Friday, July 23, 2010
How to Order Wine on a Date
A quick tip on how to impress a dinner date when you are interacting with a sommelier, from Wine Library TV host Gary Vaynerchuk.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
How to Store Wine
Wine expert Rebecca Chapa explains how screw tops affect preservation, when to refrigerate, and how various stoppers can help.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Asam Sauce
Spices Ingredients
500g Onions
A small bundle of Daun Kesum (Laksa leaves)
1” galangal /blue ginger (or replace with normal ginger)
8 stalks serai / Lemongrass
5 small chillies
1 bunga kantan/Torch Ginger Flower
200ml water
3tbsp cooking oil
5tbsp chilli paste ( I use homemade chilli paste)
100g tamarind paste ( mix with 100ml water, discard seeds)
4tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
Method
1. In a blender/food processor, grind spices ingredients till a fine paste.
2. Heat oil in a wok, stir fry chilli paste, add blended ingredients, tamarind water and water.
3. Stir fry till fragrant and almost dry, take about 15mins.
4. Season with sugar and salt.
5. Store in freezer once the paste is completely cooled.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Kung Pao Chicken recipe
Named after a court official or "Kung Pao," Kung Pao Chicken is a spicy Szechuan dish made with diced chicken, peanuts and chili peppers.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
Marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Sauce:
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon black or red rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chicken broth or water
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
a few drops sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
Other:
6 to 8 small dried red chili peppers, or as desired
2 garlic cloves,
1/2 cup skinless, unsalted peanuts
3 - 4 cups oil for deep-frying and stir-frying
Preparation:
Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix in the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, water and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients, whisking in the cornstarch last.
Remove the seeds from the chile peppers and chop. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Heat the oil for deep-frying to between 360 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully slide the chicken into the wok, and deep-fry for about 1 minute, until the cubes separate and turn white. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.
Add the chilies peppers and stir-fry until the skins starts to darken and blister. Add the garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the deep-fried chicken back into the pan. Stir-fry briefly, then push up to the sides of the wok and add add the sauce in the middle, stirring quickly to thicken. Stir in the peanuts. Mix everything together and serve hot.
Beggar's Chicken
Ingredients:
1 fresh chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, cleaned
Marinade:
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon ginger juice
2 teaspoons salt
Stuffing:
6 shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried
4 ounces lean pork
2 ounces Chinese pickled cabbage, or preserved mustard greens
2 green onions
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder (optional)
Other:
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 large sheets aluminum foil for wrapping chicken
Preparation:
To make the ginger juce, grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice until you have 1 teaspoon. In a small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Rub the marinade ingredients over the inside and outside of the chicken and let marinate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vegetables and pork. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstitute by soaking in warm water until softened. Squeeze dry and cut into thin slices. For fresh, wipe with a damp cloth and slice. Cut the pork into thin matchstick pieces. Finely chop the remaining vegetables.
In a wok or heavy frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high to high heat. Add the green onion and the pork. Stir-fry until the pork is crisp and nearly cooked through, then add the mushrooms and preserved greens. Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, sugar, sesame oil and five-spice powder if using. Remove from the pan.
Stuff the chicken loosely with the stuffing and close with skewers or strong toothpicks. Wrap the chicken tightly in the aluminum foil. Place the wrapped chicken in a roasting pan.
Bake the chicken for 75 minutes. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the juices run clear and the temperature of the chicken in the thickest part of the thigh is 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the stuffing and serve with the chopped up chicken.
Monday, July 12, 2010
celery stir fry with shrimp
Celery is rich in carbohydrates and protein, with stomachic, diuretic, clean blood, regulating menstruation, lowering blood pressure, sedation and other effects, can be used for high blood pressure caused by dizziness and headache, upset, irritability and so on. Where a urinary tract infection, prostatitis who, safe to eat it. Celery rich cellulose support also help to improve bowel function. Celery leaves and stems should be eaten togather, because the leaves also rich in nutrients.
I often use celery to Stir-fried with shrimp, and occasionally with imitated crab meat. saute the garlic and add all the materials, stir-fry it !
