Wok 101

Wok Cooking

My first introduction into Asian cuisine was when I was living in South Carolina. The military base was like an extended worldly neighborhood. Jim had many friends he served with from Guam and their wives taught me how to make a pot of short grain white rice homestyle. I learned to wash away the clouds in the rice and measure the water with my index finger. My family quickly preferred rice over any other starch and would beg for white rice even for breakfast. I started buying huge bags of rice in the military commissary. Often, I would chop up cherry tomatoes, add soy sauce, chopped onion and red pepper flakes for the sauce on top.

Our next assignment in Hawaii, I met more great cooks from the Philippines and learned to crispy egg rolls called Lumpia. I taught my sons how to make these and we assembled a line of cooks and had a plate full in minutes. We’d use pork or shrimp with a medley of vegetables to fill and seal up these wraps before flash frying.

On a local tour of China town in Honolulu, I bought my first wok. This tool made dinner quickly and we ate healthier. The meat was smaller bites and vegetables were the majority of the meal. I experimented with oils and seeds for flavor. If you are looking for a way to make a healthy, quick meal look no further. Chop up some bite size vegetables like carrots, onions, celery, spring peas and any other crisp veggie.  Add seafood or chicken and a splash of soy sauce or any favorite teriyaki sauce and you will have dinner on the table in minutes. I have seen prepared vegetables in bags ready to cook in a wok and that may even help save time on those busier nights. Add a dish of rice and enjoy! Happy New Year.