Wok Cooking

When the Asians and Chinese immigrated to the United States, they brought their cuisines with them. Today there are Asian and Chinese restaurants and eating places where one can enjoy their exotic and delicious dishes and delicacies. As more Asians have immigrated to the United States, they have created a demand for the fruits, vegetables, fungi, sauces, and noodles unique to their native land.

The wok is the primary utensil used in Chinese and Asian cooking. It is used especially in East and Southeast Asia. Hundreds of years ago, due to fuel shortages, Chinese cooks discovered how to prepare healthy meals using the wok which is very versatile. This bowl-shaped utensil has many advantages. Its shape produces a small, hot area at the bottom which allows some of the food to be seared by intense heat while using very little fuel. Its curved sides allow bite-sized or finely chopped stir-fry ingredients that are tossed when stir-frying to tumble back to the center of the wok and not on the stove. The curve allows large pieces of food seared at the bottom of the wok to be pushed up the gently sloped sides to continue cooking at a lower rate.

Heat is distributed evenly through the wok, making it perfect for stir-fry cooking. Heat is one of the secrets in Asian cooking. It is very economical because less oil is used for deep frying than a traditional deep-fat fryer. The wok is generally used for stir-frying meats and vegetables, but can also be used for steaming, deep frying, braising, smoking, and making soups.

Traditional woks were made out of steel, but woks made of this material are hard to find today. They usually had two handles. Today instead of double handles, woks have one long handle like a skillet. This makes the woks easier to use and move. Most modern woks are made of stainless steel, copper or aluminum. Because woks are now used on the stove top, modern woks have flat bottoms. There are also electric woks, which can be used at lower temperatures than traditional woks.

Although the wok is used to cook Chinese and Asian dishes, it has become very popular with cooks in the modern kitchen. There are many inexpensive woks on the market, and wok cooking is very healthy. So, purchase your wok, search for recipes, visit the Asian market, and enjoy the Asian and Chinese cuisines.

Audrey Hosten is the owner of http://www.cookwaresellar.com and she knows the importance of picking the right cookware for all for cooking needs. If you have questions she will help you pick the right cookware for the right job.

Learning the Two Simple Methods of Cooking Couscous

One of the best alternatives for traditional pasta, couscous is a special type of wheat that is commonly used in dishes that originated from North Africa. Many people agree that this wheat goes well with delicious fish viands, as well as dishes that have hot and spicy flavors. In addition, everyone can eat couscous for breakfast by adding milk and other fruits to the wheat. However, to those who are health conscious they can always add delicious and nutritious salad dressing to this wheat to improve its taste. For individuals who have interest in exploring other uses of the wheat, it is best that they try these two sumptuous couscous recipes, namely Plain Couscous and Couscous With Olive Oil.

Learning the Basics in Cooking Plain Couscous

The easiest way of cooking couscous is by preparing and serving it to people very plainly. When cooking plain couscous, it is important to prepare a tasty and savory sauce that will be mixed with the wheat, since the sauce will be the only source of flavor in this dish. Combine couscous and sauce in a pan and boil for several minutes. The heat must be turned-off when the mixture reaches boiling point to avoid couscous from becoming over cooked. Before letting the mixture stand for another five minutes, it is important to cover the pan to prevent the wheat from being contaminated. Serve the dish immediately.

Knowing the Steps for Cooking Couscous with Olive Oil

Another simple way of cooking couscous is by preparing it with olive oil. Pour at most two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Heat the pan in a medium low fire for several minutes. As an alternative for olive oil, it is best to use vegetable oil. Put couscous in the pan and sprinkle with salt to improve its taste. Constantly stir the wheat. When the color of couscous appears to be golden brown, pour boiling water. Before turning the fire off, provide a cover for the pan. Let the dish stand in the pan for at most ten minutes. Transfer the dish in another bowl and serve immediately.

