I am interested in cooking my own Chinese food and I have two
questions.
First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?
Second question, is there a place online that sells quality (something
that will last) woks for someone who is not at a professional level of
cooking at a decent price?
Also, if you can suggest another group where these questions can be
better answered, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance for your
responses.
- Jonathan DeVowe

Jonathan DeVowe wrote:
> First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
> that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?

Garlic, ginger, oil, rice, soy sauce.

Put the rice in an airtight plastic container, it will be good for a
very long time. Oil, while perishable (it tastes like ass after a
while), lasts a while in a cool, dark place. Garlic and ginger are
perishable but last months. Soy sauce can last up to a year refrigerated
and still keep its taste.

Anyway, with these four items and some fresh meat and vegetables you can
make a wide variety of Chinese dishes. You may need a few other items
but these will get you most of the way there.

--
John Gaughan
http://www.johngaughan.net/

Jonathan DeVowe wrote:
> I am interested in cooking my own Chinese food and I have two
> questions.
> First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
> that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?
> Second question, is there a place online that sells quality (something
> that will last) woks for someone who is not at a professional level of
> cooking at a decent price?
> Also, if you can suggest another group where these questions can be
> better answered, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance for your
> responses.
> - Jonathan DeVowe

Heh. You need to get the _1000 Recipe Chinese Cookbook_. Then, there are
dried Shitake mushrooms, tamrind paste, dried lotus blossom, dried
shrimp, salt radish (oops, sorry, I digress into Thai), noodles, and a
big mound of frozen roasted pork. I saw a Wok at Super 88 for $20. I bet
with that size wok you need some sort of high BTU propane burner, like a
Camp Chef. I have to admire those wok chefs: if some little piece of
food does not look right, just flip it out and into the fire; that's
what I do, regardless of the mess. I still scratch my head over that
smokey fried rice, what a fine touch. I remember one place, in the great
state of New York, where he tried to convince me that the sour taste was
a kin to the 'long march' type of food; I ate some of it. I had this
taste again at a Den-not-easy-to-conceal, like they can't rinse off the
soap, yuk! Pretty sure that your wok will be limited by BTU burner.

Good luck.

> John Gaughan sniffled:
>
>Jonathan DeVowe wrote:
>> First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
>> that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?
>
>Garlic, ginger, oil, rice, soy sauce.
>
>Put the rice in an airtight plastic container, it will be good for a
>very long time. Oil, while perishable (it tastes like ass after a
>while)

Of that we can presume you're an authority...


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

PENMART01 wrote:
>> Oil, while perishable (it tastes like ass after a
>> while)
>
> Of that we can presume you're an authority...

I eat ass, don't you? Haven't you ever had pork butt?

--
John Gaughan
http://www.johngaughan.net/

John Gaughan wrote:

> I eat ass, don't you? Haven't you ever had pork butt?

Yeah but that's actually shoulder

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

Steve Wertz wrote:
> Pork butt comes from the shoulder. A butt half of a ham, OTOH,
> would be closer to the ass.

I guess I shouldn't have taken "pork butt" quite so literally.

So please tell me, what other pecularities are there about hams?
Seriously, I am not as familiar with pigs as I am with cows.

--
John Gaughan
http://www.johngaughan.net/

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 13:07:48 -0500, Jonathan DeVowe
> wrote:

> I am interested in cooking my own Chinese food and I have two
>questions.
> First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
>that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?

Soy sauce, garlic, ginger, cornstatch. Good sharp knife.

What kind of "Chinese food" are you talking about? What have you had
that you want to reproduce? Take-out stir-fry? Dim sum? Banquet
dishes?

> Second question, is there a place online that sells quality (something
>that will last) woks for someone who is not at a professional level of
>cooking at a decent price?

Even a cheap carbon steel wok will last nearly forever. Anything
that'll take high heat, be the correct shape (which provides 'zones'
of heat), and big enough to toss things around.

Frogleg wrote:
>
> On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 13:07:48 -0500, Jonathan DeVowe
> > wrote:
>
> > I am interested in cooking my own Chinese food and I have two
> >questions.
> > First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
> >that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?
>
> Soy sauce, garlic, ginger, cornstatch. Good sharp knife.

Second time garlic and ginger is mentioned. These are not
non-perishable. I find perserved black beans are okay after 2 years, and
are cheap. I also have several soy sauces, including double dark, a few
vinegars, some shaosing wine. Good peanut oil, Lion and Globe is *okay*,
dark sesame oil, some tsintsing peppers (I use Penzey's).
I also vote for a proper (and cheap in chinatown) brush for cleaning the
wok without denuding it of its special coating.
Have a look at Bruce Cost's Asian ingredients. He recently did a pretty
second edition.
>
> Even a cheap carbon steel wok will last nearly forever. Anything
> that'll take high heat, be the correct shape (which provides 'zones'
> of heat), and big enough to toss things around.

I've seen thinner and thicker ones. I much prefer the heavier ones. Woks
aren't pricey. I got a couple Atlas woks at knock off prices at a Korean
groc (for gifts). Also, some cheap woks have some lumpiness where the
handle attaches. I'd rather feel than just buy online. Do you have a
friend near a chinatown? And handles. Unless you intend to use it over a
campfire or over very very high burners (outside) get one with one long
handle, not the two little loops of metal.
The question you didn't ask is heat source. You need a **hot** burner.
Best of luck and check out the alt.food.asian group for some Chinese
food groupies.
blacksalt

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 18:38:56 -0800, kalanamak >
wrote:

>Frogleg wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 13:07:48 -0500, Jonathan DeVowe
>> > wrote:
>>
>> > I am interested in cooking my own Chinese food and I have two
>> >questions.
>> > First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
>> >that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?
>>
>> Soy sauce, garlic, ginger, cornstatch. Good sharp knife.
>
>Second time garlic and ginger is mentioned. These are not
>non-perishable. I find perserved black beans are okay after 2 years, and
>are cheap. I also have several soy sauces,...

