| The first time I ate Chinese food was quite | | | | ingredients that can be stored. |
| unappealing. It was in UK in the 1970's. Everything | | | | Technique |
| came in a stir fry sitting in a glop of sauce that coats | | | | Stir-Frying |
| every piece of the food. The taste was almost the | | | | The most popular and most used Chinese cooking |
| same, and the overuse of monosodium glutamate, a | | | | technique is stir-frying. For a successful stir-frying, the |
| supposedly flavor enhancer, made the whole thing | | | | secret is to make sure all your ingredients are at hand. |
| nothing of a kind. | | | | Normally, your meat and vegetables should be cut in |
| When the new breed of Chinese restaurant came to | | | | thin strips, or according to the recipe. Long and thin |
| the UK in the 1980's, lighter and tastier Chinese food | | | | vegetables like asparagus, carrots and spring onions |
| started to be introduced representing several Chinese | | | | must be cut diagonally to expose the surface area for |
| styles of food originating from the different regions of | | | | quicker cooking. |
| China. However, the innovation brought the new | | | | Sauce is important to a Chinese dish, make sure you |
| varieties of Chinese food as more expensive than the | | | | check and know your recipe well so you can measure |
| old cheap ones. | | | | out sauce ingredients. If you need to add all the sauce |
| As a result, I became very interested to learn cooking | | | | to the dish at the same time, you can put them all in |
| Chinese food but I had no idea how to get started, until | | | | just one bowl. If you're using corn flour, always stir it |
| BBC TV featured Chinese cuisine in the person of | | | | thoroughly before adding to the food. |
| Ken Hom, a USA-born chef of Cantonese parents. | | | | When all your ingredients are set, heat your wok until it |
| Ken presented Chinese cuisine and demonstrated | | | | is very hot. Pour the oil into the wok and ensure that |
| Chinese cooking techniques. He even gave | | | | the oil is evenly distributed over the surface. Before |
| suggestions on the best alternative ingredients in case | | | | you add your ingredients, see to it that your wok is so |
| the originals are not available. I still have my copy of | | | | hot that it is almost smoking- This is the secret to |
| the book which accompanied the series, Ken Hom's | | | | prevent the food from being greasy. Take caution if |
| Chinese Cookery. Time has stained my book's pages | | | | you are flavoring your oil with chili, garlic, ginger, spring |
| with oil drips and smears of sauce. | | | | onions or salt, because these will burn if the oil is too |
| To inspire you on your way to cooking Chinese food | | | | hot. |
| at home, this article will describe the basic equipment, | | | | Add the rest of your ingredients tossing them over the |
| ingredients and techniques which you need to know to | | | | surface of the wok and moving the food from the |
| start some simple and tasty Chinese dishes. | | | | center of the wok to the sides, so nothing rests in one |
| Equipment | | | | place for too long. It is advisable to wear an apron |
| In traditional Chinese cooking, you only would need a | | | | every time you do this as food often spits due to the |
| good working knife and a wok. A wok is a large pan | | | | high temperature it is cooked at. |
| with high sloping sides, handles and a lid that is suitable | | | | Deep Frying |
| for stir frying food. You can find woks in different | | | | Like stir-frying, it is equally important in deep frying to |
| sizes and shapes, non-stick and flat-bottomed, and | | | | make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the |
| they can even be electric which would need a stand | | | | ingredients or the food will end up very greasy and |
| to keep the wok stable if you are using it for braising | | | | unappealing. To test if the oil is sufficiently hot for your |
| or deep frying. The old style carbon steel wok with | | | | deep-frying, drop a small piece of food into the oil. If |
| rounded bottom and one wooden handle is still | | | | the oil bubbles up around the food you dropped in, then |
| preferable. | | | | it is hot enough. It is also important that all food to be |
| A spatula is also needed for stirring, or a slotted metal | | | | deep fried is thoroughly dried of its marinade or any |
| spoon for metal wok, and wooden for a non-stick | | | | excess water before cooking to prevent from spitting. |
| wok. A Pau wok is less expensive and is always | | | | Your wok must be safely balanced on its stand when |
| available in Chinese supermarket. | | | | deep frying. For a precautionary measure - never |
| Woks must also be seasoned before using. Carefully | | | | leave it unattended. |
| scrub it with cream cleaner to remove machine oil | | | | Shallow Frying |
| residues. After drying, put the wok on the hob over a | | | | This frying is the cooking of food in a small quantity of |
| low heat. Rub the inside with two tablespoons of | | | | pre-heated oil in a shallow pan or on a flat surface. |
| cooking oil using a kitchen towel. Slowly bring to heat | | | | This is the same as the Western technique's frying of |
| from 10 to 15 minutes, and wipe the inside with kitchen | | | | food on one side, then the other, and drain off excess |
| towel. If towel comes out black, continue coating, | | | | oil before adding sauce ingredients. |
| heating and cleaning off until kitchen towel comes out | | | | Steaming |
| clean. | | | | Steaming is a very popular technique in Chinese |
| Wash wok with only water every after use. Do not | | | | cuisine. You can use a bamboo streamer in a wok, a |
| use detergent. Dry thoroughly over a low heat. You | | | | heat-proof plate placed on a rack in a wok, or a large |
| may optionally apply oil if you wish to prevent rusting, | | | | pan. A normal European steamer is also another |
| but if rust develops, simply scrub and re-season. | | | | option. |
| Ingredients | | | | Braising |
| Some ingredients for a Chinese dish do not keep well | | | | This is another common Western cooking. This |
| if left unused. It would be best to select something | | | | technique is used for tougher cuts of meat and |
| simple from your cookery book. As you follow, you | | | | vegetables that needs gentle cooking. Red braising is |
| can expand your selection as you progress through | | | | the technique of cooking food gently in soy sauce or |
| different Chinese dishes. | | | | any dark liquid which gives the food a red or brown |
| Dark and light soy sauce, sesame oil, corn flour, rice | | | | color. The type of sauce produced can be frozen and |
| wine or sherry, are among the most common | | | | reused. |