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I might lean on to the chinese version of preparation here to prepare chicken and vegetable stir fry, Ive used it a couple of times and it comes from the Argo® corn starch and Martin Yan 's cooking recipe-booklet here it is then as it is in the cookbook: This recipe is similar to the chinese-restaurant favourite, Moo Goo Pan, which takes its name from a province in northern China. Moo Goo means mongolia.Gai and Pan refer to rice and chicken. Under 15 minutes Makes 4 servings 3/4 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 1Tbsp minced ginger or 2 tsp ground ginger 2Tbsp ARGO® corn starch, divided 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp dark sesame oil 2 Tbsp Mazola® oil 1 cup sliced mushrooms* 1 cup snow peas, halved* 1 small red bell pepper cut in thin strips* 4 green onions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces* 1. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with ginger and 1 tablespoon corn starch to coat lightly; set aside. 2. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon corn starch, chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame oil, set aside. 3. In wok or a large skillet heat oil over medium-heat. Add chicken and cook stirring quicklyand frequently (stir fry) 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. 4. Add mushrooms, snow peas, red pepper and green onions and stir fry 4 to 5 minutes or until red pepper is tender-crisp. 5. Stir soy sauce mixture until blended then pour into wok. Stirring constantly, bring to boil and boil 1 minute. Serve with rice. *Time saver Tip: substitute one 12 or 16-oz package frozen Asian vegetables for above // This recipe was also on the package( no P47207104Z) cover of Argo® corn starch I did enjoy making it very much and best of all is that it s so similar in taste to the indian chinese preparations, Ive adjusted my chilli additions slightly but otherwise it is perfect for me, and I also added milk 2Tbsp to 1. step above it helps tenderize the chicken better. And I did forgo the chicken broth but used water instead of it. work fine.

Well, I tried the recipe above and made some very good bread on my upside down wok. It really was much better than I expected but still needs some work. I did get the dough very thin but once it cooked it got a little too thick, so first step is to reduce the amount of yeast and prolong the proofing time for the dough, maybe overnight. The dough really has to be paper thin for it to come out right. This is actually more consistent with the recipe I adapted mine from. The other thing is a matter of taste, I think the wheat flour also needs to be reduced. Maybe use only half of it and replace the rest with white flour. Here are a couple of pictures. That folded half moon bread is actually stuffed with cheese. I also spread some Zaatar on another round but I did not get a chance tot ake a picture of it before it was gone . Elie

You're right, silly me. Didn't think to search for Korean products since the store was 95% Vietnamese stuff. reverse wok Now that I've raised (or re-raised) the subject of the reverse wok, what do people think of them for stovetop use? Would they better than a regular flat grill pan for kalbi, for example?

Wow, you guys are making Wok Hey sound mysterious and dangerous, like only James Bond could do it, and maybe only if Q gave him a special piece of equipment that might cost hundreds of dollars! It doesn't need to be this intimidating. You can do it on the gas burner of a conventional stove. If you have one power burner that boils water faster than the others, that is the obvious choice--this is typically 14-15KBTU. A regular burner can also work, but you may find it helps a lot to take the burner grate off and cradle the wok in the metal collar, with the collar INVERTED (WIDE SIDE UP) so that the wok can get closer to the flame. Wok cooking needs a hotter pan than most Western cooks are used to. The major obstacle here is learning to have the patience to let the pan get hot enough before you start. The actual time for this depends on your stove, your pan, etc. but the temptation to start prematurely is always there, in part because you have probably put all the ingredients next to the stove, mise-en-place, and psychologically you're just to eager to get the show on the road. Force yourself to use a timer if you have a hard time with this. Barara Tropp describes the sensory clues to look for to know your pan is hot enough, in Modern Art of Chinese Cooking. The main thing to look for is oil vapor just beginning to smoke from your still-completely-empty wok. You have not added any oil yet--the wisps come from some of the residual oil on there from when you seasoned it/re-seasoned it the last time you used it. (Seasoning is not difficult, see excellent instructions at www.wokshop.com.). Not sure if there was a typo upthread, but the wok does not need to be "red hot". This is not blacksmithing. Only when the pan is hot enough do you add the oil--hot pan cold oil food won't stick. After swirling around wok, immediately add salt and aromatics. You may want to chop garlic, ginger, etc into larger-than usual pieces when you first start out--less likely to burn, and a nice precaution until you get the hang of how quick you have to move to cook this way. Getting the flame to leap into the pan is very theatrical, but totally unnecessary to get authentic tasting Chinese food. One thing you should know. Frying at this temperature produces a lot of airborne oil particles. Wok Hey=Wok Air. An oily film will quickly build up on everything if precautions are not taken. Open a door or window while cooking if you do not have a hood that exhausts to the outside. Cover the wall behind your stove with foil, and use disposable foil liners for your burners. While cooking, do what you can to keep the oil-laden air from the kitchen from circulating to other parts of the house.

