Figuratively, can a wok breathe?

BRY2K

Yes, the wok's "breath" is the heat rising from the sizzling instrument as a dish is finished. http://www.amazon.com/Breath-Wok-Unlocking-Chinese-Cooking/dp/0743238273 Aug 26 08, 1:02 PM

zbeckabee

From GRACE YOUNG author of the book "The Breath of a Wok." I think of wok hay as the breath of a wok - when a wok breathes energy into a stir-fry, giving foods a unique concentrated flavor and aroma. Of course, the Cantonese definition of wok hay varies from cook to cook. Many chefs will immediately talk about controlling the fo hao, fire power, for only the correct intense heat combined with a short cooking time elicits the heung mei, the fragrant aroma that characterizes wok hay. "A wok must be very hot for stir-fries to have the grilled, smoky flavor that is so distinctive of wok hay," says Chinese cooking authority Ken Hom. "A well-seasoned carbon-steel wok is also essential for creating wok hay- the blacker the pan, the more intense the wok hay flavor." Some cooks define wok hay as the "taste of the wok." Other cooks describe wok hay in near poetic terms. My friend Vivien Cheung says, "Wok hay is both elusive and real." She speculates that it has to do with the design of the wok. "I imagine the wok to be like a volcano. Stir-frying on high heat incorporates hot air and motion, releasing a prized essence into the food. In a skillet that essence is all dissipated." Hong Kong heritage researcher Nevin Lim thinks wok hay is a harmony of taste. "When the Cantonese stir-fry garlic and spinach, they use the garlic to remove the raw taste of spinach. With good wok hay you will not taste the harsh flavor of garlic. Instead, the two ingredients combine to create a harmony of taste," says Lim. http://www.graceyoung.com/excerptsBreath.html Aug 26 08, 1:49 PM

Baloo55th

They sound as bad as the people that praise a wine saying it has hints of socks and poodle! I've never thought of stir-frying spinach, though. Sounds interesting - especially with garlic... Aug 26 08, 2:29 PM

edmund80

Yes ! Wok hay or breath of the wok is a Cantonese term for the energetic or fiery quality of fresh food, both vegetables and meat, that are properly cooked in a wok. The main requirement seems to be a very hot wok. They seem to take it very seriously as food devoid of wok hay is considered unlucky and should not be consumed. Also, leftovers are thought unpalatable for the same reason, unless cooked again in high heat as in the making of fried rice. Finally, Chinese friends of mine told me that contrary to our inclinations here, where we tend to request tables far away from the kitchen, they prefer tables close enough to the kitchen so that the wok hay does not dissipate during its' journey from stove to dining table. http://asiancuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/wokstirfry Aug 26 08, 8:32 PM