How to Pair Wine and Food
Need to know what wine goes best with asparagus? Or when to serve a Pinot Noir? Wine expert Rebecca Chapa suggests the best possible combinations.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce
Material:
Salmon
Sauce:
Teriyaki sauce
Teriyaki Sauce Method:
Material:
30ml soy sauce
Mirin 30ml
30ml rice wine
Amount of ice sugar
Mix all ingredients and cook and stir it mix well. You can cook little extra and then keep into the refrigerator, ready stand-by.
1. Put a little oil in wok, add little oil, it must not put too much oil because of salmon has it own fat.
2. Fried both sides of the fish , then add in the Teriyaki sauce (I have added garlic), cook 8-9 minutes .
Steam Dorman fish
It is light and easy dish. Because the fish did not smell (stint), so steamed is the best cook style.
Clean the fish, add salt and ginger marinade for 5 minutes.
Then steam the fish for 5-7 minutes, remove the water, and finally topped with sweet and savory sauce !
To Wok or Not to Wok
One of the questions I am often asked by novice cooks is: Do I really need a wok to cook Chinese food?
The answer is yes and no. You don't absolutely need a wok to create satisfying Oriental meals - I often make chow mein or chop suey in the frying pan. Nonetheless, the bowl-shaped utensil is the one piece of equipment that you really should consider purchasing if you want to get serious about Chinese cooking. A wok has numerous advantages over the frying pan - it distributes heat more evenly, requires less oil, and ensures that food tossed during stir-frying lands back in the pan and not on the stove. A good kitchen knife can take the place of a cleaver, and rice can be boiled in a saucepan instead of steamed, but it is hard to find a satisfactory substitute for a wok.
Once you've decided to add a wok to your supply of kitchen equipment, you'll want to shop around to choose the best model. Originally, all woks were round bottomed and made of iron - designed to be used with the traditional Chinese wood stove. Gradually, the iron was replaced with carbon steel. Today, there are all types of woks on the market: aluminum, copper, stainless steel. However, every Asian cook I've spoken with still swears by the traditional carbon steel wok, and I have to agree.
There have been a few other innovations designed to make the wok more compatible with western ranges. Since the 1960's, round bottomed woks normally come with a "collar" - a circular device with holes to allow for the transfer of heat. It ensures that the wok is evenly balanced over the heat source. While people with gas stoves often prefer not to use it, the collar should definitely be used if you are cooking with a round bottomed wok on an electric stove. However, your best option when cooking on an electric range is to purchase a flat bottomed wok. Round bottomed woks can reflect heat back on the element, damaging it.
Design Considerations
Traditionally, the wok came with two metal handles, making it easy to lift in and out of the stove. However, I prefer the modern woks that have one long wooden handle, like a skillet. As Barbara Tropp points out in The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, the long handle "eliminates the need to work with a potholder or mitt, and gives you wonderful leverage for tilting the pot." As for size, woks come in a variety of sizes (restaurants may use woks that are several feet across) but a 14 inch wok is a good size for home use.
Seasoning and Cleaning Your Wok
You may have heard that it is very important to season your wok before trying it out for the first time. Why is this necessary? Seasoning removes the preservative oil manufacturers place on the wok to prevent it from rusting, replacing it with a light coating of cooking oil. It is also important to properly clean your wok after each use. Given the variety of woks on the market today, it is difficult for me to give a general set of instructions on how to season and care for a wok. The best thing you can do is pay careful attention to the manufacturer's instructions. However, below I do have step by step instructions for seasoning and cleaning a traditional carbon steel wok.
Here's How:
Wash the wok in hot water with a small amount of liquid detergent and a scrubber (such as a stainless steel sponge or pad).
If needed, scrub the exterior of the wok with the scrubber and an abrasive cleanser. Do not use the abrasive cleanser on the inside of the wok.
Rinse the wok and dry thoroughly.
Place the wok on high heat.
Move the wok, turning it and tilting it up to the rim and back, until the metal turns a blueish-yellowish color.
Remove the wok from the stove element. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Add a thin film of oil (about 1 ½ teaspoons) over the entire inside surface of the wok. There are several ways to do this. One is to use a paper towel to rub the oil over the surface. You may want to use tongs to hold the paper towels. Another way is to use a basting brush for barbecues or any other heat-proof brush to brush on the oil.
