Comments on: Chinese Cooking Starter Kit

By: Kian

Kian — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:30:45 +0000

I used to buy Pearl River Bridge brand soy sauce. I like the slightly caramelized flavor of their products. But I must admit that I am wary of food products from China. You really can’t rely on the quality and product content any more. With so many contamination reports I often hesitate to buy Chinese food products. I now regularly use Amoy brand soy sauces from Hong Kong. For oyster sauce my favorite is still Lee Kum Kee, which is the company that originated the sauce.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:19:24 +0000

Hi Kian,

I like the list that you’ve put together. I was wondering if you could recommend brands for the soy sauce (or at least identify what’s pictured).

Thanks,
Michael

By: ravi n.palan

ravi n.palan — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:13:03 +0000

very informative,educative.but you have not mentioned anything about MSG because, i’ve seen many cooks using it in chineese cooking.

By: Kian

Kian — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 04:07:40 +0000

Hi Theresa,

I lived in a building with electric stove once. I have to admit that it was rather challenging to stir-fry on it. My advise is to go ahead and use a flat bottom carbon steel wok.

Heat the wok on high setting until very hot. Test by holding your hand palm down about an inch above the bottom of the wok. It should feel too hot to keep your hand there. Swirl about two tablespoons of cooking oil and continue to heat for about 30 seconds. The oil should almost reach smoking point. That’s when you want to start stir-frying.

A problem with electric stove is that once you start cooking the temperature immediately drop. One solution is to cook in two smaller batches per recipe.

I hope this will help you.

Kian

By: Theresa

Theresa — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 02:59:05 +0000

Kian,

I love your blog and how well you demystify Chinese cooking. I have an equipment question for you – my condo building only has electric, no gas. What’s your experience with electric woks? Or should I stick with my cast iron pan?

By: Kian

Kian — Wed, 26 May 2010 02:37:14 +0000

Hi udscbt,

Thank you for your comment. I would first like to say that the intention of the starter kit is to equip an American kitchen with the initial collection of ingredients for cooking Chinese food. It is not meant to supply the complete pantry of a full fledge Chinese cook. The kit only includes dry ingredients and sauces. Aromatics ingredients such as ginger, garlic and scallions should be stocked as fresh ingredients and not as dried ingredients. Therefore I did not include these items.

As for vinegar I decided not to include either white rice vinegar or black vinegar because they are not an absolute necessity to begin cooking Chinese. Regular white vinegar can often be substituted in many Chinese recipe. Can we add more ingredients to supplement this kit? Absolutely! As one expands on his or her cooking repertoire more ingredients should be added.

Clove is in fact widely used in Chinese cooking. It is often used in braising and stewing. In fact it is one of the main spices in “five spice” powder. Clove is called for in recipes for red cooked beef and red cooked lamb, as well as for marinade in tea smoked duck recipe.

I hope this help explains the idea of a starter kit.

By: udscbt

udscbt — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:33:26 +0000

Hello.
I have just come across this blog (via Flavor and Fortune magazine) and this 2-year old post which I find quite interesting.
I am a bit surprised by the inclusion of cloves which I don’t relate to Chinese cooking. Can you point to a recipe somewhere? I am also surprised that there is no mention of rice vinegar, garlic, scallions and ginger. Is there some special criteria to exclude these items from a starter kit?
Have a good day.

By: Authentic Chinese Recipes

Authentic Chinese Recipes — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:34:01 +0000

I have bought light soy sauce but didn’t know how to use at that time. thanks for sharing

By: Kian

Kian — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:45:11 +0000

Hi E. D. M., Yes, there are different qualities of Shaoxing wine. The ones labeled as cooking wine generally are the low grade wine bottled by producers of more palatable drinking wine. I think rice wine is more forgiving when low grade version is used in cooking. So I would pick just about any Shaoxing cooking wine from Chinatown. There is one variety of wine I particularly like called “Jia Fan,” and it is made with extra glutinous rice. The flavor is sweeter and works really well in cooking. (Sometimes labeled as “Chia Fan.”)

By: Eat. Drink. Memory.

Eat. Drink. Memory. — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:17:57 +0000

This is fantastic information! One thing I’d love to know more about is Shaoxing cooking wine. Like all wines, I’m sure there are varying qualities. How do you know which ones are best? Are their particular brands you recommend?