Ask any adventurous cook what's the hardest part about preparing authentic ethnic food, and the answer is likely to be: finding the ingredients.

Where in Baltimore can you locate fresh lemon grass for Thai coconut soup, green cardamom pods for an Indian biryani or dried ancho chilies for a Mexican mole? What's the difference between a bird pepper and a serrano chili, and how the heck can you find asafetida when you can't even pronounce it?

Luckily for Baltimore-area residents, there are many markets that specialize in ethnic food products. Often, they are staffed with accomplished cooks who can assist customers in selecting ingredients or making substitutions when necessary.

We've compiled a list of some groceries to turn to when shopping for ethnic ingredients in the immediate Baltimore area. While it's by no means all-encompassing, this guide is meant to start you off in the right direction.

Searching for obscure ingredients can take a lot of the anxiety out of trying a new recipe. So our first bit of advice is to start close to home. Don't overlook the gourmet aisle and produce department at your local market. Many stores carry a wide variety of ingredients, from jarred grape leaves and fresh cactus to Peruvian purple potatoes and Kalamata olives.

Upscale groceries such as Eddie's Supermarket, Graul's Supermarket, Fresh Fields, Gourmet Again and Sutton Place Gourmet also carry a wonderful selection of specialty items. But if you're still stumped, here are some ethnic markets to visit:

Asian

Asia Food, 5224 York Road, (410) 323-8738.

Oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, noodles and a wide selection of other Chinese ingredients are available at this large market.

Eastern Oriental Market, 2030 St. Paul St., (410) 752-6327.

Eastern is one of several Korean markets in the area that $H specialize in Korean ingredients, like pickling salt and red

pepper threads. Other Asian products are available, too.

Ghanada Oriental Store, 6232 Eastern Ave., (410) 633-7373.

Ghanada carries Korean cooking supplies, in addition to Chinese and Japanese ingredients.

Oriental Grocery, 5722 York Road, (410) 323-1900.

While this is mainly a Korean grocery, Japanese and some

Chinese and Thai ingredients are stocked.

Thai-Philippine, Oriental Foods, 523 Gorsuch Ave., (410) 243-6193.

Stocked with everything from frozen galanga root and Kaffir lime leaves to fresh holy basil and bird peppers, this market is a true find for fans of Thai cooking. They also sell ingredients for other Southeast Asian cuisines, as well as Latin American and Caribbean products.

Caribbean

L West Indian Imports, 5318 Park Heights Ave., (410) 664-1818.

Pick up everything you need to prepare foods of the West Indies, including goat and oxtail, hot pepper sauces, erk seasonings, plantains and more.

Caribbean American Foods and Grocery, 513 W. Lexington St., (410) 234-2895

Congo peppers from Trinidad, meats, spices and other products for West Indian cooking are carried.

EKO Food Store, 401 Woodburne Ave., (410) 433-2700.

A virtual supermarket of Caribbean products, this store is stocked with fresh and frozen meats, fresh produce, spices and seasonings.

German

Egon Binkert Meat Products, 8805 Philadelphia Road, (410) 687-5959.

German sausages and lunch meats are made on the premises, including Westphalian-style ham, bratwurst with garlic and natural casing franks.

Mueller's Delicatessen, 7207 Harford Road, (410) 444-4860.

In addition to regular deli items, Mueller's sells imported German products and homemade knockwurst, bratwurst and hot dogs.

Greek

Atlantic Foods, 7810 Harford Road, (410) 668-9722.

We sampled deliciously sharp Kefalotiri cheese and Kalamata here. Besides Greek delicacies, Atlantic sells imported Italian products.

L Greek Town Bakery & Deli, 4705 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-8052.

Dimitrios Trikoulis offers Greek pastries, breads and cakes, along with olives, cheeses and products from Greece, Italy and Spain.

Greek Village Bakery, 4711 Eastern Ave., (410) 675-8155.

The aroma of freshly baked bread is irresistible at this shop, which also sells Greek cheeses, olives and other Greek products like long tubes of pasta for pastitsio.

Indian

Bombay Bazaar, 1524 W. Pratt St., (410) 233-6303.

We found a dizzying selection of pickles, chutneys and spices, along with a helpful staff who guided us in making selections. Homemade Indian desserts and samosas are available, too.

Himalaya Spices & Gifts, 6818 Harford Road, (410) 444-5767.

This small, pungently aromatic store was recommended to us as a great place to buy spices and basmati rice.

India Bazaar, 8600 Harford Road, (410) 665-6493.

Our search for black mustard seeds ended at India Bazaar, which sells inexpensive bags of spices, sacks of basmati rice, chutneys, puppadams and other Indian products.

Shyam Foods, 1724 Woodlawn Drive, (410) 265-5119.

Jim Lawson, author of "The Baltimore Ethnic Food Store Guide," called this one of the best Indian stores in the area.