Heat the wok on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
Wipe off the oil with another paper towel. There will be black residue on the towel.
Repeat steps 7 through 9 until no black residue comes up on the paper (about 3 times). The wok is now ready to use.
Tips:
Flat bottomed woks are better for electric ranges. Round bottomed woks can reflect heat back on the heating element, damaging it.
It is important to thoroughly clean the wok to remove the manufacturer's protective coating.
It is better not to purchase a non-stick carbon steel wok, as the high heats required for Chinese cooking may damage the non-stick coating.
If you do purchase a non-stick wok, follow the seasoning and cleaning instructions carefully, or you may damage the coating.
The answer is yes and no. You don't absolutely need a wok to create satisfying Oriental meals - I often make chow mein or chop suey in the frying pan. Nonetheless, the bowl-shaped utensil is the one piece of equipment that you really should consider purchasing if you want to get serious about Chinese cooking. A wok has numerous advantages over the frying pan - it distributes heat more evenly, requires less oil, and ensures that food tossed during stir-frying lands back in the pan and not on the stove. A good kitchen knife can take the place of a cleaver, and rice can be boiled in a saucepan instead of steamed, but it is hard to find a satisfactory substitute for a wok.
Once you've decided to add a wok to your supply of kitchen equipment, you'll want to shop around to choose the best model. Originally, all woks were round bottomed and made of iron - designed to be used with the traditional Chinese wood stove. Gradually, the iron was replaced with carbon steel. Today, there are all types of woks on the market: aluminum, copper, stainless steel. However, every Asian cook I've spoken with still swears by the traditional carbon steel wok, and I have to agree.
There have been a few other innovations designed to make the wok more compatible with western ranges. Since the 1960's, round bottomed woks normally come with a "collar" - a circular device with holes to allow for the transfer of heat. It ensures that the wok is evenly balanced over the heat source. While people with gas stoves often prefer not to use it, the collar should definitely be used if you are cooking with a round bottomed wok on an electric stove. However, your best option when cooking on an electric range is to purchase a flat bottomed wok. Round bottomed woks can reflect heat back on the element, damaging it.
Design Considerations
Traditionally, the wok came with two metal handles, making it easy to lift in and out of the stove. However, I prefer the modern woks that have one long wooden handle, like a skillet. As Barbara Tropp points out in The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, the long handle "eliminates the need to work with a potholder or mitt, and gives you wonderful leverage for tilting the pot." As for size, woks come in a variety of sizes (restaurants may use woks that are several feet across) but a 14 inch wok is a good size for home use.
Seasoning and Cleaning Your Wok
You may have heard that it is very important to season your wok before trying it out for the first time. Why is this necessary? Seasoning removes the preservative oil manufacturers place on the wok to prevent it from rusting, replacing it with a light coating of cooking oil. It is also important to properly clean your wok after each use. Given the variety of woks on the market today, it is difficult for me to give a general set of instructions on how to season and care for a wok. The best thing you can do is pay careful attention to the manufacturer's instructions. However, below I do have step by step instructions for seasoning and cleaning a traditional carbon steel wok.
Here's How:
Wash the wok in hot water with a small amount of liquid detergent and a scrubber (such as a stainless steel sponge or pad).
If needed, scrub the exterior of the wok with the scrubber and an abrasive cleanser. Do not use the abrasive cleanser on the inside of the wok.
Rinse the wok and dry thoroughly.
Place the wok on high heat.
Move the wok, turning it and tilting it up to the rim and back, until the metal turns a blueish-yellowish color.
Remove the wok from the stove element. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Add a thin film of oil (about 1 ½ teaspoons) over the entire inside surface of the wok. There are several ways to do this. One is to use a paper towel to rub the oil over the surface. You may want to use tongs to hold the paper towels. Another way is to use a basting brush for barbecues or any other heat-proof brush to brush on the oil.
Heat the wok on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
Wipe off the oil with another paper towel. There will be black residue on the towel.
Repeat steps 7 through 9 until no black residue comes up on the paper (about 3 times). The wok is now ready to use.
Tips:
Flat bottomed woks are better for electric ranges. Round bottomed woks can reflect heat back on the heating element, damaging it.
It is important to thoroughly clean the wok to remove the manufacturer's protective coating.
