May. 06, 2024
If you want to take your Chinese cooking to the next level, it's essential to have the right tools and utensils. From the much-celebrated wok to the reliable rice cooker, these tools are vital for achieving authentic flavors and textures.
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I've been enjoying cooking and eating Chinese cuisine for over 30 years. During this time, I've come to appreciate the importance of having the best utensils, tools, and equipment for the tasks involved. They can really make the difference between success and failure, no matter how experienced you are as a cook.
This article lists Chinese cooking tools, each of which I've found invaluable over the years. Where I have a preferred product, I will name my choice and give my reasons for the recommendation.
Below are the tools that I believe are essential for anyone who enjoys Chinese cookery. The list is not exhaustive, and different recipes often require different tools and equipment, but here are what I believe to be the essentials.
Below, I explain the reasons and experiences that are behind my suggestions.
A wok is indispensable in Asian cuisine, particularly Chinese. Its versatility allows it to be used for stir-frying, steaming, deep-frying, poaching, boiling, braising, searing, stewing, and smoking food.
Woks come in various types and sizes. Some woks have round bottoms, while others have flat bottoms, each suited for different heat sources. The handles also vary in type, and some woks come with stainless coatings for easier cleaning.
If you want to read more, or are considering buying a wok, I have an entire article dedicated to my recommendations for the three best carbon-steel woks.
When choosing a wok, consider the type of stove you have and how you plan to use it. Flat-bottomed woks are best for electric stoves, while round-bottomed woks are ideal for gas stoves.
Cleaning a wok after use is essential for maintaining it. Wok brushes, traditionally made from bamboo strips bundled together, are designed for this purpose. They enable you to clean the hot surfaces of the wok without burning your fingers.
These brushes are sturdier and bigger than regular plastic dish brushes, making it easier to remove stubborn baked-on food like egg, cheese, and sticky sauces.
Always clean your wok immediately after use to prevent food from sticking. Use a wok brush to scrub the surface gently, and avoid using metal scrubbers that can damage the wok's seasoning.
A reliable cutting board is an absolute necessity for food prep. It should be solid enough to withstand chopping meat and vegetables but manageable enough to move food into the wok or another cooking vessel. Chinese cutting boards are generally made of wood, bamboo, or acrylic. Personally, I prefer wooden ones.
Wooden boards are durable and gentle on knives, but bamboo boards are eco-friendly and have natural antibacterial properties. Acrylic boards are lightweight and easy to clean but can be harsh on your knives.
Made with a round head of wire resembling a spider web and a long bamboo or metal handle, this tool is used for straining, skimming, and deep-frying. It's ideal for lifting meat, fish, or spring rolls from hot oil or removing dumplings, wontons, and noodles from boiling water.
The spider skimmer is particularly useful when making dishes like hot pot or deep-fried items. Its design allows it to handle delicate items without breaking them.
Clay pots create the distinctive flavors commonly associated with Chinese cuisine. They are easy to use and are perfect for making stews, casseroles, congee, and rice dishes.
Cooking in a clay pot enhances the flavor of your dishes by allowing slow, even heat distribution. This method is particularly effective for recipes requiring long simmering.
Bamboo basket steamers are essential for many Chinese recipes. They are used to steam foods like rice cakes, buns, and soup dumplings. Bamboo steamers are affordable, efficient, and low-cost ways to cook.
They can be stacked for making large meals or steaming a variety of different food types. The basket sits upon a steamer rack placed in a pot or wok of boiling water.
Arrange your food items in the basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cover the steamer and place it over boiling water, making sure the basket bottom doesn't touch the water.
Used for serving runny dishes such as stew or soup from a pot or wok to a bowl, a ladle is another essential Asian cooking tool. Ladles are made from various materials, including stainless steel, plastic, aluminum, wood, silver, and bamboo.
Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean, while wooden ladles provide a traditional look and feel, though they require more care.
Whether made from metal or wood, spatulas are essential tools for scraping food from a wok. In one swift movement, they can handle relatively large amounts of sticky food, such as fried rice or glutinous rice cakes.
If you are seeking a recommendation, I suggest the FJNATINH spatula and ladle set. These tools are sturdy, durable, and reasonably priced. I use the 15-inch version, which is perfect for my needs, but other sizes are available.
A good spatula can make stir-frying and sautéing much more manageable. Look for one with a comfortable grip and a sturdy, heat-resistant material.
While a full set of knives is often needed for Western-style cookery, a single cleaver suffices for a wide variety of tasks in Chinese cookery. A cleaver can chop, scrape, scoop, slice, and dice. The dull and flat sides of the blade can tenderize meat and crush garlic.
If you are looking for recommendations, I highly recommend the TUO cleaver. Over the three decades I've spent preparing Asian food, this cutter has been my favorite. It is great for slicing and dicing meat and vegetables, and even for non-Asian cooking needs, such as cutting pizza.
Consider the weight and balance of the cleaver. A heavier cleaver can make cutting through tough meats easier, while a lighter one may offer more control for delicate tasks.
Though you can always make rice in a pan on the stove, rice cookers offer several advantages:
Most rice cookers can also be used for other cooking tasks, like making oatmeal, quinoa, pasta, soups, stews, sushi, and even steamed vegetables.
If you want to learn more about rice cookers and see my recommendations, I've written an entire article dedicated to this topic: 3 Best Electric Rice Cookers.
Look for a rice cooker with multiple cooking functions and a keep-warm feature to get the most versatility out of your appliance.
These tools and utensils are essential for anyone passionate about Chinese cooking. Investing in them will not only make your cooking easier but will also help you achieve more authentic and delicious results.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2020 Paul Goodman
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