Cooking Chinese food requires lot of different tools. We’re going to be introducing some of the most important and some of the most unique tools that you might find in a Chinese kitchen. Using these tools, will make your Chinese cooking easier, quicker and more authentic. These cooking tools can be found easily on supermarket and online store all around the globe. Here are the list of 12 important tools mostly used in Chinese Kitchen to make delicious Chinese cuisine.
Wok
Wok is used in Chinese cooking more than 2000 years ago and also considered as the most versatile Chinese cooking utensils. Because of its unique shape and surface area, it can be used for stir-frying, deep-frying, blanching, braising, stewing and poaching. Its shape, the tall inner wall provide the quick intense heat necessary for frying and the slightly flattened round bottom shape keep the ingredients at the center where the heat is higher. In the stir-frying technique, the deep side prevent the food and oil from spilling over and less oil is required while deep-frying because of the shape.
‘Breath of a wok’ also known as wok hay or wok hei in Cantonese language refers to the concentrated, rich flavor that come only from making stir-fry in a well-seasoned wok over high heat.
Bamboo Steamer
In china, Bamboo steamers have been in use for thousands of years. The food is placed in the bamboo basket covered with tight-fitting bamboo lid and that is placed above boiling water in the wok or pan. They come in various size, of which the 25 cm(10in) one is most perfect for home use. With a bamboo steamer, you can make several delicate dishes like mo-mo, steam fish, steam buns and many more.
Cleaver & Wooden Chopping Board
The Chinese cooks take cleaver as a all purpose cutting tool. These heavy choppers serve many purposes; all the cutting job ranging from fine shredding to chopping bones. Once you are good with using cleaver, you can see how it can be used on all type of food to dice, slice, chop, fillet, crush or whatever. A medium-sized, all purpose stainless steel cleaver , now widely available in stores and online and is best to have.
Chopping boards are often made from bamboo, wood or plastic. Each one have their own feature including durability, ease of cleaning and eco-friendliness and comes with different widths and size. The kitchen cutting board is used for preparing food and cutting.
Chopstick
Chopstick are pair of equal length stick used as eating utensil as well as cooking purposes. Cooking chopstick are usually long and heat resistant which make moving things around easy. Chopstick are smooth and traditionally made of wood, bamboo, metal and ceramics but, today you can find chopstick made from plastic, stainless steel and even titanium too. You will be surprised at how useful cooking chopstick are in the Chinese kitchen.
Rice Cooker
Rice cooker is modern day automated kitchen appliance design to stem or boil rice, which is found in every house that save time. It come with variety of shape and size and worthy of getting one. These is most needed kitchen tools for everyday life and are not much expensive. It keeps rice and grain warm for couple of days and also make 15 minute dinner possible.
Wooden Spoon
As name suggest, Wooden spoon made out of wood and many civilization used as a kitchen utensil throughout the history of human kind. Chinese use wooden spoons to stir-fry, and move food around the wok. Unlike metal spoon, they are heat resistant and won’t scratch the surface of seasoned non-sticky pans. They are inexpensive and easy to make.
Flat blade spatula
A long-handled metal spatula shaped like a small shovel is ideal for tossing food and scooping from the wok. Because of its length its easy to use all size of wok without fear of burning yourself. A long-handled metal spatula shaped rather like a small shovel is ideal for scooping and tossing food in a wok.
A Ladle
Large, and bowl-shaped, a ladle is a deep spoon, often used in the preparation and serving of soup, stew, or other foods. Any good long-handled spoon may be used instead. In modern times ladles are usually made of the same stainless steel alloys as other kitchen utensils; however, they can be made of aluminum, silver, plastics, , wood, bamboo or other materials
Wok lid
Wok and work lid go side by side. wok lid is essential tool used for braising and steaming. Its doesn’t cost much and its very light weight in nature. If you intend to do lot of braising, buy a domed or flat lid that fits your wok. Wok lid can be made of different material any one can choose according to their will.
Wok Ring/Stand
Wok ring is a metal circle that fits over a gas burner on a stovetop to support the wok’s round bottom and keep it steady while cooking. You can also use these as bench top wok stands.
Clay pot or Sand pots
Chinese clay pot is sand pot or sandy pot, round pot with a lid. It has glazed interiors and unglazed exteriors, which allows for the infusion of aromas and tastes into the food. Chinese rely on clay pot for braised dishes, soups and rice cooking. These pot allow food to be cooked with minimal additional liquids or fats. Dishes cooked in a clay pot using wood fire or charcoal tastes way better than that of metal pots.
Bamboo Skimmer
A traditional Chinese cooking tool with bamboo handle provides a safe and easy way to scoop steamed, boiled and fried food. This tool is good for lifting and draining foods from boiling water, stocks, soups and hot oil. They come in different shape and size with and plays a vital role in Chinese kitchen. It is a handy tool for skimming stocks, blanching vegetables and deep frying foods.