It is better not to purchase a non-stick carbon steel wok, as the high heats required for Chinese cooking may damage the non-stick coating.
If you do purchase a non-stick wok, follow the seasoning and cleaning instructions carefully, or you may damage the coating.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Stir-Fry Tips
Ready to start stir-frying? Try these recipes.
1. Make sure you have all the ingredients you need ahead of time.
2. Make sure all the food is cut according to directions before you start. Never try to prepare food while stir-frying.
3. For even cooking, cut all the ingredients the same size.
4. If not following a recipe, cut all the ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
5. Pre-heat the wok on medium-high to high heat for at least a minute before adding oil. (You may want to skip this step if you have a nonstick pan - it can damage the coating.)
6. Add the oil (up to 2 to 3 tablespoons depending on the dish; peanut, canola or other vegetable oils are good) drizzling it so that it coats both the sides and the bottom of the wok. The oil heats faster this way.
7. Before adding other ingredients, season the oil by cooking a few pieces of garlic and ginger. (Note: you may want to reduce the heat at this point to keep them from burning).
8. If the recipe calls for meat and vegetables, cook the meat first and then set it aside. Add the meat back when the vegetables are almost cooked. This ensures that the meat is not overcooked, and that the meat and vegetables retain their individual flavors.
9. Meat is normally stir-fried on high heat to seal in the juices (individual recipes can differ).
10. Never add more than a cup of meat at a time to the wok. Lay the meat out flat to cook.
11. Remove the meat from the wok when it changes color - for example the redness in the beef is gone. At this point the meat is approximately 80 percent cooked.
12. Stir-fry vegetables according to density, with the densest vegetables being stir-fried first and for the longest time. Denser vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and eggplant require more cooking time than green leafy vegetables such as bok choy.
13. If you're uncertain about the order in which to stir-fry vegetables, the simplest solution is to stir-fry them separately, one at a time.
14. If possible, wash the vegetables ahead of time to ensure that they have drained and are not too wet.
15. Alternately, if the vegetables are too dry, try adding a few drops of water while stir-frying.
16. When stir-frying meat, wait a few seconds before tossing so that it has a chance to brown; when stir-frying vegetables, begin moving them immediately.
17. When adding sauce to vegetables and/or meat, form a "well" in the middle by pushing the ingredients up the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle and stir to thicken before combining with the other ingredients.
18. Once the dish is completed, taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
19. Serve the stir-fried dish immediately.
20. Finally, a few words about cooking temperatures. Some recipes give instructions on whether to cook a dish at high, medium-high, or medium heat, but others don't. In Chinese Home Cooking, Helen Chen suggests starting to cook at medium-high heat and then adjusting the temperature up or down as needed on your model of stove. Another option is to have a second burner set on medium heat that you can quickly move the wok to if you feel the food is cooking too fast.
1. Make sure you have all the ingredients you need ahead of time.
2. Make sure all the food is cut according to directions before you start. Never try to prepare food while stir-frying.
3. For even cooking, cut all the ingredients the same size.
4. If not following a recipe, cut all the ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
5. Pre-heat the wok on medium-high to high heat for at least a minute before adding oil. (You may want to skip this step if you have a nonstick pan - it can damage the coating.)
6. Add the oil (up to 2 to 3 tablespoons depending on the dish; peanut, canola or other vegetable oils are good) drizzling it so that it coats both the sides and the bottom of the wok. The oil heats faster this way.
7. Before adding other ingredients, season the oil by cooking a few pieces of garlic and ginger. (Note: you may want to reduce the heat at this point to keep them from burning).
8. If the recipe calls for meat and vegetables, cook the meat first and then set it aside. Add the meat back when the vegetables are almost cooked. This ensures that the meat is not overcooked, and that the meat and vegetables retain their individual flavors.
9. Meat is normally stir-fried on high heat to seal in the juices (individual recipes can differ).
10. Never add more than a cup of meat at a time to the wok. Lay the meat out flat to cook.
11. Remove the meat from the wok when it changes color - for example the redness in the beef is gone. At this point the meat is approximately 80 percent cooked.
12. Stir-fry vegetables according to density, with the densest vegetables being stir-fried first and for the longest time. Denser vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and eggplant require more cooking time than green leafy vegetables such as bok choy.