Important Tips in Cooking Couscous

For individuals who have interest in cooking couscous, there are some important tips that they should consider. Instead of boiling the wheat in plain water, they can use juices, chicken stock, and beef stock as alternatives. Additionally, to those who like to prepare couscous with olive oil, they can always add pine nuts to enhance the flavor of the dish. Furthermore, the use of some herbs such as rosemary, basil, oregano, marjoram, and thyme is encouraged to improve the taste of the wheat. Finally, when it comes to preserving excess couscous, they should always place it inside a container and put in a refrigerator to retain its freshness.

Cooking couscous is very easy and simple. In addition, it is not time consuming, which means that everyone can prepare couscous dishes. By following the procedures in cooking these two recipes, people can add new flavor and taste to the traditional way of preparing this special kind of wheat.

Peter Garant is writing cooking and food articles for both How to Cook Couscous Info and Boiling Chicken Info web sites.

Cooking Tips - German Onion and Chive Pie

Ingredients:

1 envelope active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
3 tsp. sugar
8 Tb. vegetable shortening, room temperature
3 eggs
1 Tb. salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
8 Tb. (1 stick) butter
5 medium onions (about 3 lbs.)
- well chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. caraway seeds
Freshly ground pepper
3 Tb. chopped chives

Procedure:

Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup of the milk in a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the sugar, stir, and let proof for 10 minutes or till mixture is bubbly. Pour the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl, add the remaining milk, the shortening, 1. egg, the salt, and 1 cup of the flour, and blend well with a pastry cutter. Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, stirring well with a wooden spoon. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, wash, dry, and butter the bowl, and knead the dough till it is smooth and no longer sticky. Return dough to the bowl, turn it to grease all surfaces, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm area for about 1 hour or till doubled in bulk.

Meanwhile, heat the 8 tablespoons of butter in a large, deep skillet, add the onions, sprinkle on the remaining sugar, and saute over moderate heat, stirring, till golden. Transfer onions to a large bowl and let cool.

Preheat oven to 400'.

Punch the dough down, transfer to a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 12X 16-inch rectangle. Fit the dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet about 12X16 inches in size and push sides of dough up to form a 1-Inch border.

In a bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs, add the sour cream, caraway seeds, and pepper to taste, and stir mixture into the cooled onions. Distribute the onion mixture evenly over the dough and bake for about 45 minutes or till edges of the dough are browned.

Sprinkle chopped chives over the top, cut pie into squares, and serve as a first course.

You Can Find More Recipes at New Secret Recipes

Rachael Ray Cookware - Your Partner in Great Cooking

This time I'll be sharing with you the steps on how to create the very tasty Filipino Embutido, which is perhaps deemed as the most delicious among all kinds of embutidos or enchidos throughout the globe. Using Rachael Ray Cookware, make this Filipino Embutido yourself, and after your first bite, be the judge and you will certainly know that I am not merely bluffing when I had claimed earlier that this is "the best Embutido" when it comes to great taste and source of good nutrition.

Before presenting the procedure on how to prepare the Filipino Embutido, have your Rachael Ray cookware set first on your table as I am pretty sure that you will get right away all the ingredients for this Embutido even before reading the third step.

Most people believe that making an Embutido is rather an intricate process and is costly. But in truth, it is very easy to prepare because the ingredients you will use are available in the market where you typically buy your provisions. Below is a list of comprehensible steps in making a scrumptious Embutido that your family will surely crave for.

Procedure in making the delectable Filipino Embutido:

1. Have all your Rachael Ray Cookware set on your table. This will be very necessary as it has been a prevalent belief in the place of origin of this Embutido that when you get the wrong cookware, your food preparations will never be good.

2. Have the following ingredients prepared:

• 2 kilos Ground meat (pork/beef)
• Spices including: 1 clove garlic, 2 onions, 1 bell pepper, black pepper,
• 1 150 grams cheese
• Cream
• 1 kilo of carrots
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tbs salt
• Beef broth cubes
• ½ tbs crushed pickles
• 5 eggs

3. Wash the ground meat and let it dry naturally. Afterwards, place it inside the Rachael Ray bowl.

4. Grind the carrots together with the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Place the hodgepodge into the same bowl with the meat. Then mix it.

