Basic Tools for Chinese Cooking

Chinese For Dummies

In Chinese cooking (or any other cuisine), you can usually use the kitchen tools you already have. But some Chinese recipes do call for specialized tools, such as a claypot casserole. Other items, like a rice cooker or wok just make cooking easier. If you don't already have some of the utensils in this list, head to the cooking supply store — which is always a fun trip!

A wok that you've seasoned
A sharp chef's knife
A cutting board that you keep clean
A small spice grinder
A steamer
A strainer
Spatulas and ladles
A claypot casserole
An electric rice cooker
Chopsticks

About This Article

About the book author:

Martin Yan, celebrated host of more than 1,500 cooking shows, highly respected food and restaurant consultant, and certified master chef, enjoys distinction as both teacher and author. His many talents are showcased in over two dozen best-selling cookbooks, including Martin Yan’s Feast: The Best of Yan Can Cook, Martin Yan’s Invitation to Chinese Cooking, and Chinese Cooking For Dummies. Yan is the founder of the Yan Can International Cooking School in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yan Can Cook has received national and international recognition, including a 1998 Daytime Emmy Award, a 1996 James Beard Award for Best TV Food Journalism, and a 1994 James Beard Award for Best TV Cooking Show.