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Contents Epigraph Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION One wok runs to the sky s edge Notes to the Reader In Search of a Wok SELECTION, SEASONING, AND CARE Reverence for a Wok Acquiring a Virtuous Wok Wok Buying Guide Considerations When Choosing a Wok Equipment Choices Opening a Wok Basic Steps to Seasoning a Wok Recipes for Seasoning a Wok Wen Geng Lin s Chinese Chive Rub Hung Chong Chinese Chive and Oil Stir-Fry Julie Tay s Chinese Chive and Pork Fat Stir-Fry Basic Oil Method Tane Chan s Oven Oil Method Western-Style Oven Oil Method The Face of a Wok Cleaning the Wok After Cooking THE ART OF STIR-FRYING Wok Hay: The Breath of a Wok Stir-Frying Poultry Chicken with Sichuan Peppercorns CCTI Stir-Fried Chicken and Shallots Uncle Sherman s Home-Style Chicken and Vegetables Mrs. Miu s Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews Mrs. Miu s Chicken with Pickled Ginger, Pineapple, and Green Pepper 5
Kung Pao Chicken Tina Yao Lu s Chicken with Spinach Chicken with Garlic and Sugar Snaps Sweet and Sour Chicken Ray Lee s Chicken and Choy Sum Susanna Foo s Mango Chicken Stir-Frying Meat Stir-Fried Pork with Scallions Chiu Chow-Style Pork Spring Moon Helen Chen s Pork and Cucumber Virginia Yee s Moo Shoo Pork with Mandarin Pancakes Mandarin Pancakes Walter Kei s Shanghai-Style Pork and Bean Sprouts Walter Kei s Chili Pork Stir-Fried Pork and Chilies CCTI Stir-Fried Pork, Mushrooms, and Carrots Martin Yan s Genghis Khan Beef Bernadette Chan s Stir-Fried Beef and Tofu Jean Yueh s Beef with Onions and Peppers Cousin Zane s Sichuan Beef The Wok Warriors Stir-Frying Fish and Shellfish Lee Wan Ching s Sizzling Pepper and Salt Shrimp Lee Wan Ching s Stir-Fried Clams in Bean Sauce with Chilies Ken Hom s Stir-Fried Peppers with Scallops Millie Chan s Chili Shrimp Jean Yueh s Shanghai-Style Shrimp Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic Sauce Danny Chan s Crabs with Black Bean Sauce Mandarin Fish Slices with Chrysanthemum CCTI Julie Tay s Singapore-Style Squid Shrimp and Pine Nuts Shang Palace Mrs. Miu s Stir-Fried Fish and Eggplant Che Chung Ng s Scallops with Asparagus Stir-Frying Rice and Noodles Yin Yang Rice Shang Palace Black Rice Ken Lo s Chow Fun with Beef and Broccoli Classic Rice Fried Rice with Ham, Egg, and Scallions Ming Tsai s Mandarin Fried Rice Mama s Noodles with Mushrooms and Ham Aromatic Vegetarian Fried Rice Dickson Hee s Oyster Lo Mein Scallion and Ginger Lo Mein 6
Chicken Lo Mein The Wok as a Musical Instrument Stir-Frying Vegetables Liang Nian Xiu s Snow Peas, Tomatoes, and Chilies Liang Nian Xiu s Moon Hill Corn and Beans Mary Chau s Shanghai-Style Snow Cabbage and Edamame Stir-Fried Sugar Snap Peas with Water Chestnuts Auntie Yi s Stir-Fried Garlic Spinach Stir-Fried Bok Choy Stir-Fried Watercress Henry Hugh s Lotus Root with Sugar Snaps Stir-Fried Garlic Lettuce Susan Lin s Summer Long Beans with Eggs Lee Wan Ching s Chinese Broccoli with Ginger Sauce Susanna Foo s Tofu, Eggplant, Mushrooms, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes Florence Lin s Slow Stir-Fried Red Peppers Spicy Garlic Eggplant David Camacho s Stir-Fried Shiitake Mushrooms Cecilia Chiang s Asparagus with Gingko Nuts and Wolfberries Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts and Scallions Sweet and Sour Cabbage Auntie Lil s Stir-Fried Lotus Root with Chinese Bacon EIGHT TREASURED TASTES The Master Lesson Smoking Florence Lin s Smoked Chicken and Eggs Smoked Striped Bass Pan-Frying Ginger and Scallion Oysters Lichee Garden Virginia Yee s Dry-Fried Sichuan String Beans Florence Lin s Tofu with Cilantro Relish Cousin Sylvia s Drumsticks with Caramelized Onions Uncle Lang s Pan-Fried Sea Bass Auntie Bertha s Ginger Drumettes with Oyster Sauce Pan-Fried Noodles with Pork Shang Palace Che Chung Ng s Water Chestnut and Pork Omelets Henry Hugh s Chinkiang Pork Chops The Family Wok-a-thon Braising Auntie Betty s Cellophane Noodles, Mushrooms, and Barbecued Pork Chinese Barbecued Pork Cousin Doreen s Braised Spareribs and Asparagus Cousin Judy s Tofu with Black Bean Sauce Cousin Kathy s Lion s Head 7
Mama s Fuzzy Melon with Dried Scallops Henry Hugh s Cantonese Stuffed Tofu Curried Cauliflower, Napa Cabbage, and Carrots Liang Nian Xiu s Farm-Style Omelets Tina Yao Lu s Shanghai-Style Crabs and Rice Cakes Margaret Loo s Braised Tofu and Mushrooms Uncle Lang s Three Teacup Chicken One-Wok Curry Chicken Danny Chan s Ginger and Scallion Crabs Uncle Lang s Oyster Sauce Mushrooms Virginia Yee s Beef Short Ribs with Scallions Walter Kei s Sweet and Sour Spareribs Martin Yan s Mandarin Five-Flavored Boneless Pork Chops Amy Tan and the New Year s Dumplings Boiling and Poaching Amy Tan s Family s Jiao-zi Jin Do s Tangy Ginger Sauce Homemade Chicken Broth Bernadette Chan s New Year s Poached Fish Walter Kei s Roasted Sesame Spinach Steaming Nevin Lim s Luffa with Gold and Silver Garlic Winnie Hon s Silken Tofu with XO Sauce Ray Lee s Cantonese Steamed Chicken Danny Chan s Steamed Salmon with Lemon Dumpling Dough Shrimp Dumplings Spring Moon Chive Dumplings Spring Moon Dumpling Dough Chive Variation Scallop Siu Mai Spring Moon Classic Steamed Fish Spring Moon Deep-Frying Scallop Crisp Spring Moon Vegetarian Spring Rolls Nevin Lim s Traditional Oyster Chicken Winnie Hon s XO Sauce Candied Walnuts ESSENTIALS Menus New Year s Menus Seasonal Family-Style Menus Glossary Metric Equivalencies Sources 8
About Grace Young and Alan Richardson Selected Bibliography Index Wok calligraphy by Zhao Yong, Yuan dynasty. 9
In memory of my uncle Thomas Jew. His love of family, friends, and the pleasure of cooking lives on. And for Michael. GY In memory of my mother, who gave me a taste for good cooking; and my father, who told me to find myself a good cook. And to Larry, who makes a great gravy AR 10
Wok, n. a boiler or cauldron; an iron pan. Hay, n. breath, energy, spirit. 11
Acknowledgments This book would not have been possible without the encouragement and love of my husband, Michael Wiertz, who understood the need for all my wok journeys and good-naturedly accepted that every adventure brought home at least one new wok for my collection. In the midst of all the upheaval that results from creating a book, he was a paragon of calm. For this and much more, I am grateful. I would like to express my appreciation to my parents, Helen and Delwyn Young, for instilling in me their love and passion for Cantonese cuisine and the unsurpassed brilliance of a stir-fry with wok hay. Many thanks to them for their faith in me. Special thanks to Rosanna and C.Y. Shum; my visit with them in Hong Kong in 2000 indulged me in the fascinating world of Hong Kong style cooking and in many ways inspired the writing of this book. From the beginning, Martha Kaplan, my agent and friend, has championed this project and offered wise counsel usually over a Chinese meal. As the book began to take shape, my dear friend Laura Cerwinske generously did the preliminary editing of my rough drafts, helping me to set the foundation of my story. It was my good fortune to have my uncle Sun Yui Fung give the Chinese titles for each essay and section of the book. He has been a constant advisor from the beginning, patiently researching and consulting on any type of Chinese cultural question that confused me. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Evie Righter, who came to my rescue on numerous occasions, providing invaluable editorial guidance on the recipes and essays. Her critiques always illuminated the material, offering insights and clarity that eluded me. In writing this book, Alan and I have had the extraordinary pleasure of meeting many great teachers who generously shared their expertise and friendship. Our profound thanks to the home cooks and chefs who graciously welcomed us into their kitchens. In the United States: Chef Susanna Foo, Winnie Hon, Chef Henry Hugh, Susan Lin, Julie Tay, Ken Lo, Dr. and Mrs. Kam Toa Miu, Margaret Loo, Bernadette Chan, Chef Ming Tsai, Helen Chen, Chef Danny Chan, Peipei Chang, Jean Yueh, Millie Chan, Florence Lin, Chef Martin Yan, Chef Siu Chah Lung, Ray Lee, Cecilia Chiang, Che Chung Ng, Dickson Hee, Amy Tan, Lou DeMattei, Jin Do Eng, Lijun Wan, Yuhang Wang, Hong Chang Guo, and Yan Zheng Yan. Heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the cooks in my family, with special thanks to my auntie and uncle Betty and Roy Yim for hosting our family wok-a-thon party without their gracious hospitality the event would never have happened. And to all the participants: Bertha Jew; Lillian and William Jew; Frances and Sherman Young; 12
Katherine Jew Lim; Doreen and Mel Song; Sylvia, Fred, and Thomas Chow; Cindy and Zane Matsuzaki; Judy, David, and Timothy Jew. In Hong Kong and China: Virginia Yee, Tina Yao Lu, Mary Chau, Nevin Lim, Chef Kevin Chuk, Walter Kei, Chef Ip Chi Cheung, Chef Lee Wan Ching, Chef Yip Wing Wah, Chef Poon Chi Cheung, Mr. and Mrs. Yang Lang Ping (Uncle Lang and Auntie Yi), and Liang Nian Xiu. There are several individuals mentioned in the long list of cooks we interviewed whose contributions extended far beyond our cooking sessions. We are profoundly grateful to Florence Lin, who consulted on numerous culinary questions with exceptional grace and generosity. Without Millie Chan we would have never had the opportunity to meet Florence Lin. Millie was one of the first cooks we interviewed and from the start of the project she and her husband, Lo-Yi, have been great supporters. I will always treasure the time spent with my Uncle Lang and Auntie Yi in Foshan, China. When I last saw them over twenty years ago, our relationship was much more formal. I was very touched to be welcomed into their home to spend an afternoon cooking and sharing a meal. I thank them for embracing our project and tirelessly accompanying us to the local markets, dai pai dong, and even organizing cooking sessions with their friends. Thanks also to my cousin and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Yang Zhi Xiang. Liang Nian Xiu s hospitality gave us an extraordinary experience during our time in Yangshuo. Beyond our fascinating cooking session with Liang, she also understood our mission and took us on an unforgettable tour of the region that revealed much of the wok culture we sought. Special thanks to Ken Hom, who found time between his commitments in Europe and Asia for an extensive interview. Upon arriving in Hong Kong, Walter Chu was instrumental in getting us started with a memorable day-long walk through Kowloon and providing important local information. My interviews with Vivien Cheung, Teddy Leung, Chef Paray Li, Chef Ip Chi Kwong, Chef Ronald Shao, and Chef Cheung Chin Choi also contributed greatly to our understanding of the subtleties of wok cooking. We are also grateful to Nevin Lim his knowledge of Hong Kong history and Cantonese cuisine was indispensable. Many individuals helped in our quest to find the talented home cooks and chefs we interviewed. We would like to thank: Ivy Fung, Margaret Sheridan, R. T. Yao, Linda Yao, Tony Yao, Theresa Wang Yao, Mary Yao, Lucy Fong, Susan Yoshimura, Howard Goodman, Teresa Delaney, Nick Malgieri, Marie Lam, Grace Choi, Tammy Shueh, Mimi Chan, Michael Chang and Diana Budiman of the Hong Kong Tourist Association, Sian Griffiths of the Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong, Christina Choy of the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute in Hong Kong, and Gary Goldberg of the New School Culinary Arts program in New York City. From the Shangri-La hotel thanks to Judy Reeves in New York City, Patsy Chan in Kowloon, and Cindi Li in Shanghai. Special thanks to my cousin Fred Chow, who orchestrated several cooking sessions. Fred put us in touch with Yee Ming Ting in Shanghai, who arranged for Joyce Yang s 13