<snip>

Point taken. I think of ginger and garlic as so basic and relatively
easy to keep on hand as being enduring. :-) It's hard to advise
someone who apparently wants to take up "Chinese cooking" and has no
idea of common ingredients. One might suggest rice and several
different noodles (ah hah! *Almost* non-perishable if you keep the
bugs out), but how could someone plan to start cooking Chinese food
and be unaware of this?

I notice the OP hasn't been back. Apropos the "looking for recipes"
thread, the original msg has something of the flavor of trolling.

"Steve Wertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 13:07:48 -0500, Jonathan DeVowe
> > wrote:
>
> > I am interested in cooking my own Chinese food and I have two
> >questions.
> > First question, what ingredients are commonly used in Chinese cooking
> >that are non-perishable and good to have on hand?
>
> Soy Sauce
> Oyster Sauce (Amoy brand)
> Rice Wine
> Rice Vinegar.
> Hot chile/Garlic Paste
> Hoisin Sauce
> Black Bean paste/sauce
>
> Peanut oil
>
> Dried Bean Thread
> Rice Stick noodles (several widths)
> Jasmine Rice
> Dried Shitake Mushrooms
> Dried shrimp
> Cloud Ear Fungus a.k.a "Dried Vegetable"
>
> Chicken soup base (Minors or Tones pastes - NOT BOULLION)
> Five-spice powder
> White pepper
> Cornstarch
>
>
> The above will allow you to make hundreds of dishes with the
> addition of just one vegetable and/or meat.
>
> > Second question, is there a place online that sells quality (something
> >that will last) woks for someone who is not at a professional level of
> >cooking at a decent price?
>
> Acemart.com has several cood quality and inexpensive woks.
>
> > Also, if you can suggest another group where these questions can be
> >better answered, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance for your
> >responses.
>
> alt.food.asian. Response crossposted.
>
> -sw
>

Don't forget sesame oil. I buy it by the (52 oz.) can. It keeps without
refrigeration. I pour a cup out and keep it beside my other oils for
cooking. I don't like to use it without cutting it with a little olive,
canola or other oil. Just a little can make a dish 'very' Asian tasting.
Dee

Dee Randall wrote:

>
> Don't forget sesame oil. I buy it by the (52 oz.) can. It keeps without
> refrigeration. I pour a cup out and keep it beside my other oils for
> cooking. I don't like to use it without cutting it with a little olive,
> canola or other oil. Just a little can make a dish 'very' Asian tasting.

Cutting it also helps reduce smoke when cooking with high heat.
I usually use olive or peanut oil with a touch of sesame.

--
Dan

Dan Logcher > wrote in message >...
> Dee Randall wrote:
>
> >
> > Don't forget sesame oil.
> > I don't like to use it without cutting it with a little olive,
> > canola or other oil.
>
> Cutting it also helps reduce smoke when cooking with high heat.

Actually it should be used in a marinade, or added after removing from
heat, but not as an oil to cook with. It's a flavoring more than a
cooking oil.

Tippi wrote:

> Dan Logcher > wrote in message >...
>
>>Dee Randall wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Don't forget sesame oil.
>>>I don't like to use it without cutting it with a little olive,
>>>canola or other oil.
>>>
>>Cutting it also helps reduce smoke when cooking with high heat.
>>
>
> Actually it should be used in a marinade, or added after removing from
> heat, but not as an oil to cook with. It's a flavoring more than a
> cooking oil.

I do use sesame oil for marinades, but I also add a few drops to the
wok during cooking to give it flavor. I'll try just adding it at the
end and see how it tastes.

--
Dan

"Tippi" > wrote in message
om...
>
> Actually it should be used in a marinade, or added after removing from
> heat, but not as an oil to cook with. It's a flavoring more than a
> cooking oil.

What sort of marinades, if I may ask. I keep my bottle in the refridgerator
since I use it so seldom.


Arey

"Duncan" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tippi" > wrote in message
> om...
> >
> > Actually it should be used in a marinade, or added after removing from
> > heat, but not as an oil to cook with. It's a flavoring more than a
> > cooking oil.
>
> What sort of marinades, if I may ask. I keep my bottle in the
refridgerator
> since I use it so seldom.

I'm just jumping into this thread, and don't have Chinese experience, but I
used sesame oil (with corriander root, chili and garlic) to marinate chicken
breast which after 30 minutes was grilled and served with a sweet chili
sauce made from vinegar, sugar, salt, chili and garlic. This is a thai dish
though.

"Duncan" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tippi" > wrote in message
> om...
> >
> > Actually it should be used in a marinade, or added after removing from
> > heat, but not as an oil to cook with. It's a flavoring more than a
> > cooking oil.
>
> What sort of marinades, if I may ask. I keep my bottle in the
refridgerator
> since I use it so seldom.

A few drops add flavor to many things. A quick survey produced the
following:

Sauces: Szechuan Chicken with Chilies, Shanghai string beans, Stir fry
sauce.



Marinades: Hot Orange Beef, Corn starch marinade for stir-fried meat strips



Noodles: Cold noodles with sweet and spicy chicken.



I speak no Chinese so I can't readily give you the Chinese names for the
dishes.




--
James V. Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA