I recently attended the first cooking class at Buford Highway Farmers Market and it was a sellout. New classes are forming, taught by the mother-daughter team of Natalie and Margaret Keng who call themselves the Chinese Southern Belles. I recommend you try one, at only $10, but let me give you a taste of what you are in for. After an hilarious history of how the Keng family moved to Smyrna and Natalie grew up as the only Asian in her class, they move on to Chinese cooking basics, starting with utensils. Mom Margaret says that she needs a minimum of tools to cook.
She finds a single cleaver faster and more versatile than a set of knives. To slice quickly, chop with one hand and guide the cleaver with the other by resting your knuckles on the blade. Curl your fingers under slightly and you’ll never get cut. The flat of the blade is perfect for smashing garlic cloves too—one hit of the blade and the peel pull right off. She demonstrated by slicing chicken breast, which goes faster if it is slightly frozen.
Her grater has large holes with sharp teeth to grate whole ginger or carrots much faster than mincing. She also relies on extra long chop sticks to move food easily around a wok or grab a single item from a deep fryer. She prefers a cast iron wok to one that’s coated.
Finally she uses a Chinese soup spoon. It has a broad base that rests easily on the counter, plus it’s useful for measuring. Many Asian recipes use a Chinese spoon when they call for a “tablespoon.”
And if you want to “Asia-fy” or “Mandarin-spin” any dish, Natalie says there are just a few ingredients you must have on hand. Obviously, soy sauce tops the list. Natalie recommends Kikkoman for general dipping and cooking. There are shelves of good sauces, just make sure to get a naturally fermented one, not hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Sesame oil is good to add flavor but only as a finishing oil. It does not stand up to high heat. Finally, make sure you have the 3 G’s – garlic, ginger, and green onions! Want to know more? See the 3 G's next week!
Or sign up for a Buford Highway Farmers Market class or a class directly through the Chinese Southern Belles.
Comments
Love the article and pics! Small clarification on sesame oil: Sesame oil actually has a very high heat/burning point. In China, it is nicknamed “ fragrant oil” and in general, used more as a flavoring oil, i.e. the darker, Asian roasted sesame oil. However sesame oil may be used for cooking/frying and is more so in Japan and S.India. Since it is a low-yield oil (requires lots of seeds to yield a little oil), expensive, strong in aroma, and may lose some fragrance after heating, we use the Asian-style sesame oil mainly for finishing or flavor. If using as a cooking medium, I would opt for the lighter-style sesame oil, which I’ve heard is also a good skin emollient! Open sesame and enjoy! :)?
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