Heat is the energy that is produced by the rapid movement of molecules. The molecules in living organisms always have some motions, while cold temperatures slow it down. Read more »

It is a fallacy that Chinese cooking needs considerable work ahead of time, even if the cooking process is very quick. Really long preparation is required only for the grand, imperial dishes that few people bother to cook at home anyway. Read more »

The following ingredients are the foundation of common dishes:

• Sauces: Have on hand a bottle each of chili sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, yellow or black bean sauce and some sesame oil.
• Canned Vegetables: Plan to stock a can each of bamboo shoots, black beans, straw mushrooms and some water chestnuts.
• Seasonings: Keep a jar of five-spice powder, garlic (fresh or pureed), green ginger (fresh or pureed) and some sesame seeds.
• Noodles and Rice: Stock packets of egg noodles, rice noodles and rice vermicelli, plus bags of fragrant Thai or basmati rice, and perhaps a bag of glutinous or sticky short-grain rice as well.

Moist-heat preparation techniques include scalding, poaching, simmering, stewing, braising, boiling, parboiling, blanching and steaming. In these methods, liquids are used not only to heat the food, but may also contribute flavor, color, texture and appearance to the final product. Read more »

Heating not only destroys microorganisms that cause illness, but changes the molecular structure of foods, altering their texture, taste, odor, and appearance. During food preparation, heat is transferred by either moist or dry heat methods. Regardless of which method is used, food should never be left unattended while it is cooking because that is the number one cause of fire in the kitchen.