I probably like cooking at home even more than I like eating out, doubly so in Prague, where scoring an ingredient or quality cut isn’t always easy. Putting together a special meal becomes an adventure. It’s just too easy back at home–walk into a Whole Foods and you have three different types of kale, seven different brands of hummus and cheese from nearly every country. Yawn.
In Prague, on the other hand, finding a bunch of kale is a score worth bragging about (the last, and only time I saw it, was at the JZP farmers’ market back in November). Friends on my facebook feed will post a triumphant status about a rare food find in a certain potraviny or post queries as to where they can get dried black beans (Country Life). After three years here, I can confidently say I know exactly what you can find, and where you can find it. Try me.
Along the way I’ve collected a series of special stores in my shopping arsenal that are absolute treasure troves for the kitchen. One of my favorites is the Asian foodstuff store on Korunni. It’s called Arirang, but I only know that from internet sleuthing. The big sign out front simply says Korejské a Japonské Potraviny, its scruffy exterior hiding a fantastic variety of goods inside. Bring any Korean or Japanese recipe list, and I promise you’ll find what you need. But feel free to wander in without any specific needs, and let yourself be inspired once you’re in there.
I’ve wandered in aimlessly only to end up with Korean rice cakes, chewy disks or cylinders that add body and texture to stir-fries. When I bought them, a super friendly and helpful young guy working there told me I needed Korean chili paste to go with it. I picked up a tub of it at his suggestion, and so began my love for Gochujang, the fermented, sweet chili paste that is essential to dishes like Bibimbap. It will make anything taste good. It will not, however, make you any cleverer, contrary to what he told me.
Strange and exotic junk food. Allowable sans guilt because eating it qualifies as cultural study.
Soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, rice vinegar and quality rice–and just about every other asian cooking staple–are all available in large quantities at extremely affordable prices, unlike the overpriced tiny amounts you might come across in the Tesco international aisle. Seriously, screw that aisle.
Refrigerated bags of ... stuff from the ocean. I recognized several types of seaweed.
Kimchi and tofu are available in big tubs. The locally-made kimchi goes great in pancakes, or by itself on top of white rice. Bags of sticky rice and bundles of Soba noodles have become pantry staples in my kitchen. In my freezer, I keep packets of wonton wrappers for folding up my own dumplings.
Kimchi on the left. On the right, bags of fresh cylindrical Korean rice cakes.
The store also has a whole freezer dedicated to sushi toppings. I’ve only tried the ebi, or shrimp, and they were pretty great rolled up in fresh spring rolls.
Quick nigiri toppers: Octopus, ebi, tuna and salmon.
On each trip, I try to pick up something new, just for fun. It might be a small, barley soda called “Nostalgia,” a red bean paste moon cake, melon candies or sweet potato chips. Most recently, it was a bag of … CHEETOS. They were not, alas, anything like the Cheetos any American knows and maybe loves. They were in fact not cheesy at all, which makes sense given its intended market, and tasted more sweet than anything else.
Imposter Cheetos
The haul from our most recent trip totaled 500 crowns, a deal considering the amount of items we picked up. That included Kimchi, two tubs of tofu, two bags of chips, a whole tub of black bean paste, a bag of sticky rice, a can of coconut milk, a bag of tempura batter mix and a pack of soba noodles.
One thing I have yet to pick up is the can of silkworm grubs, and I never intend to. Unless, of course, someone triple dog dares me to buy them and eat one. Also, I might have to be plied with rice wine. But that’s another blog post.
Seriously Gross
Arirang
Korejské a Japonské Potraviny
Korunni 47, Prague 2-Vinohrady
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tel: 224 256 284 mobil: 603 484 802
Comments are closed.