The Top 3 Things You Need to Cook Chinese Food

Even with the love of Chinese food, most people are terrified about the idea of actually cooking it. They would rather put all of their trust in restaurants to cook the foods that they want to eat. There are only a few things that you will need so that you will be able to also cook these kinds of foods as it is not difficult. This goes beyond soy sauce and rice. You will also need to have the right kind of cooking utensils and the right kinds of thickening agents to make the food taste just right.

While you might think about soy sauce whenever you think about Chinese cuisine, you might be surprised to find out how important garlic and ginger are in making the food taste the way that it does. You will need to be able to get a good sized wok as well as the ability to heat it correctly. You will also need to make sure that you have a good knife to cut things up with. Additionally, you will need long utensils to cook with. This will give you everything that you will need to get started.

Woks That Cook

The wok is one of the fundamental cornerstones of any Chines cuisine. This is because it allows you to cook with very high heat as well as concentrating the flavors of what you are cooking to the center of the pan at all times. The best are made out of pure steel. They are wide rimmed and will come with a stand that you can use whenever you are not holding the pan. Make sure that you either have a high BTU stove to heat the pan correctly or a Bunsen burner which will produce the heat that you will need.

Sharp Knives Are Important

All food must be chopped, sliced and cubed in order to prepare it for the wok. This is important to make sure that it will cook quickly without becoming burned. By using small pieces, it is possible for the flavors to absorb into them quicker. The best knives are those which have been created for Chinese and Japanese chefs. They will include hybrid and carbon steel blades though some have started to use the ceramic santoku to cook with. The offset blade is just as good as using a large cleaver.

Proper Utensils Protect You

Because of the high heat of the wok, it is important to have long utensils that you can cook with like large ladles, paddles and even long chopsticks. This will help you to be able to add ingredients as well as to assist in keeping the food moving in the pan. The more you are able to keep your hands away from the flames, the easier of a time that you will have of maintaining hand which are free of burns. Try to find those which have bamboo handles as they will maintain cooler hands.

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