There are many Chinese dishes that you may be interested in, but before you understand how to become an expert in preparing oriental dishes, it is important to learn a few basics. Each recipe is different, but some ingredients are used more often than others and you have to learn special techniques. You should also consider the idea of buying special tools, which are necessary to be able to cook effectively.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Purchase the Basic Ingredients
Step 1. Buy lots of Chinese rice and noodles
Rice is undoubtedly the main ingredient in Chinese cuisine, which is why it is important to have a considerable supply on hand when you want to prepare a dish. Also very often some types of Chinese noodles are used, usually rice.
- You can use both brown and plain rice. The type doesn't really matter, but you should avoid grain mixes or rice mixed with other grains if you want to get a more authentic flavor.
- The most important Chinese noodles are those made from rice, soy and tofu. Rice-based ones have a softer consistency and are obtained from rice flour. Soy noodles, also called soy vermicelli, are made from the starch of mung beans, that is, green soy. Tofu spaghetti, on the other hand, are made with pressed tofu and have a more al dente consistency.
Step 2. Use the right oil
Many of the culinary techniques used in the preparation of Chinese food require frying oil as a cooking medium. You will need to make sure that the oil chosen is able to withstand the temperatures you intend to let it reach. Also remember that some oils have a stronger flavor than others.
- You should get a bottle of sesame seed oil, but for flavoring dishes, not as frying oil. Some recipes require the dish to be sprinkled with a few drops of seed oil to maximize the effect of flavor and aroma, before being served. Buy fragrant, 100% pure quality, not one mixed with other vegetable oils.
- Polyunsaturated oils are often used for cooking. If you want to get a stronger flavor, you can use peanut oil. For a lighter flavor you can choose from soybean, corn and sunflower oil. You can also use a drizzle of vegetable oil, but stay away from butter, margarine and olive oil.
Step 3. Familiarize yourself with typical sauces and liquid flavorings
As you cook your dishes you will encounter a variety of sauces, doughs and other liquid flavorings. Soy sauce is a very famous ingredient, even a beginner would recognize it, but there are many others that are worth knowing.
- Light soy sauce is used in brines and sauces, sometimes even as a condiment. It tastes salty and rustic, and the best varieties have a fresh aroma. Look for those that are naturally fermented.
- Dark soy sauce is fermented longer than light soy sauce; consequently it tastes sweeter and less salty.
- Tamari is similar to soy sauce, but is made with more seeds. It is slightly more consistent and has a more refined and complex flavor. You can also find it gluten-free, if you have special dietary needs.
- The rice vinegar has a light color and a very light flavor. It is used to provide a sour aroma in Chinese cooking, but its acid content is often much lower than Italian vinegars. Black vinegar, on the other hand, is similar to balsamic vinegar and has a richer flavor.
- The fish and oyster sauce are made with seafood extracts and various spices. They can have a sweet yet rough flavor, and are usually found in fish and vegetable dishes.
- Chili sauce is a great way to add spiciness and flavor to a dish, but the amount of them depends only on how spicy you plan to spice the food.
- Hoisin sauce is another of those sauces with a sweet and smoky flavor. It is usually used to stir-fry or to wet the ribs.
- Rice wine adds another dimension to the flavor of sauces and brines. It is more common in Japanese than Chinese cuisine, but there are many recipes where a touch of rice wine is recommended. If you can't get it, you can replace it with dry sherry.
Step 4. Also remember the solid flavorings
In Chinese cuisine, herbs and spices are not as essential as liquid seasonings, but some you will use often, so it's best to know in advance which ones they are.
- The five-spice powder is made with peppercorns, star anise, cloves, fennel and cinnamon; sometimes it can also include coriander seeds. This blend gives dishes a complex flavor, combining spicy, salty and sweet aromas.
- You will need white sugar to correct the sour and spicy flavors.
- Cinnamon is used to minimize the flavor of fish and the fatty textures of certain dishes.
- Sodium glutamate is a clear fluid that dissolves in liquids.
Step 5. Typical fruits and vegetables
While some of the ingredients in Chinese cuisine may seem familiar to you, others are sure to be unfamiliar to you. Use only fresh fruits and vegetables when you can, otherwise buy canned; the important thing is that it is of good quality.
- Always keep garlic and ginger on hand. These ingredients are used to flavor numerous dishes. You can use powdered ones, but fresh give a stronger aroma and flavor to the food.
- Mushrooms are usually a common ingredient. Beware that they are specifically Chinese mushrooms, as they tend to have a more intense flavor. In any case, they often serve dry, not fresh.
- There are many fresh vegetables to pay attention to: peppers, chillies, cucumbers, Chinese water chestnuts, bamboo and mung bean shoots, snow peas, carrots, white onions, spring onions and aubergines. Also remember to buy tomatoes and pineapples.
Step 6. Use the correct protein sources
Eggs are one of the most common forms of protein in Chinese cuisine, although many dishes include meat, poultry, and fish.
- Eggs are used in Chinese soups, to stir-fry and to prepare other dishes, so it is better to keep some in the fridge.
- The most commonly used meats are chicken, duck, pork and veal, while shrimp and crab stand out among the seafood.
Part 2 of 3: Purchase Some Unique Kitchen Utensils
Step 1. Get a wok
The wok is a type of cup-shaped pan used for cooking on the stove. It is suitable for most culinary techniques in which oil or other hot liquids are used, thanks to the very high edges and sturdy base. Its shape allows the heat to be distributed evenly.
