Tips and Tricks

HOW TO DEEP-FRY WITHOUT A DEEP-FRYER Many Chinese cooks will tell you that deep-frying is second only to stir-frying. Popular takeout recipes like egg rolls, spring rolls, wontons, and crab Rangoon are all deep-fried. Here are some effective workarounds if you don't have a deep-fryer. Your best workaround is using a wok. A round-bottomed wok with a cradle is best, but you can also use a flat-bottomed one. If you have a wok draining rack, use it for deep-frying.

1. Pour 2 inches of oil into the wok.
2. Heat the oil to 350°F, or until a wooden chopstick bubbles when placed in the oil.
3. Test fry one item. Cook it until it's lightly browned.
4. Remove the item with tongs or a skimmer. (Remember that whatever you put in the wok will cool down the oil, so don't overload it.) If you don't have a wok, then the next best workaround is a Dutch oven. A deep cast iron skillet (5 to 6 inches) can also work. Make sure you have enough oil to cover whatever you're frying but also enough headspace so the oil doesn't overflow when you put the food in. Set a wire rack with paper towels nearby to drain and cool deep-fried food.

HOW TO STIR-FRY WITHOUT A WOK Many favorite takeout recipes, including Kung Pao Beef, Sichuan Chicken, and fried rice, require stir-frying. While a wok is best, you can use substitutes. The best workaround is a large, well-seasoned heavy cast iron skillet. You want it heavy so the heat is evenly distributed and it stays hot when more ingredients are added. If you use a stainless steel skillet, it needs to be large so you can stir without crowding. Nonstick skillets are not good because they are not heavy enough and the coating can't hold up to the high heat.

1. Preheat the skillet and put 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in the pan (you'll need more oil because of the flat surface).
2. Proceed as with regular stir-fry but cook in smaller batches (the flat skillet won't provide the curved shape of the wok for holding ingredients close to the heat).

HOW TO STEAM RICE WITHOUT A RICE COOKER An automatic rice cooker can make life easier, but it's possible to make perfectly good rice without one.

1. Keep in mind that uncooked rice doubles in size after it cooks. If you want 1/2 cup of cooked rice, use 1/4 cup of uncooked rice, scaling up as needed.
2. Place the rice in a heavy pot that is more than twice the volume of the uncooked rice. This gives the rice room to expand and minimizes boiling over.
3. Add enough water so that when you touch the top of the rice with the tip of your index finger, the water covers the first joint or up to the first line on the inside of your finger.
4. Cover the rice and bring it to a boil. As soon as you hear it boiling or see steam escaping, turn the heat down to its lowest setting.
5. Let the rice cook on low for 15 minutes. Do not lift the cover before then — lifting the lid lets steam escape and the pressure drops, so the outside becomes mushy while the inside stays uncooked. These instructions are for white rice. Cook brown rice, covered, for twice as long (30 minutes).

Source: Toy, Chris. Easy Chinese Cookbook: Restaurant Favorites Made Simple (pp. 12–13).