"I Only Bought the Essentials!"

I'm not one to brag (yeah right!), but here is proof that I do have some self-discipline: I held out from going to the Asian food market for OVER 3 WEEKS.

Yes, 3 weeks!

Imagine that. A Chinese-Chinese living without soy sauce and rice for 3 weeks. That's like an American living without bread and salt for 3 weeks.

I do concur that part of the reason why I held out so long is circumstantial- my 1st paycheck only comes in end of this month. Plus I did try out 2 Chinese restaurants in those 3 weeks (I didn't like them).

But doesn't it sound like a crime for an Asian not to even have RICE stocked up in the apartment?! Criminal!

I finally caved in yesterday because I had been craving Asian food for a while now, and wanted to cook some laksa. For those unfamiliar to Singapore cuisine, this is laksa:

From here.

Laksa is a type of curry that is fragrant, spicy hot and just plain DELICIOUS. *Sigh* Prima Paste Packet just doesn't cut it, but you do the best you can. At least my craving was satisfied. I got the curry paste in Singapore, but I wanted some Chinese vegetables to go with it.

Anyway, I set off to one of the biggest oriental markets here in Columbus, CAM International Market (CAM). It's only a few minutes drive from my house- hooray! No thirty-minute drive like I had to do in Utah to Da Zhong. 

I stepped in and...

...was greeted by aisles and aisles of Asian food- HEAVEN!!!

It was pure joy to buy my soy sauce, rice, and a few other "essentials." Like tofu. 

And ONE packet of authentic Asian ramen noodles  (yes only one! Will go back for more next time). 

And bean sprouts/ tau geh & baby bok choy. 

And almond jelly powder and longan (for my friend's dessert night on Sunday). 

Really, the "essentials." That's what I told Miss Sass when I returned back to the apartment- "I only bought the essentials." To which she shot gave me the look of "essentials only? Very funny. Ha ha ha."   

I am proud of myself for resisting the urge to buy more though, because CAM actually carried a few food items I couldn't even find in California Chinatown (maybe they do but I couldn't find them), food such as:

 Rambutan and atap chi (toddy palm seed slices)

Atap chi? That is an Asian thing. I don't like atap chi  but I was so impressed that CAM carried it.

And of course, DURIAN!!! Salt Lake City and California has durian, and I wouldn't buy it here in Columbus. Nonetheless, the fact that a state in the mid-West sells durian is impressive. I mean, how many Asians, much less people, in Ohio will buy it?! 

However, what TRULY impressed me was that they carried: 

 You hardly find places selling mangosteens in Singapore anymore, and I can actually buy them here?! 

And then, what totally BLEW MY MIND, was this:

Yes, your eyes do not fool you.

Kara brand coconut milk and kueh lapis "cake mix." That's right, cake mix. First time I even heard of this. Don't think it will be good, but heck man! It's kueh lapis.

[Kara brand coconut milk is an authentic Asian brand coconut milk that my mom uses to cook back home, while kueh lapis is a layered cake indigenous to Indonesia but popular in Singapore.]

I was super super super tempted to buy 5 packs of kara brand coconut milk and 2 boxes of kueh lapis cake mix, but I told myself to save it for when my paycheck comes in. 

Yup, proof again that I do have some *cough* impressive *cough* self-discipline.