How Many of These Unique Asian Snacks Have You Tried?

The snacks you’ll see in an Asian supermarket are quite different to what you’ll come across on typical UK supermarket shelves. With a diverse range of flavours and ingredients, there are so many intriguing treats to try, especially if you’ve never dipped into the unbeatable world of Asian snacks before!

Here are some classic Asian snacks and flavours you might not have tried yet, with various sweet and savoury options to satisfy all your snack cravings.

Haw Flakes

Haw flakes are a nostalgic sweet treat originally from China. The sweets are made from the fruit of the Chinese hawthorn and are pressed into the recognisable pink flakes. The flakes are chewy and have a sweet, tangy flavour. As well as being a tasty treat to snack on, they are also sometimes used to aid digestion thanks to the health benefits of hawthorn berries.

White Rabbit Matcha Creamy Candy

White Rabbit candy is another absolute classic in the realm of Chinese sweets. While you might’ve tried the regular flavour, the matcha version is certainly worth giving a go too. These chewy sweets combine the much-loved rich, creaminess of the iconic White Rabbit confection with the mellow taste of matcha green tea for a moreish bite.

Lotus Root Snacks

For crisp and potato chip lovers, crunchy lotus root snacks are a great segue. Lotus is packed with nutrients, so can be considered a healthier savoury snack option. Lotus root tastes quite mild, and the starchiness takes on other flavours excellently, so many of the snacks will come seasoned or spiced.

Dried Beancurd

Beancurd, perhaps more well-known as tofu, is made from soybeans and is a popular meat alternative. The snack version of this versatile ingredient includes strips of baked tofu marinated in various delicious sauces and seasonings, such as barbecue and chilli flavours. It’s a really fulfilling savoury snack, perfect for when you feel like something a little different.

Cuttlefish Snack

Cuttlefish snacks offer the perfect blend of rich seafood flavours and a crunchy chip-like texture for a wholly satisfying bite. Fans of shrimp crackers will love the grilled cuttlefish flavour.

Dried Squid Snacks

Squid has long been a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes, but it also makes for a delicious snack food. Dried squid is seasoned with tasty flavourings and has a slightly chewy texture. Some people liken it to a seafood version of beef jerky. As a fish-based savoury snack, it is pretty healthy as snacks go!

Lay’s Potato Chips - Cucumber Flavour

The potato chip market in China is extremely diverse, with a huge range of Lay’s (or Walkers as they’re known in the UK) flavours on offer. Lay’s cucumber flavour is very popular as it offers something quite different from your normal crisp experience. The usual savoury potato chip flavour combines with the freshness of cucumber for a bag of crisps unlike any other.

Sand Pineapple Cookies

Pineapple is not a flavour you often see for biscuits, but these treats certainly don’t disappoint. The sweet, fruity cookies include a delicious pineapple cream sandwiched between two buttery shortbread cookies – the perfect afternoon treat or sweet snack to keep you going!

Green Tea Ice Cream Oreos

As with their crisps, the Asian market is full of other biscuit flavours we might not see gracing UK shelves. While you might be familiar with Oreos, there are plenty of intriguing flavours that are popular in China, Korea and Japan you may not have come across yet. The green tea ice cream flavour, for instance, offers the classic Orea cookie with the traditional matcha taste.

Banana Pocky

Pocky is another incredibly popular snack, this time originating from Japan. The chocolate and strawberry-flavoured biscuit sticks are the gold standard, but have you tried the banana pocky? Chocolate and banana are a surprisingly underutilised flavour combo when it comes to biscuits, so these pocky sticks are well worth adding to your repertoire.

With a fantastic selection of Chinese crisps, Japanese sweets and much more, you’ll find everything to keep your snack cravings at bay here at Oriental Mart!

Hungry for more? Check out our top must-try snacks from Japan.