Where can I buy Chinese ingredients overseas?
Published: April 29, 2026
Short Answer
Finding authentic Chinese ingredients outside of China is easier than ever. Asian supermarkets in major cities carry most essentials, online retailers ship globally, and local Chinese community groups often organize bulk imports. The key is knowing what you need before you shop — separate your list into "must-haves" (soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil) and "nice-to-haves" (doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, fermented black beans) so you can prioritize.
Chinese restaurant kitchen with various ingredients
Deep Dive
Where to Shop: Your Best Options
1. Local Asian Supermarkets
This is your first and best option. Most cities with a significant Chinese population have at least one Asian grocery store. Look for stores labeled "Chinese supermarket" or "Asian grocery" — chain stores like H Mart (Korean but excellent Chinese selection), 99 Ranch Market (US), T&T Supermarket (Canada), and Wing Tat Cheung or SeeWoo (UK) are reliable choices.
Tips for shopping in person:
- The staff often speak limited English — bring a shopping list with both English names and Chinese characters if possible.
- Products are organized by type (sauces, noodles, dried goods), not by brand. Explore each aisle systematically.
- Fresh produce sections carry Chinese vegetables like bok choy, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), chives, bitter melon, and winter melon.
- The freezer section is a goldmine for dumplings, wontons, tangyuan, and frozen dim sum.
2. Online Retailers
When you do not have a local Asian store, online shopping fills the gap:
- Amazon carries most mainstream Chinese sauces and condiments (Lee Kum Kee, Pearl River Bridge, Koon Chun). Prices are slightly higher than in-store but availability is excellent.
- Yamibuy (US) — Specializes in Asian groceries with a massive selection of Chinese snacks, sauces, noodles, and cooking ingredients. Ships across the US.
- Weee! (US) — Asian grocery delivery service operating in many US metro areas. Fresh produce and frozen items included.
- UK: Sous Chef, UK滠 Mart, or Amazon UK — Reasonable selection of Chinese cooking staples.
- Australia: Asian Pantry, Ngo's, or local Chinatown stores with delivery — Good coverage across major cities.
- WeChat buying groups — Many Chinese diaspora communities organize group buys of specialty items directly from China. Ask at your local Chinese restaurant or cultural center.
3. Chinese Restaurants
This is a lesser-known trick: many Chinese restaurants will sell you ingredients from their own stock if you ask politely. Restaurant owners buy in bulk from wholesale suppliers and may be willing to part with a bag of dried mushrooms or a bottle of Shaoxing wine. This works especially well for hard-to-find items.
Essential Sauces to Stock
These seven sauces form the backbone of Chinese cooking. Buy them once and they last months:
- Light soy sauce (生抽) — Your daily seasoning soy sauce. Pearl River Bridge and Lee Kum Kee are reliable brands. Look for "naturally brewed" on the label.
- Dark soy sauce (老抽) — Used for color in braises and noodles. Thicker and less salty than light soy.
- Oyster sauce (蚝油) — Essential for stir-fries. Lee Kum Kee Premium is the gold standard. Vegetarian? Look for mushroom oyster sauce.
- Sesame oil (香油) — Finishing oil, not cooking oil. A few drops transform a dish. Kadoya and Lee Kum Kee are trusted brands.
- Chinkiang vinegar (镇江香醋) — Black vinegar from Zhenjiang. Complex, malty, slightly sweet. Essential for dumpling dipping sauces and cold dishes.
- Shaoxing wine (料酒) — Chinese rice wine for cooking. Do not buy "cooking wine" from a regular grocery store — it is loaded with salt. Buy actual Shaoxing wine from an Asian store.
- Chili oil (辣椒油) — Lao Gan Ma brand is iconic. The version with fermented black beans is especially popular.
Fresh vs. Shelf-Stable: What to Buy When
Buy fresh (weekly):
- Bok choy, Chinese broccoli, chives, morning glory, napa cabbage
- Fresh ginger, garlic, scallions
- Fresh noodles (if available), tofu (silken and firm)
- Fresh chili peppers
Buy shelf-stable (stock up once):
- Dried mushrooms (shiitake, wood ear, cloud ear)
- Dried noodles (thin egg noodles, rice vermicelli, wheat noodles)
- Canned goods: water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn
- Dried shrimp, dried scallops (for congee and soups)
- Dried tofu skin, dried lily bulbs, dried red dates
Buy frozen (keep in your freezer):
- Frozen dumplings, wontons, baozi (steamed buns)
- Frozen edamame, frozen peas
- Frozen fish balls, fish tofu
- Frozen tangyuan (glutinous rice balls)
Finding Specialty Items
Some ingredients are genuinely hard to find outside of major cities:
- Sichuan peppercorns (花椒) — The numbing spice essential for Sichuan cooking. Buy whole, not ground. Available on Amazon if not in local stores. Store in the freezer to preserve potency.
- Doubanjiang (豆瓣酱) — Fermented chili bean paste. Pixian doubanjiang from Sichuan is the best. Available online from Yamibuy and Amazon.
- Fermented black beans (豆豉) — Salty, funky, and essential for black bean sauce dishes. Sold in bags or jars at Asian stores.
- Preserved mustard greens (芽菜, 榨菜) — Yacai for Sichuan dishes, zhacai for noodle toppings. Usually in the pickle section.
- Five-spice powder (五香粉) — A blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorn, and fennel seeds. Available at most Asian stores and many regular supermarkets.
Pro Tips for Overseas Chinese Cooking
- Read the Chinese characters on labels, not just the English translation. Many products have multiple English names but the Chinese label tells you exactly what you are getting.
- Buy sauces from Chinese brands (Lee Kum Kee, Pearl River Bridge, Haitian) rather than generic "Asian" brands. The flavor profiles are more authentic.
- Stock up when you find a good product. Availability of specific items can be unpredictable, so buy extras of things you use regularly.
- Frozen dumplings from Asian stores are often better than homemade for beginners. Do not feel guilty about using them while you learn to cook other dishes.