The Basis to Sticking Together

This is a continuation of our series on cooking with the wok, as pulled from excerpts from Renegade Wok:  New Dimensions in Wok Cooking. In this article we focus on cooking rice.

Every nation should be proud of its heritage, customs, and culinary food styles. While all of these attributes remain in their individual countries, the natives are the lucky benefactors.

As people from many nations emigrate to the U.S. and other countries, they expose us to new tastes, and excite our palates to renegade emulation. Today, we see many international recipes being changed, in part or in whole, by international chefs, food and dining magazines, and newspapers. These individual efforts are positive signals that culinary fare might indeed be changing (all to the benefit of the consumer!).

As culinary change is inevitable, we must look to the vast reaches of the wok world for guidance. The renegade search for culinary togetherness today may be a cry for tomorrow's dynamic recipes. We feel that wok technology offers much potential in satisfying these changes and preserving the old tastes of yesterday.

We feel that the speed of these changes might vary according to how long one has been away from mom's cooking or how long they have been exposed to a mother-in-law's cooking. For some, the change may never come until a particular region changes its stable crop or your favorite grocery store changes location. For us wokkers, let us assume that rice is still our staple, and we will see how easy it is to change a little.

The Rice Bucket (The Stuff of Life-Oriental Style)

Rice is the dominant staff of life (staple diet) in the Orient. Being neutral in flavor, it is a natural foundation to put many of our wok creations over or along side of it (bachelor style). When rice is eaten independently in a rice bowl with chopsticks, it enables us to taste and enjoy the savor of each dish with each mouthful. Quite a mouthful of words, but true (classic style)!

Many rice eaters probably prefer the long grain (Texas Patna variety) because it permits the tasty gravies to flow over each grain more readily.

All of the proceeding is daily fare in the Oriental household and made possible by the ever-present "Rice Bucket" (in many homes found next to the bread box).

Boiled Rice Preparation

• Wash hands and put rice into vessel (approximately ¼ cup per person). Don't worry if you have some left over; save for fried rice
• Fill water slightly over rice level. Rotate hands and squeeze rice gently to wash grains against each other. Rinse a few times until the water is clear
• Leave ¼" to ½" of water over the clean rice
• Put the lid on the vessel and heat until the water boils, then turn the heat to a low setting until soft or put the lid on your electric cooker and turn on power. That's all
• Lift lid and stir rice until fluffy

Rice Treasures

Here are a few lost treasures for people who cook rice in a pot or wok.

After you have removed most of the fluffy rice from the vessel, leave a thin layer on the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook the remainder of rice under medium heat until a light brown crust if formed. (Do not burn.)

• Treasure A:   Fon Jill (not related to Jack)
  Add water or broth and bring to a boil. Break up crust, mix in a little fermented bean cake, and make rice gravy. Voila! You have a fragrant delicious meal topper. (It may have been the first dessert without sugar.)
  Or you have a golden crust on the outside and a soft surface on the inside. Chop into squares or whatever shape that you can as a wrapper or slices
• Treasure B: Rice Cracker
  Slice and sprinkle a little salt and eat or use as a hors d'oeuvre cracker.
• Treasure C: Ricewich
  Wrapper: Roll a boiled Lop Cheung (Chinese sausage) or even a Kosher hot dog in it. Enjoy!
• Treasure D: Rice Sizzler
  Cut crust into small 1" to 2" pieces and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 300 to 350 degrees F, or until crispy. Use it as a crouton in your favorite soup or use it immediately in your sizzling rice recipes.

Super Fried Rice

Left-over rice from a meal need not be discarded. Use it any time up to a couple of days.
Note:   Open a hole in the center of the pile to let the rice air cool evenly to ensure that each kernel will separate when re-cooking. (Refrigerate only if you want more moisture in your recipe.)

Fried Rice (T.C. = turn constantly)

1. Ring a small amount of oil in a bare wok and turn up the heat.
2. Fry diced or ground meat, fowl, and shrimp (cooked protein preferred). Add a little garlic (or garlic oil).
3. Add egg (optional).
4. Add diced carrots, peas, celery, beaten egg, etc.
   
Timely addition of ingredients is important to ensure adequate cooking. Do not burn.
Optional:   Remove ingredients if you are not sure of your "T.C" ability.
5. Turn heat to medium, break up, and add rice and small amount of oil and water to remoisturize rice and to prevent sticking (T.C). When rice becomes fluffy or soft, return ingredients back into wok (T.C.)
6. Add soy sauce after you have tasted your concoction. (Remember that many ingredients already contain salts.)
   Note:   More T.C. is required because more ingredients need more mixing or your efforts will turn into "Tsk! Tsk!"
7. Add green onions and T.C, T.C.
8. Your saliva should be running and your arms may be sore so turn off the heat.
9. Place your fried rice into serving containers and top off with a little cilantro, etc.

Montezuma's Rice Revenge (Another Renegade Bonus)

1. Start with any delicious "Spanish Rice" recipe or get rice from your favorite Mexican deli.
2. Bake in the oven just to dry some moisture and ensure rice separation as you like (optional).
3. Dice your choice of cooked or barbecued meat. Baked ham or barbecued pork would be a good selection.
4. Add your favorite oil and some special golden triangle ingredients to the wok. (Do not burn.) T.C.
5. Add chopped celery or onions (optional).
6. Add chopped Ortega chile or Jalapeno peppers to brown. (Use both if you like but don't tell the firemen I told you so). T.C.
7. Add one beaten egg and one chopped green onion (per pint of rice) and some minced shrimp, for a delightful crispy taste. T.C., T.C!
8. Add Spanish-type rice and T.C! When the rice becomes light and crispy, or when your arms start to ache, turn off the heat.
9. Garnish and serve immediately.

Note:   If you do not want Montezuma to take his revenge, serve with liquids or beverages of your choice.

In the next edition of Jade Dragon Online we will focus on the preparation and presentation of many noodle, dumpling, and egg roll recipes (with or without the wok).

To become a full-fledged Renegade Wokker more quickly, order the Renegade Wok source book at our discounted rate of only $9.99 (retail $12.95) using our mail order form.

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