Self-Cooking Guide for Solo Japanese Expats in Ho Chi Minh City: Simple Japanese Meals That Actually Work
A practical guide for solo Japanese expats in Ho Chi Minh City who want to cook Japanese food at home: essential condiments, basic tools, and a weekly grocery routine that fits a busy work schedule.
Written by Farmi Editorial Team
Farmi Editorial Team
Why You Should Start Cooking at Home During Your Solo Assignment in HCMC
Ho Chi Minh City has no shortage of dining options. From pho shops tucked into alleyways to full Japanese restaurants, finding somewhere to eat is never a problem. But after a few weeks of living alone, many people start noticing a few things.
Note: This article and some images were created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team before publication.
- Eating out every day is surprisingly draining: local food can be delicious, but days of high salt and oil content tire out your stomach
- Food expenses are hard to predict: daily dining costs fluctuate, making monthly budget management difficult
- You start missing "that taste": soy sauce-based simmered dishes, simple white rice with pickles. Those familiar Japanese flavors suddenly feel missed
Cooking during a solo assignment is not about "making perfect meals." The first goal is to set up an environment where you can make simple Japanese meals 2-3 times a week. That alone makes a real difference in your health, food budget, and peace of mind.
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Seasonings to Prepare First: Starting with "Sa-Shi-Su-Se-So"
The foundation of Japanese cooking is sa-shi-su-se-so (sugar, salt, vinegar, soy sauce, miso). With these five seasonings, you can make most simmered dishes, stir-fries, and soups.
| Seasoning | Main Uses | Where to Buy in HCM |
|---|---|---|
| Soy sauce (dark) | Stir-fry, simmered dishes, tamago kake gohan | Japanese supermarkets, Farmi App |
| Mirin | Sweetness for teriyaki, simmered dishes | Japanese supermarkets, Farmi App |
| Miso | Morning miso soup | Japanese supermarkets, Farmi App |
| Shiro-dashi / Dashi granules | Quick umami boost | Japanese supermarkets, Farmi App |
| Sesame oil | Stir-fry, finishing touch | Local supermarkets, Farmi App |
Storage note for HCM climate: Seasonings deteriorate faster in hot, humid conditions after opening. Start with small bottles (200-300ml) of soy sauce and mirin, and aim to use them up within 2-3 months to maintain quality.
Handy Additional Seasonings
- Mentsuyu (3x concentrated): versatile base for udon, simmered dishes, and oyakodon
- Ponzu: simply blanch thin-sliced meat and dip in ponzu for a complete dish
- Chicken stock granules: great for fried rice and soups
These items can be found in the seasoning category on the Farmi App.
[TODO: confirm product URL for basic condiments starter set]
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Equipment: The Minimum Set for a Solo Apartment
Solo apartments in HCM typically have 1-2 burners and a compact kitchen. The principle for choosing equipment is "multi-purpose, fewer items."
Absolute Essentials
- Rice cooker (3-cup): having a Japanese brand like Tiger or Zojirushi gives peace of mind. Just having cooked rice makes meal planning much easier
- Saucepan (18cm): handles miso soup, boiled eggs, instant ramen, and small simmered dishes
- Frying pan (24cm, non-stick): for stir-fry, fried eggs, and teriyaki. Coating quality varies, so Japanese brands are recommended
- One santoku knife + cutting board: a single santoku knife handles vegetables, meat, and fish
- Measuring spoons: eyeballing seasoning amounts leads to inconsistent flavor, so having tablespoon and teaspoon measures is very helpful
Nice to Have
- Lidded storage containers (microwave-safe): for storing and reheating meal-prepped dishes
- Cooking chopsticks: for stir-frying and dissolving miso
- Colander and bowl set: for draining vegetables and cooling noodles
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Weekly Grocery Shopping: A Rhythm That Fits Solo Life
When work comes first in solo life, there is no time to shop every day. Shopping 1-2 times per week is the most realistic cycle.
