insulated stick handle and a loop; it gives me the flexibility of using it for tossing and holding both ends when the food is too heavy to be lifted with one hand.
A new wok needs to be “seasoned” regularly in order to allow the patina, a non-stick layer, to develop, and to stay rust-free. Sticking is caused by the formation of chemical bonds between the protein molecules of the food and the metal surface of the wok. The metal is porous and has microscopic, jagged peaks. Coating the surface of the wok with oil and heating it until hot results in the oil filling the cavities and rounding off the peaks. The cooking surface will develop a non-stick quality given time, so as to prevent water from seeping in to cause rust. Repeat the process of seasoning the wok regularly. The wok can be washed in warm water using a sponge or cloth, and then rinsed and dried immediately. It is recommended not to use the wok with patina for steaming. Boiling water in a wok damages the patina. The appropriate kitchen utensil for steaming is a steamer or a wok designated specifically for the task.
Apart from the regular seasoning, the wok should be seasoned every time you use it for cooking, especially for ingredients such as meat and fish that are likely to stick. The following sequence of seasoning the wok will prevent the food from sticking to the surface while ooking.
Heat the wok until when splashing drops of water into the wok, they rapidly skitter around the surface before boiling off
Add a tablespoon of oil and swirl it around to cover the part of the wok that will be in contact with the food.
Remove the wok from the heat and pour off any excess oil.
The wok is ready to be used for cooking. Put the wok back to the heat source, adjust it to the desired level, add the quantity of oil needed into the wok, and heat the oil to the temperature required.
If you wish to use the same wok for the next dish, wash the wok in warm water using a sponge or cloth, rinse it, and dry it on the gas burner. A bamboo brush designed for scrubbing the wok can be used as well. Repeat the process of seasoning the wok before cooking the next dish.
In recent years, there have been research results showing the high rate of women suffering from lung cancer and respiratory diseases due to their exposure to cooking oil fumes. 36 When the oil smokes, it begins to decompose. The chemical breakdown of the glycerol molecules in the fat and oil creates acrolein, an obnoxious-smelling compound that sticks to the clothes and hair and it is not good for the cook’s respiratory system. Apart from paying attention to the smoking point of the cooking oil, the Chinese TV celebrity chefs and nutritionists have been on a mission to convince the general public that stir-frying does not mean cooking with a very high temperature that causes the oil to smoke. They urge the domestic cook not to preheat the oil any longer than is necessary because the longer the oil is heated, the more quickly it will decompose. “Hot wok and cool oil” is the solution. Season the wok as described above. Put the wok back to the heat source, adjust it to the desired level, add the quantity of oil needed into the wok, and add the ingredient immediately without waiting for the oil to heat up.
6 . Foo d fo r Health
When the Chinese talk about consuming food for health, YinYang( 營養 )is the phrase that springs to mind. This word consists of two characters, yin and yang. Yin as a verb is to pursue and to work towards. Yang as a noun connotes nourishing quality or nourishment; it can also be used as a verb meaning to nurture or to nourish. 37 As a word, YinYang is used to mean “the pursuit of nourishment in life” for health and, for some, longevity.
SunSiMiao, a well-respected Chinese medicine doctor from the Tang Dynasty in the sixth century, gave advice to those in earnest pursuit of nourishment. It should start with paying attention to what you eat, he said. 38 That
A new wok needs to be “seasoned” regularly in order to allow the patina, a non-stick layer, to develop, and to stay rust-free. Sticking is caused by the formation of chemical bonds between the protein molecules of the food and the metal surface of the wok. The metal is porous and has microscopic, jagged peaks. Coating the surface of the wok with oil and heating it until hot results in the oil filling the cavities and rounding off the peaks. The cooking surface will develop a non-stick quality given time, so as to prevent water from seeping in to cause rust. Repeat the process of seasoning the wok regularly. The wok can be washed in warm water using a sponge or cloth, and then rinsed and dried immediately. It is recommended not to use the wok with patina for steaming. Boiling water in a wok damages the patina. The appropriate kitchen utensil for steaming is a steamer or a wok designated specifically for the task.
Apart from the regular seasoning, the wok should be seasoned every time you use it for cooking, especially for ingredients such as meat and fish that are likely to stick. The following sequence of seasoning the wok will prevent the food from sticking to the surface while ooking.
Heat the wok until when splashing drops of water into the wok, they rapidly skitter around the surface before boiling off
Add a tablespoon of oil and swirl it around to cover the part of the wok that will be in contact with the food.
Remove the wok from the heat and pour off any excess oil.
The wok is ready to be used for cooking. Put the wok back to the heat source, adjust it to the desired level, add the quantity of oil needed into the wok, and heat the oil to the temperature required.
If you wish to use the same wok for the next dish, wash the wok in warm water using a sponge or cloth, rinse it, and dry it on the gas burner. A bamboo brush designed for scrubbing the wok can be used as well. Repeat the process of seasoning the wok before cooking the next dish.
In recent years, there have been research results showing the high rate of women suffering from lung cancer and respiratory diseases due to their exposure to cooking oil fumes. 36 When the oil smokes, it begins to decompose. The chemical breakdown of the glycerol molecules in the fat and oil creates acrolein, an obnoxious-smelling compound that sticks to the clothes and hair and it is not good for the cook’s respiratory system. Apart from paying attention to the smoking point of the cooking oil, the Chinese TV celebrity chefs and nutritionists have been on a mission to convince the general public that stir-frying does not mean cooking with a very high temperature that causes the oil to smoke. They urge the domestic cook not to preheat the oil any longer than is necessary because the longer the oil is heated, the more quickly it will decompose. “Hot wok and cool oil” is the solution. Season the wok as described above. Put the wok back to the heat source, adjust it to the desired level, add the quantity of oil needed into the wok, and add the ingredient immediately without waiting for the oil to heat up.
6 . Foo d fo r Health
When the Chinese talk about consuming food for health, YinYang( 營養 )is the phrase that springs to mind. This word consists of two characters, yin and yang. Yin as a verb is to pursue and to work towards. Yang as a noun connotes nourishing quality or nourishment; it can also be used as a verb meaning to nurture or to nourish. 37 As a word, YinYang is used to mean “the pursuit of nourishment in life” for health and, for some, longevity.
SunSiMiao, a well-respected Chinese medicine doctor from the Tang Dynasty in the sixth century, gave advice to those in earnest pursuit of nourishment. It should start with paying attention to what you eat, he said. 38 That
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