Farm to Table Asian Secrets. Patricia Tanumihardja

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      Wok

      The wok is the most versatile cooking vessel in my kitchen. I use it mostly for stir-frying, but also for deep-frying, steaming and much, much more. Mine is a 14-inch (35-cm) carbon steel wok, which is perfect for home cooking for a family of four. A flat-bottomed wok works best for electric ranges; a round-bottomed one is best for gas. They’re great, but there’s no need to buy a wok if you don’t have one already (although you could put it on your wish list). A large skillet or sauté pan also works fine for stir-frying.

      Cast-Iron Frying Pans

      I have two cast-iron frying pans: A small one (6½ in/16.5 cm) for toasting seeds and spices, and a larger one (10 in/25 cm) for frying sunny-side-up eggs, pancakes, potstickers and more.

      Dutch Oven

      My two Dutch ovens (2.2 quart/liter and 3.75 quart/liter) bring cheer to my kitchen with their bright red color. Aesthetics aside, they are very useful for braising, making curries, congee, soups and stews, and deep-frying too!

      I prefer using the smaller vessel for deep-frying, even though it holds fewer items at a time. It lets me better control how quickly the food (spring rolls, green beans, etc.) cooks, and I use less oil. A heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot can do the same job.

      Pots

      If pots could talk, my trusty 6-quart/liter stainless-steel stockpot would have lots of stories to tell, mainly about stocks—vegetable, mushroom, chicken...you name it. Yes, I make stock in it, and congee as well. It makes a great steamer, too, whether with my steamer basket (above right), which fits inside perfectly, or by channeling MacGyver (see page 14).

      I have smaller 2- to 3-quart/liter pots with tight-fitting lids, which I use for cooking rice on the stovetop and boiling noodles in single-serve quantities.

      Steamer Basket

      Ever since I burned a hole in the bottom of my mom's metal steamer (always, always check to make sure there's enough water in your steamer), I've relied on my steamer basket. Made from stainless steel, it expands from 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) and fits a wide variety of pots. At its widest, the basket holds six to eight dumplings at a time, which is fine by me. To make it non-stick, I’ll brush it with oil or cut out a piece of parchment to size.

      Wooden Spatulas

      The wooden spatula is my favorite cooking utensil-1 have about six of them in different sizes and shapes! You may have heard that a metal wok spatula is ideal for stir-frying, because it has a wide shovel shape that matches the curved surface of a wok. Personally, I find it heavy and cumbersome, not least because the handle keeps falling off!

      Wire-mesh Skimmer

      My long-handled wire-mesh skimmer is another favorite tool. I use it for deep-frying, as well as for removing noodles, wontons, dumplings, etc, from boiling water. The wire mesh allows oil to drain from the food, and the long handle helps protect your hand from the heat. However, a slotted spoon can work just as well.

      Wire Rack Sheet

      After deep-frying things—sometimes even after pan-frying bacon or other greasy foods—I always drain them to get rid of excess oil. My go-to method was always paper towels until I bought a wire rack and set it atop a baking sheet. I discovered that the food turns out less soggy this way.

      Food Processor

      When I was a little girl, I would sit by my mom on the kitchen floor as she pounded herbs and spices into a smooth paste in her stone mortar. She would methodically add the firmer, more fibrous herbs like turmeric and lemongrass first, followed by hard spices like coriander and cumin, and finally the softer ingredients like garlic and shallots. It looked like a lot of work! Nowadays, she just uses a food processor, and I’ve followed suit. My 4-cup (4-liter) food processor is perfect for grinding spice pastes and making sauces. Any bigger, and your ingredients won’t be ground properly. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and add water a little at a time if the paste does not turn over as expected. Be observant and keep checking the consistency of the paste between your fingers.

      Mortar and Pestle

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