13. If you're uncertain about the order in which to stir-fry vegetables, the simplest solution is to stir-fry them separately, one at a time.
14. If possible, wash the vegetables ahead of time to ensure that they have drained and are not too wet.
15. Alternately, if the vegetables are too dry, try adding a few drops of water while stir-frying.
16. When stir-frying meat, wait a few seconds before tossing so that it has a chance to brown; when stir-frying vegetables, begin moving them immediately.
17. When adding sauce to vegetables and/or meat, form a "well" in the middle by pushing the ingredients up the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle and stir to thicken before combining with the other ingredients.
18. Once the dish is completed, taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
19. Serve the stir-fried dish immediately.
20. Finally, a few words about cooking temperatures. Some recipes give instructions on whether to cook a dish at high, medium-high, or medium heat, but others don't. In Chinese Home Cooking, Helen Chen suggests starting to cook at medium-high heat and then adjusting the temperature up or down as needed on your model of stove. Another option is to have a second burner set on medium heat that you can quickly move the wok to if you feel the food is cooking too fast.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
How much Green Tea should you drink?
There are as many answers to this question as there are researchers investigating the natural properties of green tea. For example, Herbs for Health magazine cites a Japanese report stating that men who drank ten cups of green tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately 240 - 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea). Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland's Western Reserve University concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease. And Japanese scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered that there were fewer recurrances of breast cancer, and the disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily.
Read More Below
It gets more confusing. A University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking merely two cups per day. On the other hand, a company selling a green tea capsule formula insists that ten cups per day are necessary to reap the maximum benefits.
How can you make sense of these conflicting claims? Given all the evidence, it is probably safe to plan on drinking four to five cups of green tea per daily. If you're a real devotee, by all means drink more; but whether or not you'll derive added health benefits remains to be determined by further research.
How to Brew a Cup of Green Tea
Producing the perfect cup of green tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same polyphenols that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste "gassy." It's particularly important not to overbrew. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:
Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.
*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.
Read More Below
It gets more confusing. A University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking merely two cups per day. On the other hand, a company selling a green tea capsule formula insists that ten cups per day are necessary to reap the maximum benefits.
How can you make sense of these conflicting claims? Given all the evidence, it is probably safe to plan on drinking four to five cups of green tea per daily. If you're a real devotee, by all means drink more; but whether or not you'll derive added health benefits remains to be determined by further research.
How to Brew a Cup of Green Tea
Producing the perfect cup of green tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same polyphenols that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste "gassy." It's particularly important not to overbrew. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:
Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.
*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Before You Buy a Wok
You don't absolutely need a wok to create satisfying Chinese meals. Nonetheless, the bowl-shaped utensil has several advantages - it spreads heat evenly, uses less oil for deep-frying than a traditional deep-fat fryer, and ensures that food tossed during stir-frying lands back in the pan and not on the stove. A good wok will make it easier to cook Chinese food.
What Type Should You Buy?
Remember that old adage “You get what you pay for?” This is one of those rare cases where it doesn’t apply. There is no substitute for a good carbon steel wok. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, but it conducts heat evenly.. While there many other types of woks on the market today – aluminum, stainless steel, even copper – every experienced Asian cook I’ve spoken with still swears by carbon steel, and I have to agree.
Flat or Round Bottom?
If you are cooking with a western electric range your best option is to use a flat bottom wok. Round bottom woks can reflect heat back on the element, damaging it. A flat bottomed wok can also be used on gas stoves.
Handle with Care
Originally, woks came with two metal handles to make them easy to lift in and out of the traditional Chinese wood stove. Today, flat bottom woks normally have a long wooden handle, like a skillet. The long handle makes it easy to move and tilt the wok when stir-frying. Most also have a small “helper” handle on the other side, so the wok is still easy to lift. Round bottom woks may follow the traditional wok design with two small metal “ears,” or have a single long metal or wooden handle.
Size Matters
Woks come in a variety of sizes - restaurants may use woks that are several feet across. The size of wok you choose will depend on several factors, including your own preferences, the type of stove you have, and the depth of the wok.
What about Non-Stick?
