This was starting to overflow in another thread so i thought i would start a new one.
Soy sauce. Yeah there are tons of them and some are WAY better than the classic Kikkoman. You have dark, thin and tamari just to keep it rather simple. There are Japanese and Chinese (mostly). Naturally brewed and chemically brewed but i only use natural. Tamari is just soy sauce made without wheat or almost no wheat.
My favorites for the money
Lee Kum Kee Double Fermented https://us.lkk.com/en/Products/retail/soysauces/double-fermented-soy-sauce
Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark https://us.lkk.com/en/Products/retail/soysauces/premium-dark-soy-sauce
Kikkoman reduced sodium tamari or the Gluten Free Soy sauce. Both are excellent for the money and contain no wheat. Flavor is stronger than most off the shelf brands. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kikkoman...Purpose-Seasoning-Soy-Sauce-10-fl-oz/34276996
Vinegar
I use 2 mainly, Korean brown rice vinegar and Chinese black vinegar. You cant make real Kung Pao sauce without good black vinegar. Its also EXCELLENT mixed with soy sauce for dipping.
Look for Zhenjiang vinegar made by Heng Shun. Its the best you will probably find in the USA. Cheaper ones are ok for cooking.
The Korean rice vinegar is good for things like sweet pickled cabbage and radish. That seasoned garbage they sell at large markets plain sucks
Rice Wine
Yeah we can make our own i know i know but good aged Chinese rice wine is not quite the same when making a big pot of 3 cup chicken.
I also use Mirin aka sweet sake. Lotte sells one that is fairly cheap and very good. Most Asian market have this one its made in Korea http://www.myasiangrocer.com.au/lotte-cooking-wine-mirin-500ml/
Fish Sauce
I know lots of people use cheap Squid or 3 Crabs brand but those are really bottom shelf. They are loaded with sugars, artificial stuff and hydrolyzed wheat proteins.
Fish sauce should only have 3 things in it. Anchovies, salt and water. The best by far comes from Vietnam although the MegaChef fish sauce from Thailand isn't too bad.
Red Boat 40n http://redboatfishsauce.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=42
New Town 60n...sorry cant find a good link...just look for 60n on the label
MegaChef Premium 30n http://www.megachefsauce.com/products_detail.aspx?id=3
Rice
Im pretty much a snob when it comes to rice but Botan and Kukuho Rose pink label are pretty good for medium gran rice. Both of those can be found at Walmart and even Costco. Costco has the best price on Kukuho ive seen anywhere. Either would satisfy most people. I keep the pink label on hand myself.
Koshihikari short grain is noticeably better quality even including the US grown stuff. Chances are you wont be able to get Japanese grown and if you can you will pay dearly for it.
This link has a few i find to be exceptional. Ive tried the top 3 and they are just plain excellent for USA grown rice. http://products.wismettacusa.com/categories/rice/
The only other rice i use is Jasmine. There are several good imports from Thailand. Take your pick. Jasmine and curry are made for each other. Basmatti if its an Indian curry but Jasmine works surprisingly well for that too.
Oyster Sauce
Panda and most of the others you see at the larger grocery stores are garbage. Very little oyster in them. They are just sweet with very little umami.
Get the good stuff, LKK Premium, MegaChef and Maekrua Brand all have 30% oyster extract or more. LKK is the original oyster sauce and made in the USA now also but it does have MSG. Gotta have it for real Chinese fried rice.
Hoisin sauce
Look for brands that lists sweet potato near the top of the list. That is what gives Hoisin its unmistakable flavor.
Im sure i missed some stuff and i tried to make sure the links were to safe websites. If you need a better link or pic just ask.
Soy sauce. Yeah there are tons of them and some are WAY better than the classic Kikkoman. You have dark, thin and tamari just to keep it rather simple. There are Japanese and Chinese (mostly). Naturally brewed and chemically brewed but i only use natural. Tamari is just soy sauce made without wheat or almost no wheat.
My favorites for the money
Lee Kum Kee Double Fermented https://us.lkk.com/en/Products/retail/soysauces/double-fermented-soy-sauce
Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark https://us.lkk.com/en/Products/retail/soysauces/premium-dark-soy-sauce
Kikkoman reduced sodium tamari or the Gluten Free Soy sauce. Both are excellent for the money and contain no wheat. Flavor is stronger than most off the shelf brands. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kikkoman...Purpose-Seasoning-Soy-Sauce-10-fl-oz/34276996
Vinegar
I use 2 mainly, Korean brown rice vinegar and Chinese black vinegar. You cant make real Kung Pao sauce without good black vinegar. Its also EXCELLENT mixed with soy sauce for dipping.
Look for Zhenjiang vinegar made by Heng Shun. Its the best you will probably find in the USA. Cheaper ones are ok for cooking.
The Korean rice vinegar is good for things like sweet pickled cabbage and radish. That seasoned garbage they sell at large markets plain sucks
Rice Wine
Yeah we can make our own i know i know but good aged Chinese rice wine is not quite the same when making a big pot of 3 cup chicken.
I also use Mirin aka sweet sake. Lotte sells one that is fairly cheap and very good. Most Asian market have this one its made in Korea http://www.myasiangrocer.com.au/lotte-cooking-wine-mirin-500ml/
Fish Sauce
I know lots of people use cheap Squid or 3 Crabs brand but those are really bottom shelf. They are loaded with sugars, artificial stuff and hydrolyzed wheat proteins.
Fish sauce should only have 3 things in it. Anchovies, salt and water. The best by far comes from Vietnam although the MegaChef fish sauce from Thailand isn't too bad.
Red Boat 40n http://redboatfishsauce.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=42
New Town 60n...sorry cant find a good link...just look for 60n on the label
MegaChef Premium 30n http://www.megachefsauce.com/products_detail.aspx?id=3
Rice
Im pretty much a snob when it comes to rice but Botan and Kukuho Rose pink label are pretty good for medium gran rice. Both of those can be found at Walmart and even Costco. Costco has the best price on Kukuho ive seen anywhere. Either would satisfy most people. I keep the pink label on hand myself.
Koshihikari short grain is noticeably better quality even including the US grown stuff. Chances are you wont be able to get Japanese grown and if you can you will pay dearly for it.
This link has a few i find to be exceptional. Ive tried the top 3 and they are just plain excellent for USA grown rice. http://products.wismettacusa.com/categories/rice/
The only other rice i use is Jasmine. There are several good imports from Thailand. Take your pick. Jasmine and curry are made for each other. Basmatti if its an Indian curry but Jasmine works surprisingly well for that too.
Oyster Sauce
Panda and most of the others you see at the larger grocery stores are garbage. Very little oyster in them. They are just sweet with very little umami.
Get the good stuff, LKK Premium, MegaChef and Maekrua Brand all have 30% oyster extract or more. LKK is the original oyster sauce and made in the USA now also but it does have MSG. Gotta have it for real Chinese fried rice.
Hoisin sauce
Look for brands that lists sweet potato near the top of the list. That is what gives Hoisin its unmistakable flavor.
Im sure i missed some stuff and i tried to make sure the links were to safe websites. If you need a better link or pic just ask.