Increased interrelation in cultures in the past decade has motivated many to try dishes from different countries around the world. Chinese dishes and recipes, in particular, are one of the most popular. The reason are not only perfectly cooked rice and loaded-with-flavor sauces, but the cooking tools and techniques used in the preparation process which make the taste authentic. One of the must-have cooking tools is the wok pan. This unique cooking pan is used in almost all Asian countries and is inevitable part of every Chinese kitchen. Here are few fundamental elements of Chinese cooking.
Wok burner and wok pan – The beauty behind having a wok burner and a wok pan is that you can retain freshness of the ingredients and make them crispy as the same time. This is because a wok burner provides maximum heat and food fries faster in a pan without loosing all the nutrients. Therefore, if you want to achieve the unique flavor and texture of any Chinese dish, make sure you purchase a wok burner and a wok pan. They are available in almost any home-related store or online.
Soy sauce – Other than having an original Chinese wok burner and a wok pan, sauces are another must-have when cooking Chinese food. Soy sauce is the most commonly used and fundamental ingredient of all Chinese dishes. It is used for dipping, cooking and frying. It can be light or dark. Dark soy sauce is mostly used as it is thicker and has a stronger flavor due to the fact that it is aged longer, contains corn starch and molasses.
Rice wine – Another unique ingredient of Chinese food is rice wine. It is very popular in China and aside from being used in cooking, there are high quality types of rice wine that are solely used for drinking. Cooking rice wine is used in cooking different dishes. For instance, when preparing a fish meal, it can be used to eliminate any bad fish odor and smell. Or, it can simply be used for marinating different types of meat.
Rice vinegar – Yes, Chinese cuisine is all about rice and rice supplements. Therefore, it is hard to bypass rice vinegar. Rice vinegar is basically a rice wine to which bacteria was added during the fermentation process. The bacteria turns alcohol into acid creating rice vinegar. There are three types: black, red and white, and all can be used for prepping and cooking food.
