Roast by World Federation Of Chinese Catering IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In the realm of Chinese cuisine, there's a proverb: “A spatula takes a month to learn, a knife takes three months to master, but the heat takes a lifetime to perfect.” Indeed, achieving precision with heat control is the paramount and formidable aspect of mastering Chinese cooking. To be qualified as a Chinese chef, one must master the heat applied to a dish. This translates to adjusting the intensity of the heat and its duration to cook food properly.
Given the variety of dishes, the duration and intensity of heat required vary accordingly. Skillful regulation of cooking temperatures guarantees that ingredients are cooked to perfection, resulting in a well-balanced dish that embodies the ideal characteristics of color, aroma, flavor, shape, and nutritional value.
Crisp sugar-coated apple by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
For example, when the heat is perfectly applied to a dish, such as the apple in hot toffee, it becomes coated with a soft and crunchy caramel layer. If the heat is too high, it becomes tough and chewy. Chicken and pork need to simmer for a long time over a low heat to become tender and juicy. To control the heat well, one must possess a thorough understanding of the fire that produces the heat.
Roasted White Jimo by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Before delving into the intricacies of heat, it’s essential to acquaint ourselves with the concept of heat level in the realm of Chinese cuisine. Heat energy is generated when various fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, coal, and wood are burned. The measurement of the heat energy obtained from burning fuel is referred to as the heat level.
Heat levels
Heat is not constant, varying in both intensity and duration. This makes it difficult to classify the heat applied into different levels. However, heat intensity can be divided into four categories, which are based on flame height, brightness, and radiation intensity.
Intense FireWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
1. High heat:
The flame is high and stable, with intense radiation. Some dishes with vegetables, such as shredded potatoes, kung pao chicken, and three-flavored stir-fry, require a high heat to cook well.
Moderate fireWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
2. Medium heat:
The flame is low and flickering, with relatively intense radiation. Medium heat is suitable for cooking methods that require slow and gentle heat. The application of medium heat is used when braising and frying, and is commonly used when cooking dishes with meat.
Small fireWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
3. Low heat:
The flame is weak, unstable, and has little heat radiation. Low heat is suitable for stewing, which allows the flavors to penetrate the ingredients to the greatest extent.
gentle heat by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
4. Slight heat:
The fire is dark red with no visible flame. The main use of this very low heat is keeping food warm.
The use of heat levels
The intricate manipulation of the heat needed truly puts a chef’s skill to the test. Depending on the ingredients’ characteristics, such as their type, shape, amount, and ripeness, chefs use different levels of heat during the cooking process. To craft complex dishes successfully, chefs need to use different heat levels skillfully.
braised pork in brown sauce by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Main principles of heat levels and timing
1. Low heat is ideal for large ingredients that have a tough texture and require a longer time to cook due to their complexity.
2. Certain dishes benefit from a brief period of high-temperature cooking, resulting in a crispy exterior and tender interior.
3. Other dishes require a gentle and long cooking process to make them soft and sticky. Applying either a medium or low heat is the best choice for these dishes.
In addition, many dishes also need heat at various levels during their cooking process. For example, when making braised pork, high heat is applied first, then medium, followed by the use of high heat again.
Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Demonstration of heat control: Making sweet and sour spare ribs
Blanching by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
1. Blanching:
Place chopped spare ribs in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil with a high heat. Remove any foam that surfaces. After 2 minutes, drain the ribs and allow them to air dry.
cook by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
2. Boiling:
Add the spare ribs, along with green onion, ginger, cooking wine, and other ingredients, into a pot of cold water. Bring the liquid to a boil using a high heat. Then adjust the heat to medium and then low. Simmer for 60 minutes, and then remove the ingredients from the pot.
Fried by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
3. Deep-frying:
Coat the ribs with a starch slurry. Heat a large amount of vegetable oil in a pot over a medium heat. Deep-fry the ribs until they are crisp and golden, and then remove them from the oil.
fry by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
4. Stir-frying:
Heat more oil in a pot, then add green onion, ginger, and sugar. Stir-fry over a low heat until the sugar turns yellow. Add the spare ribs, and then pour in starch slurry and vinegar. Finally, stir-fry the mixture for 2 minutes over a medium heat.
Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs by World Federation of Chinese Cuisine IndustryWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Sweet and sour spare ribs showcase how low, medium, and high heat is utilized to produce an outstanding dish. If Chinese cooking is something that you are interested in trying, we encourage you to have a go!
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