A lot of culinary tools are incredibly versatile! Once you understand how they’re designed to function, you can be empowered to use them in a variety of ways. (Not unlike using a large Dutch oven instead of a 12” frying pan, as a soup and stew pot, roast pan, shallow fryer, or bread oven.)

Wok

One well-known Chinese cooking technique worth mastering is stir-frying in a wok. This bowl-shaped pan can be heated to high temperatures with a small amount of oil to allow foods to cook quickly and evenly. (The high sides keep everything well-contained while stirring.) The result: vegetables retain their colour and crunch, and meats and tofu stay moist.

If you don’t have a wok, use a wide, flat-bottomed pan that allows ingredients room to make contact with the heated surface. What’s also important is that you can easily toss and fold different ingredients and not crush them.
Be ready ahead of time. Stir-frying goes very quickly, so before you start cooking, prep your ingredients, chop them into uniform sizes for even cooking.
Don’t start until the wok is really hot. To test, drip water onto the wok. If the water immediately evaporates, the wok is ready for cooking to begin.

Bamboo Steamer

Bamboo steamers are another kitchen staple. They evenly distribute steam, allowing you to quickly and gently cook your food. These steam baskets are also designed to stack, allowing you to cook multiple ingredients at the same time.

Longer to shorter cook times for ingredients dictates which steamer basket you use. Proteins like meats and fish need longer to cook and should be in the basket closest to the steaming water. Ingredients that need less time, like vegetables, go in a higher basket, and take less time to cook overall.
You don’t have to steam with water! If you want to infuse extra flavour into your food, use a flavourful broth.
Line the baskets. Parchment paper, cabbage leaves and corn husks all work. (As do other leaves, like banana or pandan, if you have them.)

Mandoline Slicer

The mandoline is one of the sharpest tools you can have in your kitchen toolbox, and you don’t need expert knife skills to benefit. (But do use the hand guard for safety!) It’s a rapid-results workhorse, perfectly slicing the most wafer-thin slices to evenly slimmed out matchsticks. Your next stir fry will thank you.