- The traditional wok pan with a round bottom gives a greater yield on the stove. In such a pan you can pour food without worrying about hot splashes.
- A flat-bottomed wok pan, on the other hand, works best on electric stoves. These woks often have longer handles to be able to mix food without the need for a spoon, simply by tilting it, but the food is heated less evenly than the other.
Step 2. Practice with chopsticks
Chopsticks are an essential tool for eating Chinese food in the traditional way, but they are also a great kitchen utensil. Be sure to use chopsticks made specifically for cooking, as they are longer and can be joined at the back with a string to keep them together.
- Use chopsticks to get food that's frying out of the pan, to stir stir-fry food, or to stir soup.
- If you don't have chopsticks you can do the same with a normal set of kitchen tongs, or a wooden spoon and spatula, as needed.
Step 3. Use a cleaver
The Chinese cleaver is basically a very large knife used to cut meat and vegetables. It has a smooth and heavy blade, very sharp, capable of cutting even the most woody of vegetables.
- When holding the cleaver, place your index finger on top of the blade and your thumb and middle knuckles on its sides.
- Put your other hand in a "cat's paw" shape to protect the phalanges while holding the food still on the cutting board.
Step 4. Invest in the purchase of a machine to cook rice
This appliance is not absolutely necessary, but it could make your life a lot easier if you plan to cook Chinese food often. There are different sizes: choose one based on the number of people you usually cook for.
It doesn't matter if you don't have a rice cooker, you can always cook it on the stove with a regular pot with a lid. It is more difficult to evenly cook the rice this way, but it is still doable
Step 5. Learn to use a steamer
If you plan to cook a lot of steamed Chinese dishes you should invest in a traditional bamboo steamer. Often they are composed of several stackable baskets, so as to be able to cook more dishes at a time. Those that require more intense cooking are placed near the heat source, while the others are placed on top.
You can use other types of steamer, you don't have to buy one made of bamboo; even a standard metal steamer will do. Alternatively, you can always put a metal mesh colander inside a pot with boiling water and the lid
Part 3 of 3: Putting Basic Culinary Techniques into Practice
Step 1. Learn the art of stir-frying
This is the most important technique to know, so try to learn it as soon as possible. You heat some oil in a wok or similar pan and cook the food very quickly at high temperatures.
- It is usually necessary to cut the ingredients into thin slices or cubes. Smaller pieces cook faster and evenly, which is why they are suitable for this technique.
- Pour some oil into a preheated wok; then add the aromas, followed by the main ingredients. Add the sauces and spices before the meat turns brown, then remove everything and cook the vegetables.
Step 2. Learn other forms of frying
The stir-fry technique is the one most associated with oriental cuisine, but if you want to become an expert in this area you will have to learn other forms of frying.
- Quick stir-frying is a system similar to the standard one, but a very simple sauce is used instead of oil for frying.
- Searing is also similar to standard stir-frying, but uses higher temperatures to cook food almost instantly. Often the meat is bathed in egg and starch to preserve the juices.
- Deep frying is done in large pots with a lot of oil. The oil must be brought almost to the point of smoke during cooking, and the food must be absolutely dry before being immersed. The food must be totally submerged and should be cooked a little at a time.
- Frying in foil is similar to immersion, but in this case, small pieces of fish or meat are wrapped in cellophane before being immersed.
- Frying in a pan is instead done with a little oil at moderate temperatures.
Step 3. Steam your meals
Steaming is a fairly common technique, which is often used to prepare light dishes without oils or sauces. For example, you can prepare stuffed ravioli with a steamer.
During the cooking process, food must never come into direct contact with boiling water below the thermal base
Step 4. Learn the Red Cooking technique
This technique is exclusively Chinese. It is usually used with very large cuts of meat or poultry.
During cooking, dark soy sauce is added to the meat, giving it a reddish color. It is usually added after putting the water or broth in the pan
Step 5. Learn to make boiled meats and stews
These are two different cooking techniques used in Chinese cuisine, but both involve boiling or slow cooking food in liquid.
- Stews are common, but Chinese stews are made up of meat only, no vegetables. In ancient times, these stews were cooked in clay pots over a low heat embers, which made it possible to obtain soups with an almost gelatinous consistency.
- You can decide whether to blanch or simmer the food. During this process the food is quickly cooked in hot water or broth. Blanched food is kept in water for a very short time, while simmered food is kept until ready.
- Boiling is done in boiling water, of course.
- The quick stew is a mixed technique between stew and boiling. Foods are quickly cooked in boiling water or broth. A thickener is then added and cooking is continued by boiling until the liquid has become thick.
Step 6. Learn about baking
This technique is rare in Chinese culture, as many oriental restaurants do not have an oven. However, if you intend to make special dishes, such as Peking duck, you will need to know how to prepare them.
Step 7. Also learn about pre-cooking techniques
There are many techniques for pre-cooking food, here are some of them.
- The marinade is one of the most important to know. In Chinese cuisine, the standard marinade is used for fruit and vegetables. The ingredients can be dipped in wine, soy sauce, vinegar or various flavorings. Quick wine marinating is a particular method in which some sort of wine is used.
- Dry marinade is usually used for meat. Spices and aromas are rubbed on the ingredients to be absorbed before cooking.
- The marinating mixture is very particular and requires the ingredients to be placed in a mixture of fermented cereals that come from the wine production process.
- Another very useful method is to beat the meat using the flat or bottom side of the cleaver. It serves to make the meat more tender before cooking it.
