Recipes
These basic recipes are designed as an introduction to Wok cooking. They will familiarize you with the Wok itself and with some ingredients and approaches to cooking which may be new to you.
The Wok is a remarkably versatile cooker. With it you can produce delicious, nourishing meals in minutes, cutting time while you cut energy costs! In the traditional Chinese method of using the Wok, when one food is cooked, you slide it up the side of the Wok to a cooler area while cooking the next.
Preparation is important. All ingredients should be ready before you start to cook. Dice, slice, shred or mix ingredients beforehand, and cut them into uniform pieces for even cooking and attractive appearance.
THE COOKING OIL used must be light and clear. Peanut oil is ideal.
GINGER ROOT is a brown root available fresh in many supermarkets. It may be stored (wrapped in a paper towel) in a refrigerator for several weeks. TOFU is a soft, white cake made from soybean.
Available in supermarkets and Oriental groceries, it may be kept for several days in water in a refrigerator. The water should be changed daily. SOY SAUCE is widely available in both light and dark types. It keeps indefinitely.
MIRIN is rice wine.
HOISIN SAUCE is a sweet brown sauce available in Oriental groceries. It will keep for months in a closed container in the refrigerator.
■■■BASIC RICE
The classic accompaniment for many Wok- prepared foods.
1 cup
-Place the rice in a saucepan. Stir and rinse thoroughly several times.
-Drain the rice, add the water and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Cook until steam vents can be seen in the surface of the rice (2 or 3 minutes).
-Cover the saucepan tightly and continue to cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
-Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
■■■FRIED RICE 4 cups cooked rice
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper
1 cup cooked pork or lean ham, in small pieces 2 spring onions, diced
2 eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons soy sauce .
-Heat the oil in the Wok, add the rice and cook stirring often until lightly browned.
-Add the meat, salt and pepper and onions and
-Make a hole in the middle of the rice mixture and pour the eggs into it.
-Allow the eggs to cook, then break them into small pieces and mix thoroughly into the rice mixture.
-Add the soy sauce mix and serve. Makes about 4 servings.
■■■EGG DROP SOUP 3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 spring onion, chopped
-Place the chicken stock in the Wok. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil at high heat.
-Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and pour it into the Wok. Stir until the chicken stock thickens and clears.
-Gently pour in the egg and stir once.
-Sprinkle with the onion and serve. Serves 4.
■■■BROCCOLI WOKKILY
I bunch broccoli, broken and sliced into
2 scallops, chopped
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cognac (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup boiling water
-Heat the oil in the Wok.
-Add remaining ingredients and cover the Wok.
-Cook over low heat 5 minutes. Serves 4.
6
