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I'm trying to make a dish for this saturday and i unsuccessfully tried finding it today in chinatown at:
- hong kong super market
- New York Supermarket East Broadway (the one under the manhattan bridge): the guy here that i asked was pretty curt and told me he didn't know what i was talking about or what that was
- New York Mart (the new market on mott): i asked a woman here and she thought i was talking about dates even after i showed her the characters
- deluxe market (the big meat market on elizabeth)
- couple of random meat markets on grand

If anyone knows where to find it (even if it's in flushing) please let me know. Thanks!

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  1. Not familiar with this, but here:


    That is from a Taiwan website.

    Try Flushings or ask a Taiwan 朋友。


    Print the image, and you should be good to go.

    You might poke around this very narrow Thai shop with tons of food stuff down from Xi'an food place on Bayard (I think) on the south side. They are stocked full of jar and can products from asia, though mostly Thailand.

    1 Reply
    1. re: jonkyo

      yah i was going to try that place tomorrow, i wanted to make it this saturday so i was kind of in a rush to find it, ill go search around again tomorrow

    2. Not available in stores. This is a particular by-product only used in Fujian cuisine - the dregs of the rice wine barrel. Mr. Gao used to sell it at Eastern Noodles years ago and Best Fuzhou does as well. Try 95 East Broadway.

      95 Hok Zhou
      95 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002

        1. re: scoopG

          ahhhh i knew you'd know the answer! thanks!

          1. re: Lau

            I am so glad that you found it. I actually have seen some in my local Kam Sen (Chinese) market in White Plains, both in plastic containers and foil pouches (can either be made in China or made in Taiwan). Here is a photo I found on-line that resembles what I saw in the market upstate:


            I think one problem is that there maybe different translation of this ingredient in English (not always "Red Wine Lees"... sometimes called "Red Yeast" or "Anka Sauce" ) so it's hard to find.

            I assume there will be similar formats sold in the refrigerated section of a grocery store in Manhattan. I will look out for it next time I am shopping in Chinatown.

            1. re: bearmi

              im going to go here after work and try to buy it, ill let u guys know once i've found it for sure

              1. re: Lau

                alright scoopG came through and that restaurant sold exactly where they are in the picture.

                also the stall to the left under manhattan bridge (the one that serves some cooked foods inside) also sells it

                i'm basically just stupid and completely missed it yesterday as i was searching through the actual super market

                the pork chops are marinating as we speak

        2. "Lau":
          According to the original recipe that was printed in the August 3, 1972 restaurant review and recipe for the "Fukienese Pork Chops" that was published in the New York Times, the "lRED RICE WINE LEE" was described by Foo Joy's chef as being "BU ZAO".
          I am certainly NOT an expert on Asian terms, I'm just trying to be helpful because I really want you to resolve this dilemma, once and for all time! Zabar

          3 Replies
          1. re: Zabar

            You are right Zabar - the Fujianese use this term to denote rice wine lees! 卜糟 - bù zāo

            1. re: scoopG

              scoopG - interesting fact i just found out today that i figured you'd be interested in. i was talking to my friend in shanghai today who is from suzhou and i told her about the whole hong zao ordeal and she told me they use it there too. she was surprised i knew what it was, she said her mom makes stuff with it, but it's totally homecooking type of stuff and in suzhou they don't call it hong zao they call it jiu zao 酒糟

              1. re: Lau

                Thanks! I saw a four such dishes on the menu of Shanghai Night Snacks place in Flushing.

                On their menu, they are just calling it zao 糟.

          2. By the way "Lau"...
            If you need another pair of semi-skilled hands in the kitchen when you're preparing the Fukienese Pork Chops, please, pretty please, invite me over to be your "sous chef". I'm eager to take direction and even more eager to devour those pork chops again after a 30+ year hiatus for my taste buds.
            I'm not kidding - I'd love to share my enthusiasm for this dish with someone who is equally enthralled. Zabar

            3 Replies
            1. re: Zabar

              haha well let me try to experiment making this for me and my gf first, if it comes out good lets talk

              1. re: Lau

                "Lau" - you're the "man with a plan"..
                I'm waiting with bated breath to learn the outcome of your Fujianese culinary adventure. Zabar

                1. re: Zabar

                  yah ive generally been successful when ive tried to cook chinese food, but its like a once a year event for me b/c cooking is such a pain in the ass haha

                  last time i made another taiwanese dish called lu rou fan which turned out really good, i used this recipe if you ever want to try to make it, its really good

                  i think i'm going to add my homecooking section to my blog and periodically try to make a chinese dish that people can make at home