| Introduction | | | | Stir-Frying |
| When I first ate Chinese food in the UK in the | | | | The most well known Chinese cooking technique |
| 1970s, it was really quite unappealing. Everything | | | | is stir-frying. This is where your wok comes into |
| came in a gloopy sauce and seemed to taste the | | | | its own as it's shape and size (at least 14 inches |
| same, due to the overuse of monosodium | | | | diameter with deep sides) is ideal for quick |
| glutamate, supposedly a flavour enhancer but in | | | | cooking. The secret to successful stir-frying is to |
| reality, nothing of the kind. Then in the 1980s a | | | | have all your ingredients ready in advance. |
| new breed of Chinese restaurant arrived (at least | | | | Meat should be cut according to the recipe but |
| it took that long to reach the provinces) which | | | | normally in thin strips. Vegetables likewise but in |
| provided lighter, tastier Chinese cooking | | | | any event should be of similar shapes and sizes to |
| demonstrating regional differences. There was | | | | ensure even cooking. Long thin vegetables such |
| one drawback, however, which was that this new | | | | as spring onions, carrots or asparagus are often |
| type of restaurant was much more expensive | | | | cut on the diagonal so that more surface area is |
| than the original cheap 'n tasteless ones. | | | | exposed for quicker cooking. Measure out sauce |
| Consequently, I thought how nice it would be to | | | | ingredients - check the recipe - if they are all |
| cook Chinese food at home but I had no idea | | | | added to the dish at the same time, you can put |
| where to start until BBC TV came to my rescue | | | | them all in one small bowl. If cornflour is included, |
| in the shape of Ken Hom, the USA-born chef of | | | | don't forget to give it a good stir before adding to |
| Cantonese parents. | | | | the other food. |
| Ken presented Chinese cuisine in such an | | | | Once you have everything prepared, heat your |
| easily-understandable way, demonstrating | | | | wok until it is very hot then add oil and using your |
| techniques and suggesting alternative ingredients | | | | chosen stirring implement ensure that the oil is |
| should the originals not be available in your local | | | | evenly distributed over the surface of the wok. |
| supermarket. The book which accompanied the | | | | Before you add your ingredients. the wok should |
| series, Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery became my | | | | be so hot that it is almost smoking - this will |
| bible and I still have my copy, pages stained with | | | | prevent the food from being greasy. The |
| oil drips and smears of sauce. | | | | exception to this is if you are flavouring your oil |
| To help you on your way to cooking Chinese | | | | with garlic, chilli, spring onions, ginger or salt - |
| food at home, I'm going to briefly describe the | | | | these will burn if the oil is too hot. |
| basic equipment, ingredients and techniques which | | | | Now add your other ingredients in the order |
| you need to know so that you can produce | | | | stated in the recipe and toss them over the |
| some simple and tasty dishes. I hope you enjoy | | | | surface of the wok ensuring that nothing rests in |
| the article and that it inspires you to get cooking! | | | | one place for too long and moving the food from |
| Equipment | | | | the centre of the wok to the sides. I suggest |
| Although there are many implements and pieces | | | | that you wear an apron or other protective |
| of equipment you can buy, to start on the road | | | | clothing for this operation as the food often spits |
| to cooking your own Chinese food, you really only | | | | due to the high temperature it is cooked at. |
| need a good knife or two and a wok. Woks | | | | Deep Frying |
| come in all shapes and sizes, they can be | | | | You can use your wok for deep frying but be |
| non-stick, flat-bottomed, they can even be | | | | very careful that it is safely balanced on its stand. |
| electric these days but I still prefer my old carbon | | | | Under no circumstances leave it unattended. Deep |
| steel wok with it's rounded bottom and one | | | | frying in a wok uses less oil than a deep fryer or |
| wooden handle. This is a Pau wok. These are | | | | saucepan but you may find these safer and |
| readily available in Chinese supermarkets and are | | | | easier to use. |
| much less expensive than other varieties. There is | | | | When deep frying, make sure that the oil is hot |
| one important task though, before you will be | | | | enough before adding ingredients or the food will |
| ready to cook with such a wok and that is to | | | | end up very greasy. Test it by dropping in a small |
| season it. You will need to scrub it with a cream | | | | piece of prepared food or a cube of bread. If the |
| cleaner to remove any residues of machine oil | | | | oil bubbles up around what you dropped in then |
| and dry it carefully. Put the wok on the hob over | | | | it's hot enough. |
| a low heat. Rub the inside of the wok with two | | | | Make sure that food to be deep fried is dried |
| tablespoons of cooking oil using kitchen towel. Let | | | | thoroughly on kitchen paper or drained of its |
| the wok heat slowly for 10 to 15 minutes then | | | | marinade before cooking otherwise it will spit. |
| wipe the inside with more kitchen towel. The | | | | Shallow Frying |
| paper will come away black. Carry on coating, | | | | This is the same as the Western technique. Fry |
| heating and cleaning off until the kitchen towel | | | | food on one side, then the other and drain off |
| comes away clean. Your wok is now ready to | | | | any excess oil before adding sauce ingredients. A |
| use. After use, wash only in water without | | | | normal frying pan is fine for this. |
| detergent and dry thoroughly over a low heat. | | | | Steaming |
| You may also apply a little oil if you wish. This | | | | Steaming is widely used in Chinese cookery. You |
| should prevent the wok from rusting but if it | | | | can use a bamboo steamer in a wok, a |
| does develop rust, just scrub and season again. | | | | heat-proof plate placed on a rack in a wok or |
| As well as the wok, you will need a wok stand, | | | | other large pan or you can use a normal European |
| particularly if you have an electric hob. This keeps | | | | steamer. |
| the wok stable if you are using it for braising or | | | | If using a bamboo steamer or plate in a wok, |
| deep frying. | | | | bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Put |
| You will also need something to stir with - any | | | | your rack into the wok (if the bamboo steamer is |
| spatula, slice or slotted spoon will do - metal for a | | | | big enough and will sit on the sides of the wok |
| metal wok and plastic or wooden for a non-stick | | | | without being in the water, you don't need a rack) |
| wok. | | | | and balance your plate or steamer of food on it. |
| Ingredients | | | | Put the lid on your steamer or wok and check |
| Before you rush out and buy up the whole | | | | occasionally to see if the water needs topping up |
| Chinese section at the supermarket, bear in mind | | | | (use water which is already hot). |
| that some ingredients don't keep well if left | | | | Whichever method you use, make sure that the |
| unused. Just select something simple from your | | | | food is above the water level and isn't getting |
| chosen cookery book and buy the things that you | | | | wet. |
| need for that then you can expand your selection | | | | Braising |
| as you progress through different dishes. | | | | As with Western cooking, braising is used for |
| Some common store-cupboard ingredients that | | | | tougher cuts of meat and involves gentle cooking |
| you will almost certainly need are dark and light | | | | of meat and/or vegetables in flavoured stock. |
| soy sauce, some sort of cooking oil and sesame | | | | Red-braising is the technique where food is |
| oil, cornflour and rice wine or sherry. For more | | | | braised in a dark liquid such as soy sauce which |
| information, see my article Chinese Cooking - | | | | gives the food a red/brown colour. This type of |
| Ingredients and Equipment. | | | | braising sauce can be frozen and re-used. |
| Techniques | | | | |