The cover picture on "Chinese Cooking" - (Zhaohua Publishing House, Beijing 1983) depicts that wonderful flare-up. When people in my classes ask about that special Wok Qi -- I show them that picture and tell them that if they can do that -- they've got it! The chef in the picture is very nonchalant looking, and it appears as tho he is holding the wok with his hand and a rag! I don't see any handle! The flame is so high and full, that is shines on his face. Cool!

I though it was pretty poor: the food descriptions were dull, the puns to be expected. I think it's quite depressing that in following his favourite technique of setting up the first paragraph to culminate in a bad pun, the best he could come up with was 'A Wok in The Black Forest'.

To attain Wok Hei in your cooking, in addition to getting a fast burner and Ben's points, let me add (from a timing perspective): - Burn the wok to read hot - Scoop in cooking oil, heat til fuming - Add aromatic as the recipe calls for, usually garlic, onion, ginger, shallot, etc. - Add the sauces as the recipe calls for, e.g. chili bean sauce, brown bean sauce, black bean sauce, etc. You really need to cook the sauce for a few seconds. - Quickly dash in 1-2 tsp of white vinegar or cooking wine. Tilt and toss the wok, let the flame from the burner to propage on to the surface of the wok and flame the sauces mix. Be careful as the flame may go up to 2 feet high or more especially if you add large quantity of vinegar or wine. It is not for the faint of heart. And sure it is advisable to do this outdoor as most of our home kitchen fans are not designed to extract this kind of fume. - Quickly add your stir-fry vegetables or meat (pre-velveted) to finish the dish. Most of the stir-fry dishes in restaurants are done this way.

You don't have spend almost three hundred dollars for something called a "Patio Wok Burner". Go to any hardware store or Wally World and you should be able to pick up a burner for turkey fryers for about $60. Canadian. The model I have been using for the past 5 years (on my deck) puts out an eyelash singeing 90,000 BTUs. Be aware though, that cooking on that dragon requires that you have all your sh*t together and that you have your procedures down pat. There is no time for checking recipes or cutting up missing ingredients.

Sly chefs have been known to fake "wok breath" by using flaxseed oil, which has a low smoke point, in stir-frying.

I wanted to add that there is another way to get wok hei at home: check out the Patio Wok. I bought one a year or so ago (for, I should say, about $100 less than the current price) and it has made it clear why I could never get wok hei before. Turned on low, I produce a heat that is perfect for most wok dishes -- and it's far hotter than anything I've ever gotten on any gas or electric stove inside. All you need is a propane tank and space out of doors, and you can not only get wok hei as a matter of course -- you can also get "burned-the-bejeezus-out-of-dinner" hei without too much trouble. The patio wok is a good idea if you want the heat but can't stand to put it in your kitchen. Also, if you lack real hooded exhaust (as I do), it's a lot less of a pain to cook with a wok outside, even if it's a bit chilly.

