Chinese Cooking Utensils

All food recipes have secrets that many never even know about, one of these secrets is the utensils just as Chinese cooking utensils make the Chinese dishes wonderful. These cuisines, when prepared with the appropriate utensils provide a traditional authentic flavor to the dishes. There are only few traditional utensils still available that can be used for cooking. However, Chinese cooking is the proper manipulation of all the foodstuffs with basic ingredients and realizing the importance of using proper utensils. There are various stores across America where one can get different Chinese utensils that can help prepare wonderful delicacies.

The wok is counted among the most important Chinese cooking utensils in the Chinese kitchen. The utensil is pan-like and concave shaped that can be used for deep-frying, stir-frying, steaming, pan-frying and stewing. The traditional wok is made up of heavy iron or steel equipped with two handles. These utensils are often made of clay or mud and are designed with round bottom which fit perfectly over the traditional stove. The round bottom helps make sure that all the ingredients are properly cooked because of uniform supply of heat. Modern stainless-steel woks with flat copper bottoms are more contemporary that directly rests on the burner. These generally have a long single handle and are lighter, easier to use than the classic two-handled pan.

The Chinese spatula is also among the Chinese cooking utensils that are designed specially for stir-frying purposes. The spatula bowl edge is rounded so that it fits in to the shape of pan and is sturdier allowing the tossing and stirring of food in large quantities. The spatula can be used for mincing garlic, cutting vegetables into delicate shapes and peeling fresh water chestnuts. A pair of cleavers is used to chop meat in the absence of meat grinder. They are found in various grades of steel. The tool is made of high carbon steel with a good edge and is heavy enough to cut through thick metal frames. Stainless-steel cleavers are used for vegetable cutting as well.

Another important Chinese cooking utensil is the steamer, which is made of bamboo that can be used as an attractive serving tray for the steamed food. The bamboo steamer is placed above hot water in a wok food to be steamed simultaneously. The Chinese Wire Strainer is wide, flat with a long bamboo handle and can be used to remove deep-fried or boiled food. The Clay Pot dishes are said to be American casserole’s oriental version as they are cooked over the stove instead of oven. The design assures good retention of heat to keep the food hot for longer periods of time. These Chinese cooking utensils are most commonly used together during preparation of Chinese food to help maintain the traditional flavor and culture.