BASICS OF CHINESE COOKING
BEFORE YOU COOK, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND the role of several important pieces of equipment, a handful of basic ingredients, and some classic Chinese cooking techniques.
EQUIPMENT
WORKS VERSUS SKILLETS
Many Chinese dishes, especially stir-fries, depend on plenty of heat to caramelize sugars, deepen flavors through intense browning, and drive off excess liquid. The problem is that the Chinese wok and the typical American stovetop are a lousy match, capable of generating only moderate heat. Woks are conical because in China they traditionally rest in cylindrical pits containing the fire. Flames lick the bottom and sides of the pan so that food cooks remarkably quickly. A wok is not designed for stovetop cooking, where heat comes only from the bottom.
We think a horizontal heat source requires a horizontal pan. For stir-frying at home, we recommend a large skillet, 12 to 14 inches in diameter, with a nonstick coating. Size is important because you want foods to cook in a single layer, which causes them to brown rather than steam. The nonstick coating allows you to use less oil.
In our testing of major brands of nonstick skillets, All-Clad and Calphalon came out on top. Both brands are sturdy but not overly heavy, so you can easily move these pans around the stovetop. They conduct heat well, allowing the surface of the skillet to become very hot, but their handles, which are made from hollowed-out metal, stay cooler than solid metal handles. A handle with a removable plastic sheath is ideal when stir-frying.
SHOVELS
Chinese cooks use shovel-shaped spatulas to move food around in a wok. The same tool works well in a skillet. To protect nonstick surfaces, use plastic or wooden implements, not metal. We prefer large shovels with a wide, thin blade and long, heat-resistant handle.
STEAMERS
Chinese cooks often prepare foods in bamboo steamers. We have provided instructions for using a bamboo steamer in recipes throughout this book, but all recipes have also been tested on a collapsible metal steamer basket, an item American home cooks are more likely to own. Make sure to buy a large steamer basket, at least 11 inches in diameter. Smaller steamers won't be able to hold four pieces of fish or a full batch of dumplings.
INGREDIENTS
ASIAN SESAME OIL
Also known as dark or toasted sesame oil, this aromatic, medium-brown oil is used as a seasoning in Chinese cooking. Because its smoke point is quite low (the oil burns at fairly low temperatures), it is not advisable to cook with sesame oil. Use some in a sauce, or toss noodles with a little sesame oil for a flavor boost. Don't confuse this product with regular sesame oil, which is pressed from untoasted seeds and has a medium yellow color. Store an open bottle in the refrigerator to prolong freshness.
CANNED CHICKEN
BROTH
For most soups, we recommend homemade stock. For Chinese sauces, where just a few tablespoons of chicken broth are needed, store-bought versions are fine. Because canned broth is reduced in so many sauces, we recommend the use of low-sodium products to prevent sauces from becoming overly salty. Canned broths from Swanson's and Campbell's (which are owned by the same company) have consistently received top ratings in our taste tests. We find broths sold in aseptic cartons to be more flavorful than canned broths, which undergo a longer sterilization process.
CHILI
PASTE
This thick, bright red seasoning looks like ketchup but is made from crushed chile peppers, vinegar, and, usually, garlic. Brands vary from mild to incendiary, so taste before using. Store opened bottles in the refrigerator.
FERMENTED BLACK
BEANS
Chinese fermented black beans have a salty, beany flavor that adds an intriguing savory note to many dishes, especially those made with seafood. Nothing more than salted black beans, this product is sold in bags in Asian food stores and keeps indefinitely in the freezer. Make sure to buy beans that are soft to the touch, not hard or shriveled. Some sources suggest rinsing fermented black beans before using them, but we find this unnecessary as long as you have purchased quality beans that are not overly salty.
OYSTER
SAUCE
This thick, dark brown sauce is made from fermented oysters, salt, and spices. It lends a meaty, savory note to foods as well as a rich, dark color. We find that it is an essential ingredient when making lo mein and some stir-fry sauces. Some supermarkets may stock this item. Otherwise, an Asian grocery is your best bet. We have used Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster-Flavored Sauce with excellent results. Don't let the words "oyster-flavored" throw you. Read labels and make sure the sauce contains oysters rather than MSG (monosodium glutamate). Refrigerate bottles once opened.