much needed services as a translator for our interviews in Shanghainese. He is also responsible for the idea of the wok-a-thon. I am grateful to the following individuals and institutions for their help in researching the history of the wok in America: Professor Priscilla Wegars, Professor Jeffrey Barlow, Maxine Chan, Emma Louie, Lisa See, Roberta Greenwood, David Kerkkonen, Bill G. Quackenbush, Jeannie Woo, Judy Lu, Ralph Eubanks, Joe Evans, Carolyn Micnhimer, David Kessler, California Historical Society, Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum, Chinese Historical Society of San Francisco, and the Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley. Many thanks to Professor Mark Swislocki, Alice Lowe, John Stuckey, Professor E. N. Anderson, and Jackie Newman for their assistance in finding historical information on the wok. As my wok education evolved I discovered I needed to understand technical information. Cen Lian Gen, Robert Wolke, Jim Cassidy of Precision Metal Spinning, Inc., Joseph Yick, Daniel Dechamps, and Chan Kai Yuen are responsible for teaching me about the nature of carbon steel, cast iron, and wok fabrication. Wen Geng Lin, Shelley Smyers, Professor Yih-Shen Hwang, Sui Wan Lok, Kenny Leung, and Tanya Leung provided valuable information on seasoning a wok. I am also grateful to Chef Paul Muller, Chef Che Heng Lee, Judy Wong, Chef Huang Zhen Hua, David Ostwald, and Martha Dahlen for contributing their expertise. Heartfelt thanks to Tane Chan of The Wok Shop for sharing her vast knowledge and passion for woks. I was charmed by her energy, humor, and devotion as a wokker. I offer special thanks to our editor, Sydny Miner, for her superb editing and unwavering support throughout this project. It has also been a pleasure to work with the remarkable team at Simon & Schuster. Many thanks to Victoria Meyer, Aileen Boyle, Tracey Guest, and Chris Wahlers for their support in publicity; Jonathan Brodman, production editor, for his astute handling of the text; Ginger McCrae for her fine copyediting; and Laura Holmes for her assistance. We are especially grateful to Judy Eda for her impeccable proofreading. We would also like to acknowledge David Sablan Camacho, who generously offered his flat in Hong Kong as a home base during our research and for lending his antique plates for the food photography. Special thanks for sharing his vast knowledge of China and for answering my many questions with patience and good humor. Heartfelt gratitude to Ray Furse, who consulted on various aspects of the book, generously offering amazing contacts and resources, and sharing his expertise on Chinese culture. Our deepest thanks to Cheng Huan Chen for the beautiful calligraphy that graces the jacket and title page, and to Dr. Siong Chuan Lee for making this possible. My thanks also to Jeanyee Wong, who provided the calligraphy for the proposal. As a result of The Breath of a Wok, a wok exhibition is planned for New York University in New York City, and for the Portland Classical Chinese Garden in Oregon. My profound thanks to Professor Barbara Kirschenblatt-Gimblett for providing the seed for this idea. I would also like to thank Professor John Kuo Wei 14