What Do I Need for Cooking Chinese

So, you’re attracted by the concept of cooking  scrumptious and healthy Chinese food in your home? What do you need, in addition to the recipe, the ingredients, and your kitchen?
Well woks have been the mainstay of Chinese cooking for centuries – over 3000 years use in China, indeed.  If you haven’t got one, is it necessary? Highly desirable, but not essential, I would say.
You can use a frying pan to cook stir frys.  A wok, does, however, have numerous advantages. It requires much less oil, and distributes heat more evenly than a frying pan. And the unique concave shape that a wok has makes tossing the food around during stir frying more straghtforward. Coupled with the fact that you can also use the wok as an ordinary frying pan, and a deep fryer if wanted.
Other equipment that is also not essential, but desirable includes:
A lid. A lid can either be rounded or flat topped. It should be able to fit the It can also be useful to measure out other ingredients to add.
A knife. Cutting and slicing before preparing food is veryimportant. Having bite size pieces allows the food to be eaten with chopsticks. It also decreases cooking time by increasing the area exposed to heat. And it permits greater absorbtion of sauces and flavourings. Although they look as though they could cut through bones, don’t use cleavers for this – it may damage them.  Although they are often made of carbon steel, this can rust and add a metallic taste. Best to get a cleaver manufactured from stainless steel. The flat end of the cleaver may also be used as a pestle.
Steaming basket.  A basket that can hold food over boiling water. Bamboo baskets are generally better than metal baskets as the materialabsorbs the moisture and permits the steam to circulate. Dripping water from metal baskets can reduce the flavour of the food.
Ring stand. A ring stand can stabilise the wok. Generally ring stands have open sides for gas cooking, and closed sides for electric ones. If your wok has a tapered stand then turn it so that the wider side is up for electric stoves, and narrower side up for gas ones.
Rack. Usually a semi circle and can be used to keep your food warm.
Skimmer. A skimmer is a impement made from wire mesh. Usually with a long handle made of bamboo (although also rarely metal). It is used for taking out such food as dumplings noodles and wontons, as well as deep fried foods from boiling water or oil.
Thermometer. Useful for ensuring that the right temperature has been achieved during deep frying. It is crucial that the bulb doesn’t touch the bottom of the wok.
Whisk. For cleaning the wok.
Tongs. For taking out and moving around, food.
If buying a wok, it often makes sense to get accessories at the same time as you can get a bargain.