Reader Recommends: Five of the best Chinese supermarkets in Edinburgh

Everyone knows you can buy Chinese food in big chain supermarkets. But where do you go for a bit more than a basic stir fry sauce or some Sharwood's noodles?

Chinese supermarkets provide a wealth of ingredients for creating authentic Asian cuisine. Pic: Shutterstock

Ahead of the Chinese New, our readers have sent in their suggestions for the best places in the Capital to source ingredients to create the most authentic Asian dishes.

Hing Sing, Leith Walk

Whether it's fish sauce, soy sauce, dumplings or shiitake mushrooms, you'll find a wide-ranging stock of specialist ingredients with a huge amount of variety.

Staff are also more than happy to help you find what you're looking for - often tricky in a place where items are labelled in host of different Asian languages.

One Evening News reader, James Davis, said: "Hing Sing Leith Walk, been there for years, amazing range of stock."

Starlight, Newington

Describing itself as a 'one stop shop for Asian groceries,' this Chinese supermarket provides a range of interesting items, from steamed buns with various fillings to 'Singapore chilli crab' flavoured crisps and Tempeh, an Indonesian dish made by deep frying fermented soya beans. It was another popular suggestion among Evening News readers.

Amall, Lauriston

This small pan-Asian supermarket provides a variety of imported food products - as well as tea and beer - from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

The owners are very active on social media and regularly post details and pictures of new stock, from fried bean curd to instant ramen (noodles) with real kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage).

They also post full recipes for authentic Asian dishes while detailing the cooking method.

Eddie's Seafood, Roseneath street

As the name suggests, if you're looking for an Asian seafood dish then this is your place.

It has the feel of a miniature market and supplies many of Edinburgh's restaurants. It's overflowing with sealife, from North Sea lobsters and langoustines to ice-filled boxes on the floor which might can include snapper or shark.

A quick turnover ensures everything is fresh, but it can be very busy so try to arrive early so you don't miss out.

Matthew's Foods, Inglis Green

This supermarket in Longstone says it aims to stock 'all you need' for an authentic Asian culinary experience.

Ingredients range from a selection of cooking sauces used in Chinese, Malaysian and Thai cuisine, or their selection of Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese noodles and a range of pastes and powders found in Indian dishes.

One reader, Ste Mansfield, said: "Matthew's foods, Longstone. Large selection and restaurant on top."