I’m always on the look out for the fresh and cheap places to buy fruits and vegetables wherever I am. This morning I headed off to the Sunday morning Rapid Creek Markets in Darwin.

I was thrilled to find a busy market full of shoppers and stalls. This is a proper food market for the locals. Not a tourist market you so often see around the world, selling the same commercialised, overpriced items. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables at very reasonable prices. The focus is predominantly on Asian produce. There were lots of herbs, greens and vegetables that I could not identify. Coming home and Googling has not been fruitful so I’ll just have to go back to ask their names and buy some to try these weird and wonderful things for myself!

Vegetables for Sale at Rapid Creek Market

Lemons and Limes for Sale

Vegies for Sale at Rapid Creek Market

Fruits for Sale at Rapid Creek Market

In addition to the fresh fruit and vege, there were lot stalls selling Asian goodies both savoury and sweet. There were stalls that would make fresh fruit juices and smoothies. Other stalls selling savoury Asian dishes, either pre-made or cooked in front of you. I bought some interesting looking steamed glutinous rice packages. There were numerous other Asian sweets on offer as well. Some of the other weird and wonderful vegetables on sale include Kaffir limes, tiny chillies, pea eggplants, kangkung, four angled beans, bitter gourd, bitter melon and much, much more. There was even a store selling Tau Foo Fah (soybean custard) and Nian Gao, the sweet, sticky rice cake traditionally made at Chinese New Year time.

Fresh Fruit Smoothie Stall

A Collection of Asian Sweets for Sale

Black Sticky Rice for Sale

Sticky Rice Packages with Banana and Black Beans

Thai Food Stall at Rapid Creek Market

Indonesian and Malaysian Cuisine Food Stall

Paw Paw Salad Freshly Made in a Mortar and Pestle

This lady made my paw paw salad fresh as I waited using her mortar and pestle. She asked me if I wanted it spicy and I said “yes!” She got a crazy gleam in her eye as she smiled in acknowledgement and I knew instantly I’d probably regret it! The salad was very fresh and very tasty but VERY spicy, TOO spicy! Next time, I’ll have to swallow my pride and ask for it, less spicy!

The humidity of Darwin’s wet season means I’m sweaty and hot but I’m happy. Nothing like bags of cheap and fresh produce to put me in a good mood and carrying my loot home, I’m feeling great and looking forwards to my Darwin adventure!