This week I'm in San Diego, where there's a huge Asian population and a wealth of Asian and Japanese markets. Of the seven or eight I've visited so far, two deserve a recommendation here.

Nijiya Market (3860 Convoy St.) is mainly a Japanese grocery with a smattering of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese ingredients. Entire shelves are devoted to more kinds of rice than I could count--and many I've never even heard of, an endless variety of rice toppings, seasonings and prepared Japanese sauces, and a wonderful selection of fresh and dried noodles.

The store also features a good selection of organic produce, an entire aisle of snacks, a bakery (the wheat buns with red bean paste are to die for!), a tempura bar, and sushi and bento boxes to go.

There are 10 store locations in California, so if you're lucky enough to live in or near San Diego, Torrance, L.A., Puente Hills, Mountain View, San Francisco, San Mateo, or San Jose, Nijiya Market should be your go-to store for those harder-to-find Japanese ingredients.

99 Ranch Market (7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.) is one of the largest Asian market chains in the U.S., with 14 locations in California and stores in Arizona, Georgia, Washington and Nevada. This American-style supermarket caters to a broader range of Asian ingredients including Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, and Korean. In short, it has every Asian ingredient you could ever want.

I spent an entire hour in the tea aisle alone, which features an endless variety of Asian teas ranging from herbal to medicinal. A full service meat counter offers a great selection of live and fresh fish, poultry, pork and beef, and the produce section features many unusual and exotic vegetables. There's also a good selection of Asian wines and brews, including saki, and an amazing noodle and rice section.

While Nijiya Market offers a wider selection of Japanese items, the prices at 99 Ranch Market are somewhat cheaper. The store is always crowded on weekends, but well worth the trip!

Japanese Pot Roast

I first made this dish in my International Cuisine class, where it received rave reviews from my classmates and earned an "A" from my chef instructor.

Remember, pot roast is intended to be cooked over low heat to develop flavor and tenderize the meat, so avoid high-temperature cooking for this recipe. Tying the roast allows it to cook evenly and carve nicely. Instructions for properly tying a roast are included below.

Cook's note: Look for dried ramen noodles in the pasta section of natural food, grocery, or Asian markets, or fresh ones in the refrigerated foods section of these stores. Store dried ramen unopened, in a cool, dry cupboard for 6 to 8 months. Store fresh ramen in the refrigerator and use within a few days.


1 tsp vegetable oil
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast, tied
2 scallions, cut in half
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups of chicken stock
1/3 cup red miso paste
3 tbsp soy sauce
8 oz Japanese-style ramen noodles
8 oz baby spinach

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned on each side. Add scallions, ginger, garlic cloves and cook an additional minute.

2. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until pork is fork-tender. Stir in miso and soy sauce and simmer for five minutes.

3. Remove pork and cut strings. Wrap the meat in aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Slice pork into 1-inch thick pieces. Cover with tin foil to keep warm.

4. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add ramen and cook 2-3 minutes until tender yet firm to the bite. Drain noodles and rinse well under cold water.

5. Divide noodles among four deep serving bowls. Add a portion of the spinach leaves and spoon pork, then broth, on top. Serve immediately.


Tying the roast:

You'll need a long stretch of butcher's or kitchen twine. If you're unsure how much twine will be necessary for tying the roast, use the entire ball or package of twine and cut the twine off only when you have finished tying the roast.

1. Place the roast on a flat surface. Hold the twine taut at both ends and slide it underneath one end of the roast.

2. Pull the twine very tightly around the end of the roast and make a square knot. If the knot is too loose, the muscle will relax and gravity will cause the roast to form an oval shape. If the knot is too tight, desirable juices may seep out of the meat. Make sure there's ample twine on one side of the knot.

3. Lay the twine so that it rests along the length of the roast. Place your thumb on the twine one inch from the first knot. With your thumb holding the twine firmly, wrap the twine around the roast. Lift the corner you just created at your thumb and pass the end of twine under the lifted piece. Pull the twine upward to tighten the hold.

4. Continue the process of wrapping and tying outlined in step 3 until the roast is completely tied. Once the entire roast has been tied, it should be round in shape and feel very tight. If the roast isn't tight, tighten the entire roast by tightening each tie, beginning with the first tie made (excluding the knot). Once the roast feels secure, wrap the twine around the roast lengthwise until it reaches the original knot.

5. Pass the end of the twine underneath the knot, and pull tightly. Do not pull too tightly, as pulling too tightly will cause the roast to form into a U shape. Only pull tightly enough to keep the last loop on the roast from slipping. Tie a final knot in the twine.