The Techniques
Stir fry
All ingredient must be ready before you start to cook. The pan is heated first and the boil is added. First fry garlic and ginger, without browning, to flavor the oil. Add meat slices, if using which will splutter in the hot fat; keep turning all the time and remove. Vegetables are added after the meat as the juices left in the pan would toughen the meat pieces. If cooking vegetables select the firmest to cook first, onion, celery, carrot, cauliflower, then adding the others with leafy green vegetables last of all. Remember to keep turning all the time so that they are all coated with oil - sometimes a little broth is added - the wok is covered and the vegetables steamed for minute or two. Shrimp are sometimes tossed into the pan at the last minute or some previously fried meat, or a dizzle of sasame oil. If the sauce has to be thickened, a thin paste of cornstarch and water is added at the last minute. Taste for seasoning and serve.
The beauty of this stir fry technique is that the vegetables are cooked, yet remain crisp and crunchy as well as holding their natural color and, more importantly, their flavor.
Deep frying
This is another common style of cooking. The wok is ideally suited to the technique as its shape requires a relatively small amount of oil, as it tends to collect in the bowl-shaped or round base.
Poaching
This is popular technique, which is used for many types of food. A typical recipe is DRUNKEN CHICKEN, where the water is first brought to a boil. The chicken is cooked for only 5 minutes and then the pan is taken off the heat. The chicken cooks in the residual heat; this takes longer but is very economical on fuel. A chicken cooked in this way does tend to look very pale so when it is removed from the liquid it helps to dry and rub the breast with sesame oil and soy sauce. The flesh is very moist and the bones will still look very pink, but this is perfectly acceptable to the Chinese, so do not be put off by the rather under-cooked look; it is certainly edible,and , in fact, very succulent.
Steaming
Dim sum and breads are popularly cooked by this method. Many can be cookes at the same time in the steamers, one stacked on top of the other, which appeals to the thritty nature of the Chinese.
Roasting
Nowadays many homes are have a oven and traditionally roast meats would be brought from market.
Barbecuing and broiling
Charcoal is the most popular fuel and is used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia for cooking satay. In the Philippines and Korea, barbecuing of meat is common way preparing food.
All ingredient must be ready before you start to cook. The pan is heated first and the boil is added. First fry garlic and ginger, without browning, to flavor the oil. Add meat slices, if using which will splutter in the hot fat; keep turning all the time and remove. Vegetables are added after the meat as the juices left in the pan would toughen the meat pieces. If cooking vegetables select the firmest to cook first, onion, celery, carrot, cauliflower, then adding the others with leafy green vegetables last of all. Remember to keep turning all the time so that they are all coated with oil - sometimes a little broth is added - the wok is covered and the vegetables steamed for minute or two. Shrimp are sometimes tossed into the pan at the last minute or some previously fried meat, or a dizzle of sasame oil. If the sauce has to be thickened, a thin paste of cornstarch and water is added at the last minute. Taste for seasoning and serve.
The beauty of this stir fry technique is that the vegetables are cooked, yet remain crisp and crunchy as well as holding their natural color and, more importantly, their flavor.
Deep frying
This is another common style of cooking. The wok is ideally suited to the technique as its shape requires a relatively small amount of oil, as it tends to collect in the bowl-shaped or round base.
Poaching
This is popular technique, which is used for many types of food. A typical recipe is DRUNKEN CHICKEN, where the water is first brought to a boil. The chicken is cooked for only 5 minutes and then the pan is taken off the heat. The chicken cooks in the residual heat; this takes longer but is very economical on fuel. A chicken cooked in this way does tend to look very pale so when it is removed from the liquid it helps to dry and rub the breast with sesame oil and soy sauce. The flesh is very moist and the bones will still look very pink, but this is perfectly acceptable to the Chinese, so do not be put off by the rather under-cooked look; it is certainly edible,and , in fact, very succulent.
Steaming
Dim sum and breads are popularly cooked by this method. Many can be cookes at the same time in the steamers, one stacked on top of the other, which appeals to the thritty nature of the Chinese.
Roasting
Nowadays many homes are have a oven and traditionally roast meats would be brought from market.
Barbecuing and broiling
Charcoal is the most popular fuel and is used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia for cooking satay. In the Philippines and Korea, barbecuing of meat is common way preparing food.