Farm to Table Asian Secrets. Patricia Tanumihardja

need to buy a wok if you don’t have one already (although you could put it on your wish list). A large skillet or sauté pan also works fine for stir-frying.

      Cast-Iron Frying Pans

      I have two cast-iron frying pans: A small one (6½ in/16.5 cm) for toasting seeds and spices, and a larger one (10 in/25 cm) for frying sunny-side-up eggs, pancakes, potstickers and more.

      Dutch Oven

      My two Dutch ovens (2.2 quart/liter and 3.75 quart/liter) bring cheer to my kitchen with their bright red color. Aesthetics aside, they are very useful for braising, making curries, congee, soups and stews, and deep-frying too!

      I prefer using the smaller vessel for deep-frying, even though it holds fewer items at a time. It lets me better control how quickly the food (spring rolls, green beans, etc.) cooks, and I use less oil. A heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot can do the same job.

      Pots

      If pots could talk, my trusty 6-quart/liter stainless-steel stockpot would have lots of stories to tell, mainly about stocks—vegetable, mushroom, chicken...you name it. Yes, I make stock in it, and congee as well. It makes a great steamer, too, whether with my steamer basket (above right), which fits inside perfectly, or by channeling MacGyver (see page 14).

      I have smaller 2- to 3-quart/liter pots with tight-fitting lids, which I use for cooking rice on the stovetop and boiling noodles in single-serve quantities.

      Steamer Basket

      Ever since I burned a hole in the bottom of my mom's metal steamer (always, always check to make sure there's enough water in your steamer), I've relied on my steamer basket. Made from stainless steel, it expands from 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) and fits a wide variety of pots. At its widest, the basket holds six to eight dumplings at a time, which is fine by me. To make it non-stick, I’ll brush it with oil or cut out a piece of parchment to size.

      Wooden Spatulas

      The wooden spatula is my favorite cooking utensil-1 have about six of them in different sizes and shapes! You may have heard that a metal wok spatula is ideal for stir-frying, because it has a wide shovel shape that matches the curved surface of a wok. Personally, I find it heavy and cumbersome, not least because the handle keeps falling off!

      Wire-mesh Skimmer

      My long-handled wire-mesh skimmer is another favorite tool. I use it for deep-frying, as well as for removing noodles, wontons, dumplings, etc, from boiling water. The wire mesh allows oil to drain from the food, and the long handle helps protect your hand from the heat. However, a slotted spoon can work just as well.

      Wire Rack Sheet

      After deep-frying things—sometimes even after pan-frying bacon or other greasy foods—I always drain them to get rid of excess oil. My go-to method was always paper towels until I bought a wire rack and set it atop a baking sheet. I discovered that the food turns out less soggy this way.

      Food Processor

      When I was a little girl, I would sit by my mom on the kitchen floor as she pounded herbs and spices into a smooth paste in her stone mortar. She would methodically add the firmer, more fibrous herbs like turmeric and lemongrass first, followed by hard spices like coriander and cumin, and finally the softer ingredients like garlic and shallots. It looked like a lot of work! Nowadays, she just uses a food processor, and I’ve followed suit. My 4-cup (4-liter) food processor is perfect for grinding spice pastes and making sauces. Any bigger, and your ingredients won’t be ground properly. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and add water a little at a time if the paste does not turn over as expected. Be observant and keep checking the consistency of the paste between your fingers.

      Mortar and Pestle

      When my parents first moved to the U.S. in 2002, my mom packed her 8-inch (20-cm) stone mortar and pestle in her suitcase. It just goes to show how important this tool was to her. However, since she no longer has the energy to spend 30 minutes pounding spice pastes, she gifted it to me. I use it to make sambal oelek and other simple fresh chili-based pastes. Most of the time, it sits on my shelf looking pretty.

      I also have a small, lightweight Japanese ceramic mortar called a suribachi, which is paired with a wooden pestle called a surikogi. Mine is 5 inches (12.5 cm) in diameter and has a nubby lid that doubles as a ginger/garlic grater; the ridged interior is efficient for grinding small quantities of seeds and spices, and for crushing nuts.

      Matchstick Peeler

      I’m not usually one for single-job kitchen tools, but I couldn't do without my matchstick peeler for cutting thin strips of vegetables and fruits. I use it for zucchini, carrots, cucumber, apples and so much more. Shredding or cutting vegetables into matchsticks by hand isn’t hard, though; it just takes a little longer.

      Ginger Grater

      I love my ginger grater! I no longer have to peel and mince fresh ginger into itty-bitty pieces with a knife. Plus, I don't even have to peel the ginger first, as most of the peel and fiber comes away during grating. You may already have a microplane grater in your kitchen, and that will work just as well.

      Cooking Tips And Techniques

      You don't have to go to culinary school to learn Asian cooking techniques. They are easy to learn; with practice, you'll be proficient in no time. All you need are a few simple Implements and tools you likely already have in your kitchen.

      Steaming

      Fill the steaming vessel (the bottom part) with a generous amount of water, perhaps 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) or as much water as it can comfortably accommodate. You don't want the water to touch the bottom of the steamer basket or plate.

      Monitor the water level and replenish with boiling water if it gets precariously low before the food is cooked.

      Place a kitchen towel under the lid to absorb condensation. This will prevent the water from dripping onto your food and making it soggy.

      When the food is done, turn off the heat and wait for the steam to subside before lifting the lid. Lift it away from you so you don't scald yourself, and so that condensation doesn't drip onto the food.

      You don't have to buy a steamer to steam foods properly. You can easily steam most foods in a stockpot with a pasta insert or an asparagus steamer. Or experiment with common kitchen implements you already have. All you need is a vessel to hold water, a way to suspend the food over the water, and a lid to keep the steam in (visit my blog : picklesandtea.org for more information). Here are two ideas:

      Crisscross two wooden chopsticks inside a wok or pot and add enough water to reach just below the chopsticks. Bring to a boil and balance a shallow dish or pie plate on the chopsticks.

      Place a trivet or a small upturned bowl in a wok or a big, wide pot. Place a shallow dish or pie plate on top. Add enough water to reach just below the trivet—don't submerge it. And don't worry if you hear the bowl or trivet knocking against the bottom of the wok as the water boils.

      Deep-Frying

      The oil should be 1½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) deep in your pan (between 2 and 3 cups/500 to 750 ml of oil for a 14-inch/35-cm wok)