This info will also help you understand Asian Cooking too....!!
Basic Cooking Techniques In China, there are 40 or 50 different methods of heat control (he hou) used in cooking. In practice, you need only be acquainted with a few of them.
Stir-frying
Stir-frying is usually done in a wok. you can use a large thin-bottomed pan or frying pan instead, but the essence of the technique is that the food is cooked quickly, over high heat, in very little oil. The food to be cooked is finely sliced or shredded into similar sized pieces, using a very sharp knife or Chinese cleaver.
Shallow frying
This is a slower method of cooking than stir-frying. Again, a work or frying pan is used. More oil is used and the cooking is done over moderate heat.
Deep-frying
Deep-frying is used in the same ways as in the west, to produce crisp- texured food. Sometimes the food is deep-fried, removed from the oil and drained. the oil is then reheated and the food deep-fried again, so that it is exetremely crispy.
Paper-Wrapped Deep-Frying
Small pieces of meat or fish are seasoned, then wrapped in cellophane paper to form little parcels, and deep-fried until tender. the food is served in its paper wrapping and opened by the diner with chopsticks. The paper is of course discarded. Cellophane paper is obtainable from large stationers.
Steaming
The Chinese use bamboo steamers which stack on top of each other, so that four or five dishes can be steamed simultaneously. Dishes requiring most cooking are placed on the bottom layer, near the boiling water, while those requiring less are placed on the top "floor".
Roasting
used less in China than in the west as the average Chinese kitchen does not contain an oven: the best known dishes are restaurant ones, such as Peking Duck. Cha Siu is a method of quick-roasting meat or poultry at a high temperature for a short time.
Red cooking
This is a unique Chinese method, used primarily for cooking large cuts of meat or poultry. Dark soy sauce is used, which imparts a rich flavour and dark reddish-brown colour to the food.
Stewing
Stews are usually composed of meat cooked on its own with herbs and spices, rather than with vegetables. In China, stews are usually cooked in an earthenware pot (called a sanspot) over a slow charcoal fire. The stew is cooked for a very long time - up to four hours - producing meat almost jelly-like in tenderness. |
Unusual Ingredients
As for special Chinese ingredients (listed below) one hardly ever needs more than 10 or 12 of them. They are all easily obtained in the Chinese stores and supermarkets that can now be found in many provincial towns. In London, of course, there are three or four dozen of them. With their help you can launch into Chinese cooking with the fullest confidence and produce typical (and authentic) Chinese dishes.
Soya Bean Products
Soy Sauce
Used extensively for flavouring or as a condiment or dip. Light soy sauce has a more delicate flavour and delicately flavoured dished. When the colour is not specified in a recipe, this is the one to use Dark soy sauce imparts a rich colour to food and is used for red- cooking for dark stews and meats.
Yellow bean paste or sauce
Available in jars or cans in Chinese food stores. Often used instead of soy sauce when a thicker sauce is required.
Black bean paste or sauce
Similar to yellow bean paste, only darker.
Salted black beans
These are very salty indeed and need to be soaked for 5-10 minutes before use. They are then usually mashed into the cooking oil or sauce over high heat.
Hoisin sauce
(also called barbecue sauce) A thick soy-based sauce with a sweet, hot flavour.
Bean curd
Also known as tofu. An almost tasteless substance made from pureed yellow soya beans, which are very high in protein. It looks like junket, and is sold in cakes about 7.5 cm (3 inches) square.
Dried bean curd
Also sold in cake form. It can be cut into strips or slices and stewed, braised or fried.
Bean curd cheese
(fermented bean curd) Made by fermenting bean curd cubes in rice wine or salt. Available in two forms - white, or the Southern China red, which is more strongly flavoured. Both are very salty and strong-tasting.
Dried Vegetables and Fungi
Chinese dried mushrooms
Widely used for their flavour and aroma. Soak them in warm water for 20 minutes before using.
Wood ears
(also known as cloud ears) Dried grey-black fungi which should be soaked in warm water for 20 minutes before use. They have a crunchy texture and a mild flavour.
Straw mushrooms
are completely different to other Chinese mushrooms in flavour and texture. They are only available canned.
