The difficulty in finding favorite items, much less favorite brands, that one has enjoyed “back home” requires most foreigners living in another country to be creative. From shampoo to breakfast foods, finding ways of “making do” can have surprising results.
Flexibility is Required for an Expat in Asia
A good example is shampoo. Even though many of the names of hair products are the same as sold in other countries, hair products are formulated to best suit the average person’s hair texture of the country where it is sold. So, in China, it is nearly impossible to find a shampoo that does not have conditioners included in the formula. One creative expat discovered that an inexpensive body wash was more like the kind of shampoo product she liked from her home country.
The kitchen is where most expats learn flexibility. In a moderately small city in central China, the availability of bacon, cheeses and healthy breads is impossible to predict. It is plentiful one day and not available again for months. Usually ethnic foods like tortillas and lasagne noodles are not even imported to smaller central Chinese cities. Yet with a bit of determination, creativity and a willingness to improvise, all of these items can be part of a planned menu.
Cooking Substitutions May Require More Than Simple Recipe Substitutions
Most mornings vendors with griddles on their portable carts create jidan bing, a Chinese version of the breakfast burrito. As the poured-batter cooks, an egg is fried in the center. Optional condiments include a variety of sauces, peanuts, lettuce, and pickled vegetables. Rather than roll the finished product like a burrito, it is folded in half and then half again. The cost is equivalent to 25 to 40 American cents, depending on the burrito’s contents and the location of the seller.
While microwave ovens are the life-saver for many people at home and abroad, they are not suitable for cooking many kinds of meats. Overseas living may mean that investing in a low-cost toaster oven makes sense because oven use is something that many westerners have trouble omitting. If purchasing a small oven is not possible, buy a dutch oven for outdoor cooking and on top of the stove use. A dutch oven is a thick-walled heavy metal or high quality ceramic pot with a tight-fitting lid.
An Expat in Asia can Find Noodles, Even Lasagne Noodles
Nearly every farmer’s market has at least one noodle-making vendor. Chatting him or her up – with or without an interpreter – may result in a reluctant agreement to sell uncut 3" noodles. It’s helpful to point out to the shopkeeper that they already make noodles that size to sell as hun tun (wonton) wrappers. Even if cut into squares, they can be used for uncooked lasagne noodles.
Ground beef is not readily available in many markets. Creating a Mexican version of meatloaf is one way to use pork without noticing the difference. Include chopped onion, garlic, green peppers and cilantro which are all commonly used in China. For spices, use cumin which is widely available, a bit of chili powder if on hand, salt and pepper. Bread crumbs or stale bread can be replaced by uncooked oats. Include an egg or two to hold everything together.
Finally, for junk food afficionados, “almost taco salad” can be made with any kind of tortilla chip (even from home-made, deep-fried corn tortillas), ground meat with chili powder and cumin or taco seasoning, onion and garlic, lettuce and tomato. If cheese is available, it’s like icing on the cake.
It is possible for expats in Asia to create meals using foods that are similar to what he or she liked "back home." The key is to find recipe substitutions for the "must-have" ingredients and forget the others. For more helpful information on expat living see Business Etiquette for Phone and Internet Use in China see What Does it Take to Teach in China? and What Else Does it Take to Teach in China?
Mistie Shaw - Writing for nearly half a century, Shaw's interests and education meander from music to the military, and from faith to fun.
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