Lecture 8: Yin and Yang of Classical Chinese Cuisine
a wok ring. A fl at-bottomed wok is a waste of time; you might as well just
use a pan. All of your ingredients should be cut up ahead of time, into thin
pieces that will cook very quickly. The actual cooking should only take a few
minutes, which means not only less fuel used but, in a professional kitchen,
rapid service.If using meat, marinate it fi rst in soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, garlic, sesame
oil, and cornstarch—or whatever you like. The cornstarch will not only act
as a thickener in the end, but will also seal the surface of the meat when it
goes into the hot wok. Keep your cut-up vegetables separate. You can use
bok choy, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and carrots—again, whatever strikes
your fancy.When your wok is red hot (it will smoke a little), pour in oil—peanut or
neutral vegetable oil is best—and immediately add your meat so that it sears.
Wait a minute before you begin to toss. This should be done with a Chinese
spatula, which has a metal end and a long shaft ending in a wooden handle.
One hand should be on the handle of the wok (use a dish towel if it’s a short,
ring-type handle) and the other on your spatula. The idea is to tilt the wok
slightly and toss the ingredients up. When browned lightly, remove the meat
to a bowl, and add vegetables to the wok, using the same procedure. Add
a little more oil if necessary. You want to sear these quickly, which won’t
happen if you overcrowd the surface of the wok. Then, add the meat back
in again, and fi nish with a little soy sauce, perhaps rice wine, and some
broth. These are usually kept in little bowls next to the wok and added with
a ladle. When the ingredients all come together, move them to a bowl and
immediately rinse out and scour your wok with hot water and return to the
fi re to start another dish, or dry and set aside if you’re done. Serve the dish
with white rice.