
Large, cheap green onions and cilantro
Vietnamese beef and pork jerky
Frozen chopped lemongrass
Garlic chives
Shrooms
Preserved spicy bamboo
Pork belly with attached ribs (great for BBQ!)

Anybody know what happened to VN Lady Brand Tom Chua? It has been the most popular brand for decades here int he U.S. but had disappeared from all the stores. What, you don't eat that stuff? ;-)

[taliesin15]

meat wise I always get some pork, duck and/or seafood--but the last 4-5 times I've been getting the packs of Baby Bok Choy--there's also usually some kind of version of Rapini or Broccoli Rabe that's WAY cheaper than any place else--also, I usually will get some kind of fresh greens there I've never had before--probably the cheapest source of Ginseng in Austin, fwiw...

[verily]

I like to use the cheap Thai knives they sell. Kiwi brand I think. Even though they won't last forever, they're very sharp and holding up well after a year. Great deal if you're just starting out (as I was when I bought them).

[Alan Sudo]

I'm going to have to try the seasoned seaweed.
My usual list of course includes lots of dumplings. I also like to stock up on
- assorted fish balls from the meat case (great in soups, or get creative and use them as a basis for hor d'oeuvres)
- fresh flower chives and lemon grass for stir frys
- green tea flavored sunflower seeds to snack on
- chestnuts in a foil pouch (used in my chicken stuffing)
- the big container of fried onions or fried garlic

My favorite purchase at MT was a huge wok, about 3 feet in diameter! I don't use it a lot, but when I get that thing going for a dinner party, it's impressive.

[dinaofdoom]

the seasoned seaweed comes in a few different container styles.
for the most part, it's strips, because a lot of people use it to scoop rice.
i'm not that fussy and/or patient, and pretty much just shovel it in.
there are some individually wrapped ones in a sheet kinda like lollypops.
there are also plastic canisters with a pile of strips inside, too.
i tend to like those because they're a better value and easier to access.
plus, you are left with crumbs and they're great for pseudo furikake.

and you make a good point: they do have a great selection of housewares.

the last time i was there, i was kinda bummed about the almost bare table of freshly baked sweets and breads,
but, it may have been poor timing on my part.

[popvulture]

God I love that place. It's so completely overwhelming. I first went there when I wanted to make green papaya salad, and I went looking to buy one item, but left with about twenty. Yes, the amount of dumplings completely unbelievable, and the amount of condiments... it almost gives me a headache just thinking about processing it. They have like twenty different kinds of shrimp paste. Gochujang? Asam laksa paste? Ok, it's settled: I need to go tomorrow.

[dinaofdoom]

you should get something like a bahn mi at one of the restaurants before you go shopping.
browsing while full helps me to not go so crazy.
otherwise i totally get food shopping ADD!

[slowcoooked]

Cilantro for dirt cheap!

I second the pork belly - my first preparation of the foie gras of the new millenium required a vist to MT to purchase shaoxing wine for a divine chinese braised pork belly recipe found here: http://redcook.net/2008/01/18/hong-sh...

[reinadetostones]

I have read recipes for red cooked pork belly, but this got me. I'm back to MT for another slab, and will report back on the Home Cooking board if I have success! THANKS for the recipe, glad we have a consistent and affordable place to get the ingredients!

[dinaofdoom]

oh god, i love snacking on the seasoned seaweed.

i really do need to visit soon and check out the drinking vinegars because i want to try them.

also, i never thought to check the pork belly prices-- thanks for posting!

[reinadetostones]

Did you say drinking vinegars? Please go on!

Looks like only three of us have favorites at MT....I was hoping for more recommendations!

[dinaofdoom]

puddles and i were talking about his pok pok adventures, which jogged my memory to look for them.
sadly, the market next to asia cafe only had apple flavor, which didn't really appeal to me.

here is a thread about them.
i believe this thread was featured in monthly newsletter.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/431693