Have Fun Cooking!

Chinese waxed meat is usually very salty as a lot of salt has to be used in the curing process. To make it less salty, rub the meat all over with a piece of clean cloth dampened with rice wine. Stonewall Kitchen, LLC

To rid mushrooms of the musty smell, just soak them in rice water with a little salt added for about 40mins and the result is tender & tasty mushrooms.

The brown enzyme present in potatoes is responsible for the brown discoloration in peeled potatoes. To stop them from turning brown, immerse the potatoes in salted water immediately after cutting.

To have fragrant deep-fried cashew nuts with a crunchy bite, soak them in sugar solution for about 3hrs then rise clean and drain well. Deep-fry the nuts over low heat until golden brown then turn up the heat to medium. This forces the oil out of the nuts which would otherwise make the nuts soggy and oily.

To prevent broccoli from turning unappetizing yellow during stir-frying; blanch them in boiling water first. Blanching turns them into a nice deep translucent green and the stir-frying that follows imparts a nice glossy coating to it. Also, eating broccoli can protect men aginst an aggressive form of prostate cancer which is the second most common cancer in men.

For a great non-toxic window cleaner, mix one part vinegar to three parts water in a spray bottle. Spritz on your windows and wipe off with sheets of newspaper for streak-free windows!

To remove a permanent marker stain from wooden furniture, spray some hair spray or alcohol on a rag and rub the stain away.

Use creamy peanut butter to remove the residue left by sticky labels on glass.

Don't throw out all that leftover wine! Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

To remove stains on cups or utensils, rub crushed egg shells over the stains and then rinse.



Cooking Techniques

Stir-Frying Techniques

  • Heat the wok well before adding cooking oil and wait until the cooking oil is hot before adding the ingredients.
  • Cut the ingredient uniformly, be it shreds, cubes or pieces so that they will be cooked evenly.
  • Add the ingredients in stages, with the slowest cooking first and fastest cooking last so that all will be cooked evenly.
  • Stir-fry briskly over high heat to retain the flavor and color of ingredients.

    Braising Techniques

  • Cut the ingredients into bigger pieces for better presentation.
  • Marinate the ingredients for enhanced flavors.
  • Stir-fry the ingredients well before adding water.
  • Bring to boil over high heat then reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy is thickened, adding more water if the gravy dries out too fast.

    Pan-Frying Techniques

  • Marinate the ingredients for added flavors.
  • To prevent ingredients from sticking, heat the pan well before adding the oil and wait until the oil is hot before adding the ingredients.
  • Fry one side until golden brown before turning over to fry the other side.
  • When frying fish or meat, fry over high heat first to sear the skin then turn down to medium-low heat to cook the food.

    Deep-Frying Techniques

  • Cut the ingredients uniformly so they will be cooked evenly and have an even color
  • Marinate the ingredients for added flavors.
  • Fill the wok to 70% full and wait until the cooking oil is hot before putting the ingredients in. Keep stirring and turning to ensure even browning and cooking.
  • Keep the oil temperature between 160°C-190°C for a nice crispy finish.

    Steaming Techniques

  • Bring water in the steamer to a rolling boil before putting in the ingredients.
  • Avoid opening the steamer to prevent a sudden drop in temperature.
  • Use boiling water if you have to top up the water in the steamer.
  • Steam meats and seafood over high heat and eggs over low heat.

    Simmering Techniques

  • Blanch meats in boiling water first to rid the meat of strong odours and blood juices.
  • After putting in the ingredients cover and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
  • Once the soup starts boiling, turn down the heat, remover the cover and use a ladle to skim off the scum which would otherwise turn the soup cloudy.
  • After skimming off the scum, replace the cover and simmer over low heat until tender.




    • Everything you ever wanted to know about Herbs and more....

    Create your own herb garden and enjoy all the health-improving properties.






    Healthy Dining Menu that fit your dining lifestyle

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      Guide to Organic Cooking

      If you have any interest at all in organic cooking... if you want to eat healthier and do your part to help the environment... or you are interested in growing your own organic foods... then this book was written just for you.


      Click Here       for further information on this cookbook.