Wok Synchronicity
Inspired by the Chinese New Year a few days ago, I decided to cook “stir-fry”. I had sesame oil and soy sauce. I whipped up some veggies and tofu in my frying pan. Tasty… yes, but by no means was this traditional Chinese cuisine – think sauteed vegetables with an Asian flare instead. While eating our fake stir-fry, the husband and I decided with 100 percent agreement that we needed to buy a wok! We eat vegetables constantly and I’m always eager to learn new cooking techniques – it was a must.
The next evening, after googling “wok 11385”, we headed to The Fair Home at Atlas Park (80-00 Cooper Avenue, Queens, NY 11385). The Fair is a home goods store – think Crate and Barrel but less expensive and a little more funky like Pier 1. I liked the place, very much so that I’m afraid I’ll be there every weekend buying and buying things I “need”.
We were surprised to see they had several woks for sale, cast iron, non-stick, and chrome steel. We decided on the chrome steel priced at 29.99 with 20% off – love a sale! I was browsing around while the husband completed the purchase. The gentleman at the register said “ Oh, you read the Edible Queens article… about the woks?” Matt said “no actually”. Turns out Edible Queens printed an article in their winter publication about different types of woks, traditions and the changing trends in the Chinese community relating to cooking. The associate gave us a copy to take home. The Fair was mentioned, “where to purchase” woks. This meaningful coincidence, the luck of the dragon and the quantum mechanics clearly apparent, all confirm… I was meant to stir-fry.
We went to the food store (yes, I call the supermarket the food store, blame Flo), got supplies and tried stir-fry again with our new wok, ginger, garlic, canola oil, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, chicken broth, corn starch and a variety of veggies. I loosely followed Emeril’s video on Green Planet for technique and timing. I loved working the wok, tossing, and flipping, the action of cooking with a wok is quite engaging. Another benefit, the cook time is fast – stir frying is perfect for people who have real jobs, that don’t have a lot of time to cook after work.
I’m excited to learn more and ultimately perfect my wok maneuvers. The Edible Queens article had a recipe, romaine lettuce and shiitake mushrooms. Pick up a copy, it looked fantastic. It’s next on my menu.