Dried chestnuts
Soak overnight in cold water then simmer in fresh water for 20 minutes.
Lotus nuts
Available dried or canned in syrup. If dried, they should be soaked for 24 hours before use.
Lotus leaves
Often used to wrap food before cooking, in the same way the West uses foil. The food is then usually steamed, the leaves imparting a special flavour to the food. The parcels are usually served whole and unwrapped at the table, the leaves being discarded afterwards.
Tiger lily buds
(golden needles) They have a musky, slightly acrid flavour. Soak for 30 minutes in hot water before use.
Dried tangerine peel
Gives a strong orangey flavour to meat and stews. Soak for 20 minutes in warm water before use. You can dry your own.
Dried seaweed
Sold in wads. When deep-fried in oil it becomes crisp and has a toasted fragrance.
Hair seaweed
Fine black dried seaweed. A traditional ingredient of some vegetarian Buddhist dishes. It should be soaked for at least 20 minutes before use.
Canned Vegetables
Water chestnuts
Available canned ready peeled. They have a mild, sweet taste and a very crunchy texture. Bamboo shoots
(not to be confused with beansprouts) Available canned in large chunks. Often used in stirfrying to give texture to dishes.
Dried Fish and Seafood
Dried squid
Tastes quite different from fresh squid and is regarded highly as a delicacy. Used to give extra flavour to dishes. Soak before use in a solution of bicarbonate of soda, to soften it.
Dried shrimps
Widely used to flavour savoury dishes. Soak in warm water for 30 minutes before use.
Fish maw
Comes from the shark. Dried, it looks like a small yellow sponge, and has to be soaked for 2 hours before use.
Pickles
Snow pickle
This is salted mustard greens. It is greenish in colour and has a milidly sour flavour.
Winter pickle
Salted cabbage, brownish green in colour, is savoury and mildly salty. Sold in earthenware jars.
Szechuan pickle
is hot and salty, with a peppery flavour. Often used to intensify the spiciness of a dish.
Sauces, Pastes and Oils
Chilli sauce
A hot-tasting sauce made from red chilli. Similar in flavour to Tabasco. Greatly used in Szechuan.
Oyster sauce
A thickish brown sauce made from soy sauce and oysters. Used mostly in the south.
Sesame paste
Paste made from seame seeds - very similar to peanut butter. Extermely rich and aromatic.
Sesame oil
Widely used for its nutty, aromatic flavour. Sold in jars. It will keep almost indefinitely.
Chilli oil
The oil is made by frying small red chillies slowly in oil. The oil is reddish in colour and very hot.
Rice and Noodles
Egg noodles
made from wheat flour and eggs, can be round, like spaghetti, or flat ribbons. They can be bought fresh or dried in Chinese supermarkets. Italian pasta can be used as a substitute. Fresh noodles need a very short cooking time -- 3-4 minutes.
Rice noodles
(also called rice stick noodles) are white and thread-like. They can be found both round and flat, and are sold in packets in Chinese supermarkets.
Pea-starch noodles
(also called cellophane noodles) or vermicelli, are white and translucent and resemble candyfloss. They should be soaked for 5 minutes before use. Glutinous rice
Round-grained rice used for stuffings and puddings such as Eight Treasure Rice. Pudding rice can be used instead.
| Spices and Flavourings
5-Spice powder
A mixture of star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon and Szechuan peppercorns. It is very pungent and should be used sparingly.
Ginger root
Sold by weight. It should be peeled and finely sliced or chopped before use.
MSG
(Monosodium Glutamate) also called Flavour Powder or Gourmet Powder. It is obtained from glutamic acid, which is present in a wide range of vegetables, and is also found naturally in the human body. It has little taste of its own, but possesses an amazing capacity to enhance the flavour of other foods. Its use in Chinese recipes is optional.
Szechuan peppercorns
Reddish-brown peppercorns, native to Szechuan. Much stronger and more fragrant than normal peppercorns.
Star anise
Dried, star-shaped seed head with a pungent, aromatic smell like fennel. One of the ingredients of 5-spice powder. |
