>>85
I was in the same boat so maybe i can give some good advice.
A. Work out which ingredients are core to the kind of Chinese cuisine you like, many dishes you see online are regional specialities that highlight a special ingredient, but more everyday recipes come from only one region of Asia. You may have to settle for the regional version.
B. Cook from fresh. Asian expats typically don't but everyone is Asia does. Eating from packets is expensive and pre made goods aren't so versatile.
C. Recognize ingredients that are included simply because of their low cost or abundance. When a recipe calls for bokchoi that's just because the author assumes it's what you can get your hands on, in reality any Asian green will do.
Im using pea greens at the moment because these are the greens i have on hand, onions are very diverse and there's a triangle between hot, large and green and near enough is good enough.
D. When you've got your shit together, but online. I send a big box full of things I really need.
Preserved Sichuan vegetable, djoubanjisng, douchi, mixed hard spices, dried mushroom, Sichuan peppercorn.