water and a green scrubber and no soap. Dry completely by using the stovetop over low heat. We are now ready to season the inside of the wok. First, chop an onion or a bunch of green onions (scallions) or chives, garlic, or ginger or some combination of these. This last step will help to finish the seasoning with an aromatic fragrance.
4 Do the following steps in quick sequence. Using oven pads:
5 Heat the wok on high heat till you see first wisps of smoke.
6 Immediately squeeze vegetable oil around the sides of the wok, go around 3–4 times so oil drips down sides.
7 Add the aromatics. Use a spatula to push the aromatics up the sides of the wok. You will see the seasoning (bronze color) start immediately.
8 Tip the wok back and forth so all the sides will get some heat.
9 Keep stir-frying until the seasoning (bronze) happens all around the wok, then toss the contents out. Your wok is now ready for your inaugural stir-fry!
Care and Maintenance of your Wok
After using your wok, soak it in hot water (no soap) while you are eating but never for very long because it will begin to rust. Any food particles will lift off easily. Use a sink brush or green scrubber pad to remove any particles. Dry the wok by heating it over the stovetop over low heat. I do not wipe oil on my wok prior to storing because it can become rancid and sticky.
If your wok is looking dry, rub oiled paper towels all around it to restore its finish. Use your wok for cooking everything, not just Asian stir-fry, and the patina will build back up quickly!
If you get a crust on your wok from caramelizing (sugar), scrub it off with a green scrubber. Rub oiled paper towels in the problem area and heat on the stove, this will “reseason” it.
Do NOT put your wok in the dishwasher. The washing agent is too strong and the patina will fade and it will ruin your wok.
Eleanor Hoh is a cooking teacher and has been a cast iron wok advocate and enthusiast for over 20 years.
Understanding Chinese Ingredients
It’s easier than ever to stock a Chinese pantry. With the proliferation of the ethnic sections at local supermarkets, common Chinese ingredients are no longer difficult to find, especially when it comes to items like soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. More exotic Chinese ingredients can be purchased online at various Chinese/Asian grocery websites (Resource Guide, page 140). If you live in a small city where there is a concentrated Asian population, it’s very likely that you will find an Asian food store or market that carries a supply of Chinese ingredients. If you live by the coast or near a major city with a Chinatown, (for example: San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, or Honolulu) consider yourself lucky because you can get just about any Chinese ingredient at the many markets there. If you are unsure about where to go, just ask your Asian or Chinese friends and I am almost certain that they will point you to a good source. Building a Chinese pantry is both fun and rewarding. Here is the list of the most common Chinese ingredients I use on a daily basis and are used in the recipes of this cookbook.
Bamboo Shoots are the edible young and tender stems of bamboo plants. Bamboo shoots are available either fresh or canned, but canned bamboo shoots are the most easily found and probably safest to use as some fresh bamboo shoots have a strong and unappetizing odor. Canned bamboo shoots are already cooked and come sliced, whole, or in thin strips. I prefer the sliced version so I can use it for stir-fries, and I can cut them into thin strips for Hot and Sour Soup (page 55).
Bok Choy is a common Chinese vegetable that has white stems with green leaves. Bok choy has a mild flavor and the white stems are always crisp. They come in different sizes but the one I love most is baby bok choy, which is about 3-4 inches (7-10 cm) in length. They are very versatile and can be used in stir-fries, soups, or to add texture and color to noodle dishes.
Chicken Bouillon Powder (Chicken Powder) is the secret ingredient used by many Chinese chefs and home cooks. It’s a superior flavoring agent because it’s made with real chicken. I love it as a marinade or as a seasoning. Chicken bouillon powder is also marketed as “chicken powder” or “chicken seasoning powder.” I prefer Knorr brand, which has a no-MSG version.
Chinese Black Vinegar is made of fermented rice, wheat, barley, or sorghum and often labeled as “Chinkiang vinegar.” It’s used as a dipping sauce for dumplings. It’s very dark in color with a mouth-puckering flavor. When it’s used in cooking, it imparts a complex, tart, and smoky flavor to dishes.
Chinese Broccoli (gailan/kailan) is a dark green vegetable with thick stalks. The leaves are sturdier when compared to other Chinese greens, and resemble kale, and so it’s sometimes called Chinese kale. If you shop in a Chinese or Asian store, Chinese broccoli is often labeled as gailan or kailan.
Chinese Chives (Garlic Chives) This green, flat, and grass-like vegetable has a distinctly garlicky flavor, an ideal ingredient for Chinese dumplings or jiaozi. When shopping for Chinese chives, make sure that you don’t confuse it with regular green onions (scallions), which have hollow leaves. Chinese chives are believed to have antiseptic qualities and so many people combine it with oil to season a new wok. Yellow Chives are basically Chinese chives (garlic chives) that have been grown in the dark, that is, without the exposure to sunlight. As a result, yellow chives are stripped of the green color found in regular Chinese chives.
Yellow chives are commonly used in Cantonese cuisine, such as soups and noodles. They are best used when fresh because they don’t keep well in the refrigerator. If they become stale they will emit a strong and unpleasant smell.
Chinese Rice Vinegar is clear in color, has a sharp and acidic smell, and has a tart taste. It’s used to pickle vegetables as well as to give a sour taste to some Chinese dishes. Chinese rice vinegar is usually sold in a tall glass bottle. A bottle will last forever because it’s used sparingly in recipes. It keeps well at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Chinese Rice Wine is used in many recipes in this book. I prefer Shaoxing wine, which is an amber-hued wine produced in the town of Shaoxing, in the Zhejiang province of China. It has a low alcohol content and is great for marinating proteins. When added to sauces, it imparts a hint of alcohol flavoring. Dry sherry is a great substitute for Chinese rice wine.
Chinese Rose Wine This intense and highly aromatic wine is called Mei Kuei Lu Chiew in Chinese. It’s sometimes labeled as Rose Essence Wine in English. Chinese rose wine is basically sorghum liquor that is distilled with rock sugar and rose petals, and is about 46% alcohol! Hailed as the Chinese brandy, it’s used in marinating meats such as BBQ pork or char siu. Because of its strong alcohol flavor, it’s used sparingly but infuses the marinated meats with an unforgettable aroma.
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms are readily available in Chinese markets. They are reconstituted in water before using. Dried shiitake mushrooms have a wonderful “umami” flavor that makes it a great addition to a variety of dishes, from soups to dim sum and dumplings. Dried shiitake mushrooms keep in the pantry or refrigerator for a long time, but make sure they are stored in a sealed container or plastic bag so they don’t lose their smoky aroma.
Fermented Black Beans Pungent and salty, fermented black beans are the basic ingredient of Chinese black bean sauce. They are usually available in a plastic or paper packet, and labeled as “fermented black beans,” “preserved black beans,” or “salted black
