oh the wonderful things you can do with a wok

aside from stir frying, use your wok to steam and smoke food

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dear friend,

did you know there’s about a thousand things you can do with a wok? ok, i’m exaggerating a bit, but for one, let’s say you find yourself in a zombie apocalypse. You can use a wok to whack out some zombies. It will wok, I promise!

But seriously, the wok is my pan of choice for making anything stir-fried. I also use the wok to par-cook or velvet my proteins, to keep them soft and moist. Veggies? They blanch up quickly in a wok.

And let’s say I want some fluffy steamed bao or tender sticky rice. I would add water to my wok, let it boil, and top it with a bamboo steamer. I put whatever it is I want to steam inside the steamer, be it a cake or mochi.

Aside from steaming, boiling, and stir-frying food (and defending yourself against zombies), your wok can do one more thing and I think the video below will better explain it:

Reel for reference:

katlieu

A post shared by @katlieu

Yes, my friend, you can smoke almost any protein you’d like, using a wok and a steamer.

Smoking here will only add that delicious smoky flavor and won’t cook the meat or protein. This is a cold smoking technique, and not a hot smoking technique that you can achieve with traditional Western smokers.

Someone commented on the video that you can easily achieve the smoky effect by using drops of liquid smoke, but where’s the fun in that?

Cold smoking food using a wok and bamboo steamer can delight your inner child and bring out that dormant food scientist in you. You can use your favorite spice blends and go wild with the combinations.

In my video, I made a smoking spice blend using sugar, raw rice, some barley tea, cinnamon sticks, cocoa powder, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns. I added sugar and rice because they act as the fuel base, as they burn slowly and evenly, helping to produce a steady stream of aromatic smoke to infuse whatever you're smoking.

Your blend can include:
– Black tea leaves + dried orange peel + cardamom pods
– Coffee grounds + brown sugar + fennel seeds
– Dried lavender + rosemary + thyme (amazing for fish or tofu)
– Bay leaves + coriander seeds + cumin for something more earthy
– Or even dried rose petals + oolong tea for a floral, romantic vibe

Experiment. Make it your very own personalized smoking spice blend. Let your inner mad food scientist play.

Now, many people had questions about the cold smoking technique I employed here. Like, for example, did I add any water? What can we use instead of aluminum foil to hold the smoking spice blend?

Well… no water is added to the wok during the smoking process. You want the spice blend to smolder, not steam. The dry heat helps activate the ingredients, releasing their fragrant smoke.

As for holding the blend, aluminum foil is just one option. You can also use:
– A disposable pie tin
– Or even line the bottom of the wok with parchment paper, if you're keeping the flame low

Just make sure it’s something heat-safe and stable. Speaking of heat-safe, before you do this, be sure to soak the bottom of your bamboo steamer in water for at least 15 minutes. This will prevent the bottom of the steamer from burning. After smoking your food, keep your bamboo steamer outside so the smells with air out.

Have fun, be safe, and don’t forget to crack a window or turn on a fan if your kitchen isn’t ventilated well. Try this trick outdoors if you have an outdoor kitchen or portable stove.

Your neighbors will think you opened up a fancy new smokehouse.

NOW, for my premium subscribers, here is a detailed recipe for the delicious chicken you see in the video…

Kat Lieu’s delicious barley tea and cocoa-smoked chicken recipe

(PS: this recipe is also on page 114 of Modern Asian Kitchen, my second cookbook)

Unsurprisingly, this is one of my favorite recipes in Modern Asian Kitchen. You'll be amazed at how simple it is to infuse your proteins with profound smoky flavors. All you need is a wok, a steamer rack or bamboo steamer, and ingredients like barley tea, spices such as Sichuan peppercorns and star anise, and don't forget the cocoa powder. Tea smoking, a culinary technique born centuries ago in the Sichuan Province, beautifully infuses food with the smoky flavors of tea and spices. I highly encourage you to experiment with different ingredients for the tea blend. I'm planning to try black sesame and matcha next!

Tip: I cook outdoors. If you are making this dish indoors, turn on your hood range and crack open the windows. The smoke can be quite intense and linger, making clothes, furniture, hair and pets all smell smoky delicious.

MAKE IT VEGAN: Try tea-smoking plant-based proteins like firm tofu, mushrooms, or seitan.

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Inactive time: at least 1 hour

Cook Time: About 20 to 25 minutes

Ingredients: