When Grace Young was a child, her father instilled in her a
lasting appreciation of wok hay,
the highly prized but elusive taste that food achieves when
properly
stir-fried in a wok. As an adult, Young aspired to create
that taste in
her own kitchen. Her quest to master wok cooking led her
throughout the
United States, Hong Kong, and mainland China. Along with
award-winning
photographer Alan Richardson, Young sought the advice of
home cooks,
professional chefs, and esteemed culinary teachers like
Cecilia Chiang,
Florence Lin, and Ken Hom. Their instructions, stories, and
recipes,
gathered in this richly designed and illustrated volume,
offer not only
expert lessons in the art of wok cooking, but also capture a
beautiful
and timeless way of life.
With its emphasis on
cooking with all the senses, The Breath of a Wok
brings the techniques and flavors of old-world wok cooking
into today's kitchen, enabling anyone to stir-fry with
wok hay.
IACP award-winner Young details the fundamentals of selecting,
seasoning, and caring for a wok, as well as the range of the
wok's
uses; this surprisingly inexpensive utensil serves as the
ultimate
multipurpose kitchen tool. The 125 recipes are a testament
to the
versatility of the wok, with stir-fried, smoked, pan-fried,
braised,
boiled, poached, steamed, and deep-fried dishes that include
not only
the classics of wok cooking, like Kung Pao Chicken and Moo
Shoo Pork,
but also unusual dishes like Sizzling Pepper and Salt
Shrimp, Three
Teacup Chicken, and Scallion and Ginger Lo Mein. Young's
elegant prose
and Richardson's extraordinary photographs create a unique and
unforgettable picture of artisan wok makers in mainland
China, street
markets in Hong Kong, and a "wok-a-thon" in which Young's
family of
aunties, uncles, and cousins cooks together in a lively
exchange of
recipes and stories. A visit with author Amy Tan also
becomes a family
event when Tan and her sisters prepare New Year's dumplings.
Additionally, there are menus for family-style meals and for
Chinese
New Year festivities, an illustrated glossary, and a source
guide to
purchasing ingredients, woks, and accessories.
Written with
the intimacy of a memoir and the immediacy of a travelogue, this
recipe-rich volume is a celebration of cultural and culinary
delights.
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