The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. Jaden Hair
either use a flat-bottomed or round-bottomed wok with a wok ring. But first look at how powerful your flame is. Some wok rings sit up pretty high, and if you’ve got a weak flame that won’t reach up and over the wok ring, you’ll never get your wok hot enough. If you do have a weak flame, a flat-bottomed wok is the way to go. Material: Whether you have an electric or gas stovetop, I recommend getting a Chinese cast iron wok. I know many of you think heavy, thick and clunky when you think of cast iron, but not the Chinese version of cast iron! It’s thin and incredibly light (mine weighs less than 3 lbs/1.5 kg)! It’s a great heat conductor and the light cast iron will heat up evenly and retain its heat very well. Just like a beloved cast-iron pan, I love the feel of a well-seasoned cast-iron wok.
Carbon steel woks are also very popular. They heat up and cool down in a snap, are lightweight and very sturdy. There is also a flat-bottomed Chinese wok with a cast-iron interior and enamel exterior that are perfect for glass top or electric stoves.
Yes, you have to season the carbon steel or the Chinese cast-iron woks, but it’s super easy. Instructions for seasoning should come with your wok, or follow the seasoning instructions on the Wok Shop’s website (www.thewokshop.com).
The more you use your wok, the darker the patina will become and the more you’ll fall in love with your wok.
If you want a pre-seasoned wok, give Eleanor Hoh, the Wok Star a shout. She’ll preseason a lightweight Chinese cast-iron round-bottomed wok and ship it directly to your door with an entire stir-fry kit that includes a wok spatula, sauces and an instructional DVD. If you don’t have a gas stove, she also has portable butane stovetops that are $65. I have one of these and lemme tell you— this sucker spews out more heat than my regular gas stovetop. Plus, they are great for camping or emergencies. Totally recommended (www.eleanorhoh.com). How About Nonstick? I know there are wok purists out there who shun non-stick woks. While I recommend a Chinese cast-iron or carbon steel wok, I still say use what you feel comfortable using. If you really, really love nonstick, then at least get the good stuff like Circulon, All-Clad or Calphalon. These are easy to take care and do not require seasoning. But they are expensive and you won’t get the same results as a traditional wok! The non-stick surface prevents you from getting a good sear or browning of your meat or seafood, and the browning is what creates great flavor. Don’t buy the cheap non-stick woks. Not worth it as they are . . . well . . . cheap, won’t last long, are bad for the environment and not recommended for super-high heat. Where To Buy: The Wok Shop www.thewokshop.com owner Tane Chan has this smiling energy that is infectious! Buy from them online or give her a call to place your order. They’ve been online since 1999 and have every type of wok imaginable, including the carbon steel, Chinese cast iron, cast-iron/enamel wok and instructions on how to season the wok. Love them, love them, love them. Wok Care: Immediately after cooking with your wok, wash the wok. Ideally, you should wash and clean the wok while it’s still a bit hot so that it’s easier to clean. Once seasoned, you wouldn’t need to use soap, just hot water. Dry the wok thoroughly to prevent rusting. If the wok looks like it needs a little TLC, after drying, place the wok on your stove. Pour about a tablespoon of cooking oil on a wadded piece of paper towel. Heat the wok until very hot. Use tongs to rub the oily paper towel around and around the wok. Turn off heat and let cool.
So, whatcha waiting for? Go get a carbon steel or Chinese cast iron wok! Oh, make sure that you also get a wok lid with your wok! Wok Spatula: In Chinese, it’s called “wok chuan” and basically it’s a spatula shaped specifically for wok cooking, it’s shaped like a bent shovel! Look for ones with a wooden handle on the end, so that it doesn’t get too hot to grab. You’ll use a wok spatula to move, flip, toss and scoop food around in your wok.
the ingredients
I live about 20 minutes away from a good Asian supermarket and some of you even further! The way I approach Asian ingredients is to choose those that store well, like canned pastes, jarred sauces, dried aromatics and frozen goods. This way, I can make one trip every few weeks and stock up on things like coconut milk, oyster sauce, dried shrimp and frozen noodles . . . and then visit my regular local supermarket for any fresh veggies, seafood or meats. Now, a spontaneous Thai curry dinner is really simple and literally ready in 15 minutes!
Here’s a list of the most common ingredients that I’ve used throughout the recipes in the book. Take note that this is not an exhaustive list of Asian ingredients. For that I would need a volume of three more books to fill! But these are the ingredients that I use most in my home cooking: from curry pastes to fresh herbs and dried mushrooms.
My approach to Asian ingredients is that sometimes you’ve got to make do with whatcha’ got. For example, fresh Thai basil is not always available in my local supermarket, and while I normally grow this in my garden, sometimes I’ll just sub with sweet Italian basil. Same with chilli peppers—I often will use jalapeno chillies because that’s what my market carries. (And also because the spice level of jalapenos suits me perfectly!) If you don’t live near an Asian market, take a look at your grocer’s “Ethnic” aisle, and you might be surprised to find many of the jarred, canned and dried ingredients there. I’ve also tried to provide you with as many substitutions for ingredients as possible in the recipes. The Resource Guide provides sources for ordering ingredients online. And for my gluten-free friends, I’ve included notes for your diet as well. (By the way, there are SO many Asian recipes that don’t use gluten, so this is a perfect book for you if you are watching your gluten intake).
Bean Sprouts Bean sprouts, oh bean sprouts, how I love you now that I have my own kidlets to assign tail-pinching duties to! (Mom used to make me do this chore). Of course, you don’t have to pinch the tails off, the tails are certainly edible, and most restaurants and cooks will cook the bean sprouts with tails-on. Bean sprouts are the sprout of the mung bean and are one of the quickest vegetables to cook! Just a minute in the wok or blanched and it’s ready to eat. Personally, I love bean sprouts raw as a crunchy topping in my Shrimp Pad Thai (page 137), Miso Ramen (page 66) or Thai-style Chicken Flatbread (page 37). Look for white stems that snap! Here’s a tip to keep them fresh in the refrigerator. Wash the bean sprouts, discarding any that look a little soft or sad. Use a salad spinner to spin dry, or lay them out on a towel and gently pat to absorb the water. Store them in a plastic bag and also put a dry piece of paper towel in the bag. Close the bag. This is the best way to store bean sprouts . . . keep them as dry as possible! If you don’t have bean sprouts, you can just omit them from the recipe or sometimes what I do is take a long celery stalk, peel the stringy outer layer with a vegetable peeler and julienne into thin strips. The crisp-crunchy texture is very similar.
Bean Sauce or Paste Chinese bean sauce is made from fermented soybeans and different spices. There are a few different kinds of bean sauce, the brown bean sauce comes smooth or with whole beans (preferred) and is an essential component of northern Chinese cooking. It’s pretty salty, so use just a bit at first and add more after tasting. Bean sauce has an incredible flavor—both salty and savory. Black bean sauce is made from fermented black beans and is used in Clams Sautéed in Garlic and Black Bean Sauce (page 77).
Cilantro, green onions, lemongrass, Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves in the small bowl.
Bok Choy is Chinese cabbage and I love cooking with the beautiful spoon-shaped leaves (Simple Baby Bok Choy and Snow Peas, page 116). It’s commonly used in Chinese cooking and the stalks are mild and crunchy while the leaves taste like cabbage. It’s very healthy for you, full of vitamins A and C and a fab source of folic acid. My parents eat bok choy at least once a week! This is one of those vegetables that you can add to any stir-fry—you can cut them up into 1-inch (2.5-cm) sections, add the thicker stems into the frying pan first, followed by the leaves. My favorite part of