Authentic Recipes from China. Kenneth Law

This child seems more concerned with eating than etiquette, but will no doubt pick up the finer points of dining as he grows up.

      Timing is absolutely crucial to the success of Chinese dishes. Most food is cooked very briefly (a result of centuries of having to conserve precious fuel), so it is essential to chop all the ingredients, measure all the seasonings, and have the garnishes and serving dishes at hand before starting to cook.

      Control of heat is also important, and for this reason, a gas flame is far superior to any other form of heat. The degree of heat required for some dishes, especially for stir-frying, is far greater than that normally used in a Western kitchen.

      Timing given in the recipes in this book assumes that very high heat can be used when called for; if you doubt the intensity of your heat source, try cooking the food for just a little longer If you have an electric stove, you might consider investing in a single gas burner capable of producing extremely high heat and of immediate temperature control, otherwise your results will not be the same.

      One single wok can be used to cook the entire meal, except for the rice. The first dish is cooked, the wok quickly rinsed with water, dried and the next batch of ingredients added. Naturally, the Chinese cook doesn't have to break off in the middle of cooking to check the recipe. Make sure you prepare and place the ingredients near your stove in order of use so you can work as quickly as possible, and have your serving plates ready And remember, as any Chinese cook would agree, practice makes perfect.

      Chinese Dining Etiquette 101

       Don't point with your chopsticks, and don't stick your chopsticks into your rice bowl and leave them there standing up. for in this position they resemble incense sticks set before a grave.

      Don't use your chopsticks to explore the contents of a dish. Locate the morsel you want—on top of the pile, not buried in the middle of it—with your eyes and go directly for it with your chopsticks without touching any other pieces. A wait-and-see-attitude is recommended if you wish to land the white meat, the wing or the chicken heart.

      If you wish to take a drink of wine at a formal dinner, you must first toast another diner, regardless of whether he or she responds by drinking. If you are toasted and don't wish to drink, simply touch your lips to the edge of the wine glass to acknowledge the courtesy.