RICE
VINEGAR
Several kinds of vinegar are made from rice in various parts of Asia. The most common type is clear and very mild—even a bit sweet. Rice vinegar has far less acidity than most Western vinegars (4 percent versus 6 to 7 percent in most wine vinegars), so it is hard to use other vinegars in its place. Luckily, most supermarkets carry this staple.
RICE WINE
Rice wine is an Asian equivalent for dry sherry. It is used in sauces and marinades to add complexity to the flavor of a dish. Dry sherry can be substituted for rice wine, although it tends to taste more harsh and less complex.
SOY SAUCE
Few condiments are as misunderstood as soy sauce, the pungent, fragrant, fermented flavoring that's a mainstay in Asian cooking. Its simple, straightforward composition—equal parts soybeans and a roasted grain, usually wheat, plus water and salt—belies the subtle, sophisticated contribution it makes as an all-purpose seasoning, flavor enhancer, tabletop condiment, and dipping sauce. The three products consumers are likely to encounter are regular soy sauce, light soy sauce (made with a higher percentage of water and hence lower in sodium), and tamari (made with fermented soybeans, water, and salt—no wheat). Tamari generally has a stronger flavor and thicker consistency than soy sauce. It is traditionally used in Japanese cooking, not Chinese.
In a tasting of leading soy sauces, we found that products aged according to ancient customs are superior to synthetic sauces, such as La Choy's, which are made in a day and almost always contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Our favorite soy sauce, Eden Selected Shoyu Soy Sauce (shoyu is the Japanese word for soy sauce), is aged for three years.
TECHNIQUES
STIR-FRYING
In developing recipes for our book How to Stir-Fry, we tested all the important variables in this unique cooking process. For this book, we decided to develop two classic stir-fries—kung pao chicken and beef and broccoli in garlic sauce. Because the recipes for these stir-fries are based on techniques we developed for How to Stir-Fry, it is useful to repeat some of the key findings here.
The most important thing to remember when stir-frying is to use enough heat. Stir-frying must happen quickly. Foods need to brown, not steam, and a superhot pan is essential. As noted on Chapter 14, we think a nonstick skillet is the best vessel for stir-frying on a conventional stovetop.
A stir-fry consists of four major components: protein, vegetables, aromatics (garlic, ginger, and scallions), and sauce.
We found that a simple marinade of soy sauce and sherry (or rice wine) really boosts the flavor of the protein. The protein should be stir-fried first, then removed from the pan so other ingredients can be cooked.
Vegetables should be cut fairly small. We found it best to add them to the pan in batches to keep the pan from cooling down too much. We think a good stir-fry is two parts vegetables and one part protein. For four people, this means 11/2 pounds vegetables to 3/4 pound of meat, poultry, or seafood.
Stir-fries must contain the three basic Chinese seasonings of garlic, ginger, and scallions. We found that these aromatics tend to burn if added to the pan too early. To keep this from happening, we clear a space in the center of the pan once the vegetables have been cooked, add the aromatics and a little oil, and then stir-fry them just until fragrant. At this point, the cooked protein is returned to the pan, along with the sauce, which prevents the aromatics from scorching.
Stir-fry sauces must be bold. We found that cornstarch-thickened sauces are often thick and gloppy. In our tests, sauces made without cornstarch were cleaner-tasting and are preferred.
SLICING
MEAT
Thinly sliced meat is a hallmark of Chinese cooking, whether it's thin strips of pork in lo mein or pieces of flank steak in a stir-fry. Thick slabs of meat will be flabby and may not marry well with other ingredients, so make sure to use a sharp knife when slicing chicken, pork, and beef. We find that partially freezing meat (an hour is more than enough time) firms up its texture and makes slicing easier.
READYING MISE EN
PLACE
Mise en place is a French term, but it applies to Chinese cooking as well. Simply stated, it means having all ingredients prepared and close at hand before you start cooking.