With the current interest in low-fat cooking, many manufacturers now offer woks with a non-stick coating. How well non-stick works will depend on the individual coating and how it is applied. However, in general non-stick coatings don’t work well on carbon steel. If you want the non-stick coating, try a heavy gauge aluminum wok, such as those made by Calphalon.
Care and Maintenance
It's very important to season your wok before using it for the first time. Seasoning removes the preservative oil manufacturers place on the wok to prevent rust, replacing it with a light coating of cooking oil. It is also important to clean your wok after each use. Given the variety of woks on the market today, it's difficult to give a general set of seasoning and cleaning instructions. However, below I do have instructions for seasoning and cleaning a carbon steel wok.
What Type Should You Buy?
Remember that old adage “You get what you pay for?” This is one of those rare cases where it doesn’t apply. There is no substitute for a good carbon steel wok. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, but it conducts heat evenly.. While there many other types of woks on the market today – aluminum, stainless steel, even copper – every experienced Asian cook I’ve spoken with still swears by carbon steel, and I have to agree.
Flat or Round Bottom?
If you are cooking with a western electric range your best option is to use a flat bottom wok. Round bottom woks can reflect heat back on the element, damaging it. A flat bottomed wok can also be used on gas stoves.
Handle with Care
Originally, woks came with two metal handles to make them easy to lift in and out of the traditional Chinese wood stove. Today, flat bottom woks normally have a long wooden handle, like a skillet. The long handle makes it easy to move and tilt the wok when stir-frying. Most also have a small “helper” handle on the other side, so the wok is still easy to lift. Round bottom woks may follow the traditional wok design with two small metal “ears,” or have a single long metal or wooden handle.
Size Matters
Woks come in a variety of sizes - restaurants may use woks that are several feet across. The size of wok you choose will depend on several factors, including your own preferences, the type of stove you have, and the depth of the wok.
What about Non-Stick?
With the current interest in low-fat cooking, many manufacturers now offer woks with a non-stick coating. How well non-stick works will depend on the individual coating and how it is applied. However, in general non-stick coatings don’t work well on carbon steel. If you want the non-stick coating, try a heavy gauge aluminum wok, such as those made by Calphalon.
Care and Maintenance
It's very important to season your wok before using it for the first time. Seasoning removes the preservative oil manufacturers place on the wok to prevent rust, replacing it with a light coating of cooking oil. It is also important to clean your wok after each use. Given the variety of woks on the market today, it's difficult to give a general set of seasoning and cleaning instructions. However, below I do have instructions for seasoning and cleaning a carbon steel wok.
The Miracle of Green Tea
Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
What makes green tea so special?
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.
Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Other Benefits
New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.
Harmful Effects?
To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
What makes green tea so special?
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.
Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Other Benefits
New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.
Harmful Effects?
To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.
Friday, July 2, 2010
What to Drink With Chinese Food
It's hard to exaggerate the importance of tea in Chinese culture - the tradition of tea drinking dates back over 2,000 years and has become an indispensable part of Chinese daily life. More recently bubble tea, a fun drink made with tapioca pearls, tea, and milk, has become popular throughout Southeast Asia, China and North America. But tea isn't the only drink that can be served with Chinese food. Chiew is the Chinese name for all alcoholic drinks, from distilled liqueurs to Chinese rice wines. And while it can be challenging, it is possible to pair western grape wines with Chinese food.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Chinese Cooking Equipment:
While you don't absolutely need one, a wok is the one piece of cooking equipment you may want to purchase before you start cooking Chinese food.
While it's nice to own one, you don't need a cleaver to cook Chinese food.
While it's nice to own one, you don't need a cleaver to cook Chinese food.
General Chinese Cooking Principles
Try to vary the meat and vegetables in a dish, so that there is an interesting variety of flavors, textures, and colors. The Chinese believe it is important to find balance and harmony in every aspect of life, including food.
Fresh is best: always use fresh ingredients when possible.
Be sure to have everything prepared before you start cooking: the vegetables washed, drained and cut; the meat cut and marinated; the sauces prepared.
Fresh is best: always use fresh ingredients when possible.
Be sure to have everything prepared before you start cooking: the vegetables washed, drained and cut; the meat cut and marinated; the sauces prepared.
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