Books for cooks
"Wok Fast"
By Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison
(Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, 2002, softcover, $17.95)
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If you are familiar with the duo's previous 10 cookbooks, you have come to expect large, stylish photographs. "Wok Fast" goes a step further, providing more than 50 how-to photos and an updated layout that is even easier to follow.
The beginner cook is visually introduced to the basics of wok stir-frying. The more adventuresome cook is presented with culinary challenges such as "tile" cutting fish and roll-cutting bok choy.
True to its title, this series of cookbooks was created with the home chef's busy schedule in mind. The ingredient lists are short, and there are plenty of make-ahead tips. Recipe directions are divided into "advance preparation" and "last-minute cooking" steps.
"Wok Fast" offers more than 100 recipes. Some are traditional, such as Classic Cashew Chicken, Mu Shu Pork and Moo Goo Gai Pan. Others, such as Beef Fajitas Wok-Style and Wok-Seared Pesto Shrimp, show that wok cooking is creative and versatile. More than two dozen marinades and sauces are interchangeable throughout the book, providing endless variations for exciting, new meals.
Be aware that recipes for side dishes are generally not included. You're on your own to come up with the grilled polenta and watercress pecan salad that entice you in one of the full-color photographs. The book is easy to navigate, despite the fact that the index lists some recipes by title and others by category.
In the following recipe, if you stir-fry the shrimp in their shells, they will be more tender, and the flavor of the shells will contribute a more intense "shrimp" taste. However, if you don't want messy hands while eating, shell and butterfly the shrimp in advance.
Advance Preparation: Using scissors or a thin knife, cut along the top of the shrimp shell to expose the vein. Rinse out the vein, being careful to keep the shell intact. Cover and refrigerate until 5 minutes before cooking.Blackened Shrimp with Tangerine Garlic Essence
1 pound large raw shrimp, shells on
2 tablespoons flavorless cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
>> Spicy Tangerine Marinade
1 tablespoon grated tangerine or orange zest
1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon flavorless cooking oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce
Combine the cooking oil and garlic. (Can be completed to this point up to 8 hours in advance of last-minute cooking).
Last-Minute Cooking: Place a wok over high heat. When the wok is very hot, add the oil-garlic mixture and sauté for a few seconds. Add the shrimp and stir, and toss until the shells turn pink (a few black scorch marks are fine), about 90 seconds. Cut one in half; it should be white in the center.
Combine marinade ingredients. During the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the marinade and stir until it thickens. Transfer to a platter or plates, and serve hot, at room temperature or cold. Serves 2 to 4.
Approximate nutritional information per serving (4 servings, prepared with peanut oil): 180 calories, 11 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 130 mg cholesterol, 380 mg sodium, 15 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate.
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Barbara Burke is a Hawaii-Pacific University instructor who teaches and writes about food and nutrition. Contact her at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or e-mail her at: features@starbulletin.com
