-By Alka Ahuja

To Market, to Market…

A unique feature of most Asian countries is the tradition of open-air markets. Whether nestled outdoors in the highlands of Vietnam or located cheek-by-jowl to swish malls in Singapore, these “wet” markets are the Asian version of farmer’s markets, but open daily. Here, baskets of brightly hued vegetables jostle for space with fresh-off-the-boat crabs, shrimp and varieties of glistening fish that defy description. Stalls hawking daily necessities like bread, sewing supplies and slippers, too, find a place in this melee. “Marketing,” the Asian patois for grocery-and-produce shopping, is done on a daily basis, allowing friends and neighbors to catch up over a lighthearted haggle for fresh-pressed tofu or at the corner stall while the fresh coconut a vendor just cracked open is ground to order for the day’s curry.

As mama-sans and amahs prod and sniff to check each tomato and mangosteen for freshness and ripeness (none of the neat, prepackaged and sanitized produce of the supermarkets, thank you!), life slips into a lower gear. Sipping their beverage of choice from innovative plastic packets slung around their wrists as to-go containers — coffee or tea made with condensed milk, green tea or, increasingly, bubble tea — shoppers wander around, planning the day’s menu as per the meats and vegetables available. Amid the bantering of the chicken and pork vendors comes the occasional shrill yell from the durian seller, urging shoppers to try (and then buy) his odiferous fruit.

The Floating Markets of Thailand and Vietnam form a hub of economic activity with thousands of boats gathering each morning in river deltas to sell their wares. Most of this produce is sold to wholesalers who then go on to resell to food processing factories or ship them further inland to smaller markets.


Short Rib With Kalbi Marinade & Daikon Kimchi

This recipe comes courtesy of Chef Rachel Yang, who came to the country when she was 15, speaks fluent Korean, and helms Joule Restaurant in Seattle, Wash., with her husband, a fine dining restaurant offering contemporary cuisine with a touch of Korean influence. www.joulerestaurant.com


2 lbs. short rib
For Kalbi Marinade
1 pc. Asian pear
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
¼ cup sake or white wine
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chili flakes
2 pc. garlic cloves
1 pc. ginger, small
For Daikon Kimchi
1 pc. daikon
1 cup salt, coarse
1 cup chili flake
1 pc. Asian pear
½ onion
1 tbsp salted shrimp
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 pc. garlic cloves
1 pc. ginger, small

1. For daikon kimchi, cut daikon into ½” dice.
2. Toss daikon with the coarse salt. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes. Water will come out from daikon.
3. Rinse and drain well. Daikon should be little salty.
4. Make the kimchi marinade by adding all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
5. Toss daikon with the kimchi marinade. Let it sit at room temperature for two to three days.
6. Make the kalbi marinade by adding all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
7. Marinate the short rib for two to 12 hours.
8. Grill short rib and serve with daikon kimchi.