International

Big Boy's World Wide Food Market, 218 N. Paca St., (410) 685-4080.

For fans of one-stop shopping, Big Boy's carries ingredients for Spanish, Latin American, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Philippine, African and West Indian cuisine.

Old World Delicatessen & Bakery, 9118 Liberty Road, Randallstown, (410) 655-5157.

From Baltic rye to pelmeni, or Russian ravioli, Old World stocks a large assortment of Eastern and Western European products, including spices, meats, cheeses, kasha and other grain products, pickles, mustards, oils and breads. The owners also operate Old World Gourmet in Belvedere Market (323-2445), which carries more of a gourmet line.

Italian

Casa di Pasta, 210 Albermarle St., (410) 539-5383.

Fresh ravioli filled with mushrooms, homemade marinara and angel hair pasta flavored with saffron are a few of the choices at this pasta factory in Little Italy and its Belvedere Market outpost (532-3555).

DiPasquale's Gourmet Marketplace and Deli, 3700 E. Gough St., (410) 276-6787.

While DiPasquale's sells gourmet items from Spain, France and Holland, Italian products are their specialty.

L Mastellone's Deli & Wine, 7212 Harford Road, (410) 444-5433.

Shelves are lined with Italian oils, pastas, wines and sweets, but the real star is the deli case filled with imported cheeses and meats. Worth a trip for the aroma alone.

Roma Sausage Company, 3900 Claremont St., (410) 675-0786.

Roma manufactures Italian mild and hot sausage, celery sausage and Polish sausage.

Trinacria Macaroni Works, 406 N. Paca St., (410) 685-7285.

Buy homemade pasta here the old-fashioned way. Different shapes of dried macaroni are sold by weight from open boxes. Round out the meal with olives, cheeses, meats, crusty breads and Italian wine. They also stock a nice selection of canned products and cookies.

Kosher

The Knish Shop, 508 Reisterstown Road, (410) 484-5850.

Meat, vegetable, potato and kasha knishes, fresh chopped liver, first-cut meats and prepared foods are some of the items sold at this kosher gourmet store.

Seven Mile Market, 4000 Seven Mile Lane, (410) 653-2000.

This is a 30,000-square-foot kosher supermarket, with a full-service meat, deli and fresh fish department.

Kosher Pantry, 6836 Reisterstown Road, (410) 358-1771.

Open since March 1, this supermarket features a full line of kosher goods. Meat, deli and other departments operate under strict supervision to ensure kosher standards.

Latin American

A & K Botanica, 233 Broadway, (410) 522-1028.

Here, amid Spanish videos and religious candles, we found an assortment of Latin food products, from frozen cassava and bottled hot sauces, to tortillas and Mexican cookies.

Caribbean Market, 1724 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-3690.

Mexican cooking aficionados will delight in the selection this market offers. Choose among ancho, arbol and chipotle chilies, buy fresh chorizo or crema Mexicana.

International Market, 1901 Fleet St., (410) 675-0714.

The staff says they carry a little bit of everything to prepare foods from South, Central and Latin America and the Caribbean. This is the store for those who appreciate the differences in Spanish, Mexican and Columbian chorizos, or who have been searching for fresh sardines.

Perez Grocery, 530 N. Kenwood Ave., (410) 732-1933.

This market sells fresh mangos, green bananas, chorizos, chilies and other ingredients for Spanish, Puerto Rican, Brazilian and Salvadoran dishes.

Middle Eastern

Near East Bakery, 2919 Hamilton Ave., (410) 254-8970.

Fouad Kanaan has been baking fresh pita, lavish and other Middle Eastern breads here for 19 years. Spices, canned products, fresh cheeses, and homemade dips also are sold.

Orchard Market, 8815 Orchard Tree Lane, Towson, (410) 339-7700.

Step behind curtains at this Persian restaurant to peruse shelves lined with Middle Eastern products, from the unusual roasted vermicelli to the ubiquitous tahini.

Polish

Milanicz Homemade Polish Sausage, Broadway Market, (410) 732-0972.

During peak holiday times like Easter and Christmas, the Milanicz family sells thousands of pounds of Polish sausage, including traditional kiszka (liver sausage).

Ostrowski's, 524 S. Washington St., (410) 327-8935.

Fresh and smoked kielbasa, krakowska (a Polish garlic bologna), white and dark head cheese, homemade horseradish, kluski noodles, and bow tie cookies are just some of the Polish specialties sold at Ostrowski's. This is the family's original retail store and operates independently of Ostrowski's of Bank Street.

Ostrowski's of Bank Street, 1801 Bank St., (410) 437-1908.

Peer through a glass window for a peak at kielbasa, Italian and country sausages being made. The federally inspected sausages are sold to stores throughout the region.

Sophia's Place, Broadway Market, (410) 342-6105.

From juniper-berry sausage to homemade sauerkraut pierogi, this market stall is packed with interesting Polish specialties.