Asian Cooking Equipment and Cooking Asian Food

You may think you know how to prepare Asian food but you haven’t really done it properly until you use the right kind of Asian cooking equipment. Contrary to what many people think, you need a lot more than an ordinary wok to be able to cook Asian food the authentic way. Read on to find out what other important equipment you will need.

Cooking With The Wok

We’ve mentioned the wok, and that is certainly the first piece of Asian cooking equipment that comes to mind for most people. It is also the most frequently used when cooking Asian food. Traditional woks used in Chinese cooking were originally made of heavy iron or steel, although there are many today that are made from other types of material. The wok is a versatile cooking equipment as it can be used for so many different purposes including stir frying, pan frying, deep frying and even steaming. It is a good idea to keep your wok well-oiled at all times to keep it from drying out and to prevent rusting and staining.

Another very useful Asian cooking equipment is the clay pot. For most purposes, the clay pot can be considered the Asian equivalent of the western stew pot. However, instead of putting the clay pot inside the oven to cook food as is most often done with the stew pot, it is placed on top of the stove. One of the great things about the Asian clay pot is that it keeps the food hot for a longer time, and it also keeps a lot of the food’s flavor locked in the dish.

More Asian Cooking Equipment To Consider

Asian meals are seldom complete without dumplings or other similar steamed food, so it makes perfect sense to include a good steamer to the list of Asian cooking equipment that you will want to buy. Steamers are available in varying sizes, from 6 inches to 12 inches in diameter. Authentic Asian steamers are made from bamboo but again, some designs today are made from other materials. The attractive appearance of the bamboo steamer however, make it the more popular choice as it can also function as a serving plate.

Finally, to top off your list of basic Asian cooking equipment, you will also want to look for a sharp and durable cleaver. This handy cutting tool is just as effective for cutting through poultry meat and bones as it is for slicing vegetables, both of which are common ingredients in most Asian recipes.

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