Washoku Recipes with Local Ingredients: Using HCMC Market Produce

Living in Ho Chi Minh City, you might think "I can't get the same ingredients as Japan, so I can't cook Japanese food." However, by skillfully using local ingredients from Vietnamese markets and supermarkets, you can actually make surprisingly authentic Japanese dishes. This article introduces alternatives for hard-to-find Japanese ingredients and washoku recipes using local ingredients.

Why Cook Washoku with Local Ingredients

When cooking Japanese food overseas, the biggest hurdle is sourcing ingredients. While you can't expect the same selection as Japanese supermarkets, Ho Chi Minh City has an abundance of ingredients that can be used for washoku. There are three major benefits to using local ingredients.

• Cost savings : Local produce is often much cheaper than imported ingredients
• Superior freshness : Vegetables and fish sourced daily from local markets are exceptionally fresh
• Discovering new flavors : Incorporating Vietnamese ingredients into washoku creates flavors you can't find in Japan

Of course, basic seasonings like soy sauce and mirin are hard to substitute. We recommend getting Japanese-quality products from the Farmi app.

Substitution List

Here's a summary of local ingredients available at HCMC markets that can substitute for Japanese ingredients.

Vegetable Substitutions

• White radish (cu cai trang) for daikon : Vietnamese white radish is smaller than Japanese daikon but works well for simmered dishes and grated radish
• Water spinach (rau muong) for spinach : Use for ohitashi or miso soup. Also delicious boiled with ponzu
• Green onions (hanh la) for negi : Can be used directly as a garnish. For the white part, substitute with the white section of onion (hanh tay)
• Dried shiitake (nam dong co) for shiitake : Dried shiitake is widely available in Vietnam and can be used for making dashi

Seafood Substitutions

• Red tilapia (ca dieu hong) for sea bream : White flesh with a mild taste, usable for simmered fish and sashimi-style dishes
• Round scad (ca nuc) for horse mackerel : Suitable for nanban-zuke and frying
• Shrimp can be used as-is : Vietnam is renowned for its shrimp. Fresh shrimp is abundant for tempura and fried shrimp

Seasonings and Others

• Vietnamese rice vinegar (giam gao) can substitute : Vietnamese rice vinegar has a flavor close to Japanese rice vinegar
• Rock sugar (duong phen) for sugar : Gives an elegant sweetness when used in simmered dishes
• Basic seasonings (soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake, dashi) from Farmi : These are difficult to substitute, so getting Japanese-quality products from Farmi is the safest bet

Recipe 1: Japanese-Style Salad with Local Vegetables

A salad with Japanese dressing using vegetables available at Vietnamese markets.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• Water spinach (rau muong): 1 bunch
• Tomato (ca chua): 1
• Cucumber (dua leo): 1
• Green onion (hanh la): 2 stalks
• White sesame seeds: 1 tablespoon
• Dressing: 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar

How to Make

Briefly blanch the water spinach and cut into 3cm pieces. Cut tomatoes into wedges and slice cucumbers thinly. Mix the dressing ingredients, toss with the vegetables, and sprinkle with white sesame seeds. The crunchy texture of water spinach pairs perfectly with Japanese dressing.

Recipe 2: Vietnamese Shrimp Tempura

Tempura made with fresh shrimp from Ben Thanh Market or supermarkets.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• Shrimp: 8 pieces
• Sweet potato (khoai lang): 1/2
• Okra (dau bap): 4 pieces
• Tempura flour: 100g (available on Farmi)
• Cold water: 150ml
• Frying oil: as needed

How to Make

Peel the shrimp, devein, and make shallow cuts on the belly side. Slice sweet potato into 7mm rounds and trim okra stems. Mix tempura flour with cold water, coat the ingredients, and fry at 170°C. Vietnamese shrimp are large and firm, making tempura that rivals Japanese quality.

Recipe 3: Simmered Local Fish Japanese-Style

A homestyle simmered fish dish using white fish from HCMC markets.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• Red tilapia (ca dieu hong): 2 pieces
• Ginger (gung): 1 knob
• Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
• Mirin: 2 tablespoons
• Sake: 2 tablespoons
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon
• Water: 100ml

How to Make

Pour boiling water over the fish to remove any fishy smell. Put water, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and sliced ginger in a pot and bring to a boil, then add the fish. Cover with a drop lid and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Ca dieu hong has firm flesh that doesn't fall apart easily, making it perfect for simmered fish.

Essential Seasonings to Get from Farmi

Even when cooking washoku with local ingredients, using Japanese-quality seasonings makes a dramatic difference. Here are the essential seasonings to stock up on from Farmi.

• Soy sauce : The foundation of Japanese flavor. Versatile for simmered dishes, grilled items, dressings, and more
• Mirin : Adds gloss and refined sweetness to simmered dishes
• Cooking sake : Essential for removing fishy odors and adding depth of flavor
• Dashi powder : The base for miso soup, simmered dishes, and ohitashi
• Tempura flour : While local flour can substitute, dedicated tempura flour delivers a noticeably crispier result

With the Farmi app, you can order in Japanese and receive cold-chain delivery in as fast as 1 hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can Vietnamese soy sauce (nuoc tuong) substitute for Japanese soy sauce? The flavors are quite different, so Japanese soy sauce is recommended for washoku. Vietnamese soy sauce tends to be sweeter, making it hard to achieve the characteristic taste of Japanese cuisine. Purchasing Japanese soy sauce on Farmi is the surest option.

Q2. Can Vietnamese rice be used for Japanese cooking? Vietnamese long-grain rice (gao dai) has less stickiness and is not ideal for washoku. However, Japanese rice (gao Nhat) is also available in Vietnam. Farmi also carries Japanese-quality rice.

Q3. Can Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam) be used in Japanese cooking? Using a small amount as a hidden seasoning adds umami similar to dashi. However, too much will overpower the dish with fish sauce flavor, so start with about 1 teaspoon.

Q4. Any tips for choosing fish at the market? Look for fish with clear eyes and bright red gills. Firm, springy flesh with little odor indicates freshness. For Japanese cooking, choosing white fish minimizes the chance of failure.

Q5. What is the most important seasoning for Japanese cooking? Soy sauce and dashi. As long as these two are Japanese quality, you can substitute other ingredients with local ones and still recreate authentic Japanese flavors.

Summary: A World of Washoku Opens Up with HCMC Ingredients

HCMC markets are full of ingredients that can be used for Japanese cooking. You don't need to import everything from Japan. Use fresh local vegetables and seafood while getting Japanese-quality seasonings from Farmi. This combination is the number one tip for enjoying washoku in Ho Chi Minh City.

Download the Farmi app and receive essential Japanese seasonings in as fast as 1 hour.

Note: This article and some images were created with the assistance of AI (artificial intelligence) and reviewed by our editorial team before publication.