Wherein I list my obsession with Asian condiments.

[eyesroll]

In my fridge, I have:
Kikoman soy sauce
Tamari
Teriyaki sauce
Gyoza sauce
Memmi soup base
Tahini
Toasted sesame oil
Sriracha
Sambal oelek (sp?)
Tamarind paste
Ginger paste
Garlic paste
Banana ketchup
Thai chili sauce
Hoisin sauce
Fish sauce
Miso paste
Masaman curry paste
Oyster sauce

In my pantry, I have:
Light soy sauce
Dark soy sauce
Mirin
Rice vinegar
Chinese hot mustard powder
100% wasabi powder
Cheap wasabi powder

It's getting out of hand. It's truly crazy. I have one and a half fridge-door shelves and one pantry shelf devoted to this. I'm making stuff based on what I can pour over it or dip it in. Turkey with sriracha mayo. Chicken strips with thai chili sauce. Stir-fry beef in oyster sauce. And so on.

So, what am I missing?

[TygrBright]

1. Well, you asked...

>>So, what am I missing?<<

ummmm..... space in your fridge?

wickedly,
Bright

[grasswire]

2. I'm impressed

Condiments take up far too much of our fridge, too. Pickles, mustards, jellies and marmalades, yada yada!

[eyesroll]

10. What's interesting is that my Western condiment selection is small.

(relatively speaking)

Mayo, yellow mustard, brown mustard, honey mustard, ketchup (2 half-full bottles for lack of a list), Worcestershire, capers, a couple of things of jelly/jam, pickle relish and maybe some banana pepper rings. Tabasco and one or two others in the pantry. On occasion we may have olives, dill pickles, BBQ sauce or whatever, but not always.

I suppose I should add: We're all of European extraction in this household.

[Tab]

3. Room for actual food?

:shrug:

[hobbit709]

4. That's why we have

a spare fridge in the garage along with a big chest freezer. Stuff that needs to be refrigerated but not used constantly stays in the garage, everything else stays in the kitchen. The freezer is for all the sales or when my neighbor goes hunting.

[eleny]

5. If you really want something more

I once got a tall bottle of mushroom soy sauce that was a nice addition.

[Warpy]

6. Three obvious ones

Hoisin sauce, necessary for all sorts of Chinese sauces and marinades

Chile paste with garlic for the fiery Hunan and Sichuan stir fries

Black vinegar that can be mixed with equal amounts of soy sauce to make a quick dipping sauce for potstickers and all sorts of dim sum.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. What chile paste w/ garlic do you prefer?

I'm addicted to Lan Chi brand from China. I've haven't found another brand that had the right taste for Ma Po or other dishes where the paste flavor dominates.

I could use a refrigerator with a condiment door. That might rein in the collection a bit. Naw.

[Warpy]

9. Yep, that's the one!

I am SO hooked on that stuff. It sends other people running for the water fountain.

[yellerpup]

7. Wow, you are ahead

but I am gaining on you. Just got into Asian this summer. Sriracha goes with EVERYTHING!

[HamdenRice]

11. Hi I'm Hamden. And I'm an Asian Condimentaholic.

I have the same problem you have! A few years ago, I found an Asian supermarket and right near by a stretch of Indian/Pakistani/Afghan grocery stores, and have filled the cabinet with these things.

For homemade curry, as well as barbeque rub, from the Indian stores, I also have corriander, cumin, tumeric, cloves, whole nutmeg, whole cinnamin, etc.

But in the Asian supermarket, you can get southeast asian curries, which come in a paste -- Aroy D brand red curry paste, green curry paste and panang curry paste.

Unlike Indian curries, these are best cooked with a can of coconut milk.

[Ecumenist]

12. Hi Hamden!!

:hi: My name is Melody and I, too, AM an Asian condimentaholic... It started VERY innocently. I remember it like it was yesterday. A large Asian supermarket opened up to great fanfare in the South area. I stopped by to peruse the shelves and picked up a few things, you'll recognise the names:
Black Vinegar
Nuoc nam
Coconut milk
Chili garlic paste..

Before I knew it, I had a half pantry filled with nothing but sauces, marinades, herbs and spices from China to Japan, Korea to Thailand, India to Tibet, Burma to Cambodia. I had started to make monthly trips into San Francisco, Berkeley and other places in the Bay area to find obscure and mysterious food treasures to the point where my husband started following me and monitoring what was brought into the house and how much space disappeared under more and more exotic flavours and fragrances. I told him that I could stop at anytime but saw that I not only couldn't stop but didn't want to. My husband, brother and the local grocer performed an intervention which is what brings me here.

Yes, dear comrades, I am a foodie and a Asian condimentaholic and I take each day as it comes.

[HamdenRice]

13. Hi Ecumenist.... Here's an inspirational thought: God grant ...

God grant me the serenity to buy the Thai curry pastes that I cannot make and home; courage to grind the curries from whole spices that I can; and wisdom to know the difference. ...

[eyesroll]

14. I've got some masaman paste, but I need to get some others

Thai curries are ridiculously easy and quick (which I will need in a few weeks when school starts), but I have no idea how to mix the pastes so I do rely on the packaged goods.

Indian curries are pretty easy, too, and I do those fresh. (I didn't even go into the contents of my spice drawers...yes, drawers...I swear, Bill Penzey will be putting his kid through college on what I have there...)