5. Chop the cheese and the broth cubes and sprinkle it inside the bowl. You will have to mix it well after you have added the fresh eggs.

6. Then add the cream, salt, and some cornstarch.

7. Mix it well until such time wherein the cheese and the broth cubes have been perfectly melted.

8. Store the Embutido mixture inside the refrigerator for half an hour.

9. Get the mixture from the refrigerator and then make 15 wrappings of the mixture using aluminum foil.

10. Place the mixture inside the steamer and then steam it for about forty minutes.

11. After forty minutes, open the lid of the steamer and have it cooled off by natural air.

See! That is how simple it is to prepare your own Filipino Embutido. It is really great for all occasions or just for ordinary days. Plus, it is a good source of vitamins that will surely nourish your family.

It can also be a good alternative for burgers and pizzas while watching televisions or having a family picnic.

You will really enjoy cooking with the best Rachael Ray Cookware, and also learn new great recipes with Rachael Ray Cookbooks

Healthy Cooking Techniques - 8 Simple Healthy Cooking Techniques

Cooking healthy really only requires some minor changes for most people. By substituting items and using various techniques, you can not only reduce the amount of fat intake, but also increase valuable nutrients in the food. You'll be amazed that once you start experimenting, you'll find that healthy cooking techniques actually improve your meals.

1. Add herbs to your food. Herbs are power packed with vitamins and minerals without adding excess extra calories. When you add herbs, you increase the flavor of the dish and make it more exotic. You don't have to be a gourmet chef to do this. Simply experiment. Did you know that parsley contains powerful antioxidants and cilantro contains substances that help fight diabetes? There's a world of cures in your spice rack, experiment.

2. Reduce salt intake. When you increase the herbs in your food, you can also reduce the amount of salt. Herbs add more flavors and makes salt less necessary. Reducing salt intake also reduces your potential for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Combining this with other healthy cooking techniques improves not only the flavor but also the nutritional quality of the food you serve.

3. Steam your vegetables. You've heard the expression, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, well that's exactly what you do when you boil vegetables. Boiling vegetables leaches the nutrients out of the veggie and into the water. Instead, try steaming the vegetables. You can find small steaming baskets that fit into your pots. Simply put an inch of water in the pan, not enough to touch the vegetables, insert the basket filled with vegetables, cover and heat. You'll find that all vegetables taste better steamed. Add the spices at the last minute.

4. Use monounsaturated fats. You'll cook a lot healthier if you avoid certain types of fats, such as trans fatty acids and saturated fats. They simply are heart healthy. Canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame seed oil are good sources to use for cooking. Olive oil is also another. This is one of the healthy cooking techniques, which makes a huge difference in the potential for coronary artery disease.

5. Increase vegetables and fruit at each meal. Adding an extra vegetable selection to each meal increases the amount of health nutrients available to your family. The more selections you offer, the more variety they'll receive. Even fussy eaters like some type of vegetable.

6. Reduce the amount of red meat in your meals. Some men simply won't eat anything but steak and potatoes. You have to be tricky with them. Get smaller cuts of meat and slowly reduce the size of the steak you serve. You'll find they won't notice, will be healthier and your grocery bill goes down.

7. Try to go nuts. Nuts are a great source of plant protein. Most people don't consider nuts a main dish but you can reduce the amount of animal protein in the diet if you simply use them periodically. A Waldorf salad made from apples, celery, walnuts or pecans and mayonnaise or salad dressing provides both protein and valuable nutrients. The FDA approved walnuts as a heart healthy food, along with seven other nuts.

8. Get creative. There's nothing better than a salad on a burrito, especially if it's a whole grain burrito. Make your salad but finely chop the lettuce and other vegetables. Include finely chopped chicken and add your dressing. Put it into a burrito wrap and you'll have a meal that kids that wouldn't touch a salad will eat.

You can improve the flavor and healthful quality of your cooking by simply using a few healthy cooking techniques. It doesn't mean you have to give up everything you love, simply modify it so it's healthier for your whole family.

To learn more about healthy cooking techniques, and eating healthier, visit best healthy foods.