5 Things You Should Stock Up On At A Vietnamese Grocery Store

From cozy, comforting pho to classic bánh mì, few other cuisines have the same aromatic, fresh, and savory notes as Vietnamese cooking. Fortunately for the rest of the world, it's easy to approximate the flavors of Vietnam in your own home, so long as you have the right ingredients. Of course, if you want to source the most legit items, there's no better place to look than your local Vietnamese grocery store.

While you can find some foods that are essential for Vietnamese cooking at run-of-the-mill supermarkets, like rice, scallions, and soy sauce, any food-loving home cook owes it to themselves to check out a store with a more extensive and specialized selection of products. Even if you're not the biggest pho fan, there are plenty of gems to pick up at a Vietnamese grocer that can upgrade any dish.

As you might imagine, fish sauce has a fishy, umami-forward taste. A true staple of Vietnamese cuisine, this fermented sauce can be added to practically any dish to give it extra flavor. It can be used as a marinade, a dipping sauce, a condiment for rice — you can even add a splash to a Bloody Mary. There are lots of fish sauces to choose from, but one of the most popular brands from Vietnam is Red Boat fish sauce, which has a special line that includes a hardwood smoked version and the barrel-aged Phamily Reserve Maple Bourbon fish sauce.

Fish sauce can add depth to any kind of cuisine, but if you want to make a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce with it, mix some together with sugar, lime juice, and enough water to dissolve everything. For more inspiration, check out our guide for cooking with fish sauce.

While perusing the store shelves, keep an eye out for tamarind paste. Derived from tamarind fruit, this jammy mash has a bold, tangy flavor. In Vietnamese cuisine, tamarind paste is essential in canh chua (also known as sweet and sour soup), where its tartness balances out the rich flavors.

You can quickly turn tamarind paste into a glaze or dressing — just mix it with a bit of warm water so you can easily brush it over meat or drizzle it over veggies. Tamarind's acidic, bright flavor pairs well with practically everything from the especially savory to the super sweet, making it ideal for marinades, stir-fries, and more.

If you ever want to make a plate of spring rolls, you'll need a package of rice paper, which is basically like if a tortilla was super thin, translucent, and made of rice flour. Like some of the other entries on this list, you can find rice paper at some traditional grocery stores, but your best bet at finding the best brand (and a good deal) will be at the Vietnamese market. While you're there, keep an eye out for Three Ladies brand rice paper. If you can't find it or are short on time, you can also order it online.

You can use rice paper to turn any combination of foods into a delicious, convenient wrap. Just remember to soak each sheet in warm water for a few seconds before you use it to make it easier to fold.

There are plenty of options in the produce section that make any Vietnamese grocery store worth visiting, but some of the best ingredients to stock up on are fresh herbs. One unique selection is perilla, which is part of the mint family and has a licorice flavor. Perilla, or shiso, can be used to garnish practically anything, and since it's also slightly minty, you can also muddle it to craft some one-of-a-kind cocktails.

Over in the spice section, Vietnamese black peppercorns, specifically fresh ones, are a must-have for anyone who likes their food to bite back. The peppercorns are actually green when they're fresh, and have a much more intense, peppery flavor during this short stage. Regardless of where you buy it, there are plenty of reasons to upgrade to fresh black pepper.

Vietnamese cooking is all about intense, pungent flavors, and it doesn't get more intense than fermented shrimp paste. And that's not a bad thing, since a single spoonful is all you need to imbue an entire pot of food with extreme savory, fishy goodness. You can use the shrimp paste to saute meat and vegetables, to transform soups and broths, or cut it with some lime juice to make a dip. Use caution, though; both the smell and taste of the paste is very strong, so only add a small amount at a time. 

The use of these ingredients does not have to be limited to Vietnamese recipes. For instance, tamarind is a key element of pad thai, while rice paper can be used to wrap up anything from chicken and rice to baked ziti. Take a trip to your local Vietnamese grocery store, and you're guaranteed to walk away with something that will transform your cooking.