Demystifying Asian Cookery

Objectives Participants will gain knowledge of….  traditional equipment;  Asian ingredients;  Asian cooking techniques; and  presentation styles

Equipment  Wok ~seasoning ~cleaning  Wok stirrer  Steaming trivet or frying strainer  Steamer  Cleavers

Asian Ingredients  Asian pears  Baby corn  Bamboo shoots  Charsiu sauce  Bean curd  Bean sprouts  Bean thread noodles  Black bean sauce  Bok choy  Coconut milk  Curry  Fenugreek  Five-spice  Ginger root  Hoisin sauce  Jicama  Lemon grass  Lotus root

Asian Ingredients  Lychee  Mushrooms  Oyster-flavored sauce  Panko  Plum sauce  Rice  Rice noodles  Rice Vinegar  Salted black beans  Sesame seed paste  Soy sauce  Sweet and sour sauce  Taro root  Water chestnuts  Wrappers ~wonton ~gyoza ~egg roll ~spring roll

Asian Cooking Techniques  Steaming  Stir Frying  Deep Frying  Currying  Simmering  Barbecuing  Noodling

Steaming

Stir Fry Steps 1. Prepare ingredients. 2. Heat wok. 3. Add oil. 4. Add flavoring agent to oil. 5. Add meat. 6. Add dried, reconstituted ingredients. 7. Add vegetables. 8. Add stock or other liquid and dry seasonings. 9. Add thickening agents.

Stir Fry Tricks  Blanch vegetables to shorten cooking time.  Soak vegetables in ice water and pat dry for a crisper texture.  Remove bean curd before frying. Firm tofu can be fried several hours in advance.  Ingredients should be a dry as possible.  Sprinkle with sesame seed oil for a delicate, nutty flavor and shiny appearance.  Check and recheck ingredients before beginning.

Deep Frying Double Immersion Technique: 1. Immerse food in oil and fry until light and golden. 2. Remove from oil. 3. Drain while oil is reheating. 4. Immerse again and fry until completely crisp. 5. Do not overcook.

Deep Frying Tricks  Use a heavy 4 – 6 quart long handled sauce pan.  Fill only half full with oil.  Cut food into uniform size pieces.  The less rich the batter, the less oil is absorbed.  Fry small amounts at a time.  Let oil recover before adding more food.  Keep a lid handy in case of fire.

Currying  Hot chili peppers  Cumin seeds  Coriander seeds  Tumeric  Fenugreek

Simmering ~ the Asian crockpot  Red cooked dishes have been stewed in water and soy sauce.  Clear simmering involves cooking in water or stock only.

Barbecuing

Noodling  Cellophane noodles ~ mung-bean starch  Egg noodles ~ wheat-based  Rice flour noodles  Harusame ~ cornstarch and potato flour  Ramen ~ wheat-based egg noodles  Soba ~ buckwheat flour

Presentation Ancient Chinese philosophy of food…. a harmonious blend of flavors, textures and colors. There should be a counterbalance of food…. rich with bland; bright colors with pale; smooth textures with crunch; and hot dishes with cold dishes.