Saying it's "red hot" was just a figure of speech, not to be taken too literally. We all know that even the strongest burner cannot heat the wok to such temperature. I agree that you can achieve similar result with gas burners at home (not sure about electric ones) if you heat the wok/pan patiently enough. However, I do believe the flame, large or small, theatrical or symbolic, does make a difference in producing that elusive "wok hei". I think the reason is the flame caramelizes the aromatics along with the sauces and captures such "smokey" flavor, if you will, in the food. The way to light up such a flame is by dashing in the vinegar or cooking wine or similar alcohol or acid fluid onto a hot surface. It instantly evaporates and splashes many small oil droplets in the air, which catch on fire. This may seem an insignificant step, which I did not see other posters mentioned in pursuit of "wok hei", but it makes a world of difference. You can experiment with your cooking, one with a dash of vinegar/wine to catch a small flame, one without, and compare the difference in taste on the final product.

Durian was right in pointing out that you don't really need macho-sized burners. My wife gets good results from the standard-issue gas range that's been in our flat since long before I moved in 27 years ago. She does pretty much what Durian described, using a cheapo cold-rolled steel wok. It takes it a little longer to get the wok hot enough, and you have to limit portion sizes to keep from cooling down the wok. (She typically cooks 5 dishes to feed three, with a little left over.) We did install a hood vent with a fan (highly recommended!)

Maybe true... but for wok-learners, all your comments; said in slightly different ways are helpful. I read Jaffrey's "Breath" review in the October Saveur as well. Along with this thread, it has really piqued my interest to check it out. Thanks all-- and welcome Durian.

Odading fluffy pillows of deep fried dough. Delicious fresh, hot out of the wok -- great for dunking in morning tea or coffee.

Wok hei is that ephemeral, elusive will o' the wisp that a lot of cooks strive for (those who can't ever make the achievement say that it's an old wive's tale ) It is achievable on home ranges, providing that the (gas) burner can give you at least 14,000 btus. With an electric range let the large burner get red hot and use a flat bottomed wok, or better still, use a fry or saute' pan . Regardless of stove type, let the pan or wok get to the smoke stage before adding oil and aromatics. The secrets to getting wok hei are: ... to cook enough food to match the size of the pan/wok. The goal here is to maintain a high heat level. A dish should be no more than 10-12ounces, ie: Chinese family meal portions. Food must be cut properly. ... Cook ingredients in stages; meat, then veg., then combine and thicken lightly. Blanch ingredients in oil or water, and use a little more oil than customary. The oil should be of the highest quality and aromatic, eg: peanut oil. ...keep moisture to an absolute minimum. ...to enjoy the breath of the wok, eat the food asap out of the wok/pan. Oh, the heat that you are trying to get and maintain should be a little "scary".

Has anyone else read Madhur Jaffrey's review of "Breath" in the most recent Saveur? Very interesting. The impression I got was that Madhur really liked most of the recipes, but she found wok hay elusive, and ends with a question for Grace Young about whether or not it can really be accomplished at home on a normal stove. I'd really like to take a look at the book... like saluki I usually wait to buy mine as remainders or used, but this one is very tempting to buy right away! regards, trillium

I've seen Soybean oil used for deep frying, I don't think it breaks down at high temperatures. And besides, what exactly are you classifying as a "high" temperature? Most home ranges, even the "professional" style home ranges will never get a burner or wok hot enough to break down soybean oil or a asian oil blend.

If you are really stir frying in the authentic Chinese way (like Barbara Tropp), your wok is blasting hot before you even add the oil so you need high smoke point oil, as others have mentioned. Peanut oil and EXTRA LIGHT Olive Oil (NOT Extra Virgin) are probably best for this, because they do not break down into potentially unhealthy trans fats at high temperatures. Extra Light Olive Oil is designed for deep frying, unlike Extra Virgin. Corn oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, and most others do break down at high temperatures. Before I learned this I used Extra Virgin. When cooking at such high temperatures, it lost all its flavor nuances. While this meant that it did not clash with the Chinese flavors, it also meant I was throwing away a lot of the EV flavor I had paid so dearly for. (Extra Light has little of these flavors to begin with, and little or none after stir frying.) Note that there are two different oils, called grapeseed and rapeseed. Rapeseed oil is actually canola oil; the name was changed b/c it would be hard to sell any oil with word rape in its name. As far as the name origin goes, canola=oil of Canada the same way that Mazola=oil of maize. Grapeseed oil is another thing entirely, which I don’t know too much about. I see Ming Tsai cook with it in his shows. This suggests that it has a high smoke point and doesn’t impart its own flavor to the food, but that price and health considerations might be secondary. Vegetable oil is usually a blend of soybean oil and cottonseed oil, both of which break down at high temperatures in the same bad way. Cottonseed oil has some extra health risk, since cotton crops are allowed to have more pesticides, etc. than food crops, like soybeans or corn.