Convenient Ingredients to Keep in Stock
Room temperature storage (long shelf life)
- Dashi packets, dried wakame, dried shiitake mushrooms
- Instant rice, instant miso soup, instant ramen
Refrigerated / Frozen (replenish weekly)
- Tofu, eggs (for boiled eggs, tamago kake gohan)
- Frozen edamame, frozen udon, frozen gyoza
Weekend fresh grocery run
- Chicken thigh, thinly sliced pork belly (for teriyaki, stir-fry)
- Komatsuna, bean sprouts (for stir-fry, oshitashi)
- Carrots, daikon radish (for simmered dishes, miso soup)
Sample Shopping Route in HCM
- Once a week via Farmi App: order seasonings, frozen items, and Japanese ingredients. Delivered to your apartment in as fast as 1 hour
- 2-3 times a week at a local supermarket (CoopMart, VinMart, etc.): pick up eggs, tofu, bean sprouts, and everyday vegetables
- Weekends at a Japanese supermarket in District 7: combine a change of scenery with checking seasonal items and deals
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Sustainable Cooking for Solo Expats: 3 Menu Patterns
Pattern 1: Ultra-Quick (Under 20 Minutes on Weekdays)
| Dish | Time Estimate | Ingredients Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Tamago kake gohan (TKG) | 5 min | White rice, egg, soy sauce |
| Retort curry | 10 min | Retort curry packet, rice |
| Frozen udon + egg | 10 min | Frozen udon, egg, mentsuyu |
| Pork belly stir-fry | 20 min | Pork belly, bean sprouts, soy sauce, sesame oil |
Pattern 2: Weekend 30-Minute Batch Cooking
Preparing a little extra on weekends makes weekdays significantly easier.
- Kinpira gobo: keeps refrigerated for 4-5 days
- Chicken teriyaki: keeps refrigerated 3 days, frozen for 2 weeks
- Boiled eggs (batch of 5): marinate in soy sauce and mirin for seasoned eggs, keeps refrigerated 4 days
Pattern 3: After-Work 30-Minute Staples
- Ginger pork + white rice + miso soup
- Oyakodon (chicken thigh, onion, egg, mentsuyu)
- Tofu and wakame miso soup + furikake rice
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Keep Cooking in HCM with the Farmi App
When stocking up on Japanese ingredients in Ho Chi Minh City, language barriers and scattered sourcing can be a hassle. The Farmi App lets you search and order soy sauce, mirin, dashi granules, frozen foods, tofu, and other cooking essentials in Japanese, with delivery to your apartment in as fast as 1 hour.
Just ordering seasonings and frozen items through the app once a week dramatically reduces the "hassle of grocery shopping" for home cooking.
Download the Farmi app by searching "Farmi" on the App Store or Google Play.
[TODO: confirm product URL for seasonings category]
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What if my HCM apartment does not have a kitchen? A. Some solo rental apartments in HCM only have a mini kitchen (one IH burner + sink). With a microwave and electric kettle combination, you can handle instant foods and microwave cooking. Check the kitchen equipment before moving in to plan your tools accordingly.
Q. If it is hard to get all seasonings at once, what should I prioritize? A. Start with just two: dark soy sauce and shiro-dashi/dashi granules. With these two, you can make tamago kake gohan, miso soup, and basic simmered dishes. Mirin and miso are the next step. With these four, you can season almost any Japanese dish.
Q. Can I find Japanese brand seasonings in HCM? A. Yes. Kikkoman soy sauce, Marukome and Hikari Miso, and other major Japanese brands are available at Japanese supermarkets and on the Farmi App in HCM. Product availability may vary by season, so check the latest stock on the Farmi App.
Q. How should I balance home cooking and food delivery? A. Use delivery services on tiring weekday evenings, and batch cook on weekends when you feel good. Setting a goal of "cooking every day" often leads to giving up, so starting with 2-3 times per week is the best approach.
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Summary
Cooking at home during a solo assignment in Ho Chi Minh City does not need to be perfect. What matters is setting up an environment where you can make reassuring Japanese meals a few times a week. Get the sa-shi-su-se-so seasonings, prepare simple tools, order ingredients once a week through the Farmi App, and you can have "your own dining table" even in HCM.
Even far away in Ho Chi Minh City, a bowl of home-cooked white rice and miso soup quietly brings that feeling of "being home."
Download the Farmi app and get your ingredients ready for this week.
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Related Articles
- Types of soy sauce and how to choose: differences between koikuchi, usukuchi, and tamari
- Types of miso and how to choose: using shiro, awase, and aka
- Buy Japanese ingredients in Ho Chi Minh City
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Pending Japanese native review
Farmi Editorial Team
Farmi Editorial Team
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