Chinese food can be cooked using any pan at all but if you want a really versatile implement in which you can stir fry, braise and deep fry, you must have a wok. This simply designed yet incredibly useful tool has been used in Chinese cooking (and indeed the cooking of other Far Eastern countries) for centuries but even today is indispensable to professional chefs and home cooks alike.
Woks come in many shapes and sizes; some with flat bottoms, some with two handles and some with one. Cast iron is often used in wok manufacture but the resulting pan is very very heavy and cumbersome to use. Non-stick woks are also available but the surface can't withstand the very high temperatures needed for Chinese cookery and aluminum pans, while conveniently lightweight and cheap, don't conduct or retain heat as well as cast iron. However, by far the most effective is the classic wok which is made of beaten steel, has a rounded bottom and a single wooden handle. Of course, if the purpose of the wok is purely for serving, it doesn't matter what it's made of and all sorts of decorative varieties can be found.
The traditional wok works best on a gas cooker or a charcoal stove as the flames will heat the rounded bottom more effectively. Using a special stand, a wok can be used on an electric hob but it is much slower to achieve the same intensity of heat as little of the rounded bottom is in direct contact with the heat source.
Regardless of the heat source, once hot, meat, chicken and vegetables with a little oil cook tremendously quickly in a wok while the high sides and large surface area ensure that the food can be moved around safely to prevent burning. Equally, it can be used to flash-fry meat before braising, which is another commonly used Chinese cooking technique. It can also be used to deep fry such things as spring rolls and won tuns as well as braising spare ribs or a whole duck. A wok with a lid is excellent for steaming whole fish or Chinese dumplings. In fact, the wok is probably the most versatile cooking pan ever invented.
Because the food cooks so quickly while stir frying, there is no time for continuing preparation while you cook. In fact, organisation is the key here; all meat and vegetables should be prepared in advance, sliced in evenly sized and shaped pieces; other ingredients should be measured out into separate bowls and spices measured onto a plate. Make sure that stock is ready in a jug and if possible have sauce ingredients all mixed together.
Once all the component parts are prepared, the actual cooking will be completed in minutes and with some practice anyone can cook using this marvelous piece of equipment.
As well as a love of Asian Food and Cookery, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz.com website.
Feeling puckish and can't be bothered with the regular meal preparation that is time-consuming and asks for a whole lot of steps? Then you are in luck with putting together a healthy and fast meal with basic cooking tips using the Chinese Cooking Method, ideal for those unannounced hunger-pangs that can quickly be appeased without compromising on granting taste-buds their due and simple to follow.
For more details go to: www.cat-head-biscuit.com Most Chinese recipes require one or more of a combination of methods like stir-frying, steam-cooking, boiling or sauteing besides other styles adapted over the years!
The most commonly used Chinese cooking methods of all times though is frying, which may include deep, shallow, stir or slippery frying while popular Chinese food items include noodles, fried-rice, chicken pieces and shrimp dishes. Sometimes, Chinese cooking methods extend to dicing chicken and veggies into small bits and stir-frying them to serve with noodles or a rice dish.
Sauteing, also known as shallow cooking is another popular Chinese cooking method that requires a thin oil layer to cover the food which uses minimal grease and cuts down on much of the calories that creep in with other cooking methods. To ensure all the food items being cooked in this manner are not under-done, the veggies or meat is sliced thinly to enable faster, even cooking. When a light-brown color is achieved, then the spices and seasonings are added in to complete the process of sauteing.
Chinese cooking methods are usually very healthy ways of cutting back on calories and excess oil and thus Stewing food (first sauteing thinly sliced or diced veggies or meat, then pouring a sauce over it and cooking it over slow fire) is yet another popular cooking style adapted for world cuisine from Chinese cooking methods.
For help visit: www.breakfasts-recipes.com The stir-frying ensures the food items are cooked superficially but raw inside so nutrients are retained and once gravy is poured over it, the simmer-and-cook method works well to give a good taste with a zesty tang to the dish.
Slow cooking over low flame and boiling are other smart and healthy ways of preparing food that are borrowed from the various Chinese cooking methods many chefs follow. Boiling calls for large pots with hot water used to cook vegetables, rice or noodles and meat; it can also incorporate the use of sauces to lend a savory taste to the ingredients while they cook. Simmer-cooking involves cooking in water or sauce for a long time and low heat is required and since it does away with the need for oil, this is among the best dietary helpers agree experts as no extra calories get a chance to creep.
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Liz Canham has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Food and Drink and Advertising Guide. Liz Canham As well as a love of ?c=13834&u=isnare" target="_blank">Asian Food and Cookery, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world. Liz Canham's top article generates over 823000 views. to your Favourites.
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