the great Barbara Tropp always used corn oil. First into the wok, then using different blends of aromatics(serrano chile, cilantro, garlic, ginger, orange peel, ect.) to flavor the oil before adding veges or chicken or whatever.

The owner of the Chinese grocery I worked at years ago used to get a panelbeater to "pre-season" the woks with a blow-torch...can't give you any details, sorry, but a blow torch might also help get rid of burned-on old gunk so you can brush it clean and start again. I've been told that you should heat up a new wok full of oil until it smokes, then allow it to cool in the pan, discard the oil, wipe dry, and leave. However, I would be inclined to heat the wok evenly to cure the film of oil remainins.

I saw my mother using a big piece of fat pigskin to mop every new iron wok she bought. She also heated the wok while she was cleaning the wok with the pigskin. She says it can prevent it become rusty. It works; at least we use the wok three times a day. I am not suggesting you do it too often; otherwise, we should open another new topic of how to clean the grease on the woks. Ha..

When I wash and dry a wok, after using it, I always rub a little, tiny, teensy bit of oil in it, and wipe it completely with paper towels. It keeps my woks from rusting. BUT -- don't ever put a wok away glistening with a layer of oil. The liquid in the oil evaporates over time, and you end up with a thick finger-scraping gel.

I am guilty of steaming food in my wok. . . It's fine if I get it cleaned and dried immediately after cooking, but when we have company for supper, then it gets left until later. Having to "cleanse and re-season" my wok many times doesn't seem to affect my wok. In fact, this is the same method we used on our four 24" woks at the restaurant on Sundays. This is when we do an all out thorough cleaning on the whole kitchen. It's wonderful to start the week off with clean shiny woks, steam tables, etc. Cleaning the woks regularly this way avoids any " black specks" coming off onto the food.

You are bringing back so many memories. bubbling enormous woks of kitchere, and innumerate sadhus lined up with banana leaves. And radha ballabha katchoris.... those are so so good. I haven’t had them for years. I can see this will be a cooking weekend. I never knew Kurma, but i did know Yamuna quite well. We cooked in the same kitchens in England for several years. Also I think she has a recipe for malpua that is not so difficult. The heat and humidity and general strangeness of Bengal really overwhelmed me. I came home with rolls of photos, but I couldn’t even remember what they were of when I got home…it was the poha and sukta that i can still taste in my mind nearly 20 years later! I really like eggplant and neem, but I never make it. I have never seen Neem for sale here. I will see what i can come up with for recipes, but I am not great at that. I learned to cook watching people, and tasting stuff and figuring it out, so I am not very good at writing it down. Yamuna is the only book I have really used, ( starting with a typed draft of her first book many years ago), except for Aroona Reejingsahni, and she doesn’t really give recipes as much as general ideas... cook it till it is done, a nice amount of maida etc. See, I talk too much! But food is one of my favorite topics, and you are all making my mouth water!

If it is periodically getting rusty, you are not seasoning it well enough. I used to have that problem until I followed the instructions in Barbara Tropp's "China Moon" cookbook for seasoning a carbon steel wok (sorry to bring that up again! I think it is also in her "Modern Art of Chinese Cooking" book) - I heated the wok in segments, placing the metal directly against the highest flame I could get on my stove until it changed color completely, then rubbed oil in and repeated. The two woks I have treated this way have never rusted!