• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

Be a Wok Star!

  • Home
  • About
    • Press
    • Partners/Sponsors
  • Shop
    • Wok Star Amazon Store
    • Wok-Set
  • Experiences
    • Wok Star Supper Club
  • Blog/Reviews
  • Resources
    • Tips
    • Asian Markets in Miami
    • Asian Markets in Broward
    • Videos
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

chilies

4 Tips to Add Flavor to Any Dish

October 9, 2019 By Eleanor Hoh 2 Comments

SPICE RUBS…

I ADORE dry spice rubs, how did Chef Patty Ruiz know? She brought me a gift of her three handcrafted spices: Harissa Dry Spice Rub, Zaatar Spice Blend and Chinese Five Spice Blend.  If you’re in Miami, she also gives cooking instructions and can create a magical event for you, her styling is out of this world.

The Mad Table’s Zaatar spice rub, wow, so perfect for this Rack of Lamb, umm…

Dry spice rubs are so versatile, they are my favorite way to season meats for grilling and sprinkle on omelets, soups, stews, whatever you’d like.

Choose from her 16 spice blends at The Mad Table!
Don’t you love her packaging!

Spin it!

Here’s something to help you get those flavors into your food…I came across this tin lazy Suzan and I love it! I keep it right on my dining table so it’s handy. It’s a little bulky but does the job.  Keeps my spice rubs, etc. for adding flavor to any dish.

Check my Instagram Highlights/Cooking Tips @wokstar for short video, see some spin action and see other goodies! Instagram is where you’ll get the latest updates on Tips, Food Finds and beyond! 

MUSHROOMS…

Wok Stars, you already know about Earthy Delights’ Shiitake or Oyster Mushrooms that come in your Wok Star Kit. Mushrooms are so versatile, they can go in a stir fry, soup, stew, risotto. And so handy cause they never spoil. Check instructions on packet how to rehydrate them. 

Recently, I’ve been using Shimeji Mushrooms which have changed my life. Since I started making Buddha Bowl soups, I throw a bunch of Shimeji and Enokis in right at the end. They cook really fast whether you add to soup or stir fry. 

Shimeji Mushrooms changed my life!
Click to see how you make this yummy Classic Wok Steamed Chicken with Mushrooms!

Chili Threads!

Earthy Delight first introduced me to these wonderful Chili Threads and now I am hooked and they don’t stock it, phooey. You can find at Asian markets as well. Top on any dish and you’ll be considered a gourmet chef! Keep them in dark area, away from heat or they lose their flavor. 

They add STYLE, HEIGHT, VISUAL INTEREST and a slight hit of spiciness.

Crispy Shallots/Red Onions

Crispy shallots or red onions give so much flavor and kick as a topping. Don’t sprinkle till right before eating cause they tend to get soft.  For soups, I put them in a small sauce plate to savor separately. 

You can find them at Asian markets also, check the labels, you don’t want any MSG or chemicals. The less ingredients, the better. Mine only listed soybean oil and shallots or red onions, yum. 

Crispy shallots or red onions give so much flavor and kick as a topping.

Note: this post contains Amazon affiliate links or partner links.

Filed Under: blog, chilies, Cooking Tips, grilling, resources, spices, Tips Tagged With: "cooking tips", chili threads, crispy shallots, flavor, grilling, mushrooms, seasonings, spices

Mother's Day, Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Miami River Wall

April 30, 2010 By Eleanor Hoh 2 Comments

Miami River Wall, newest venue to
host Wok Star cooking classes

I’m very excited to announce Miami River Wall is my newest venue to host my Wok Star cooking classes and just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day and Asian Pacific Heritage month which is in May. I want to dedicate this month to my mom who is responsible for teaching me wok cooking and introducing me to using a lightweight, cast iron wok!

So, what is Miami River Wall? Peter Kastan and Bob Pelligrini started their first vertical plant wall based on Frenchman, Patrick Blanc’s concept. Here’s a small segment of Peter last weekend at Fairchild Tropical Food and Garden Festival during his Pecha Kucha talk.

Lovely to see Peter Kastan with wife Mei and son.

But they took it one step further and recently added a new wall with herbs, chilies and edible flowers – all grown hydroponically i.e. no soil, just water and nutrients. How perfect for my cooking classes because I like to use fresh ingredients.


Peter switch on the lights for the herb wall
I like this living wall better than having a piece of art because it’s constantly changing instead of being 2D static. It’s also a very refreshing and cool idea and at the same time eco-friendly and green!
Mei is responsible for planting the walls!

Even though I put my cilantro in a jug of water and put a bag over it to keep it longer, I still can’t use it fast enough. How I would love to have a fresh herb, chili wall. Well, at least on days I’m giving my class, I’ll get to spend time with it.

Come join me for a Wok Star cooking class where I show you my simple, NO-RECIPE technique using my Wok Star Kit. And with only a few fresh ingredients and seasonings, dinners are easy and quick with very little cleanup! There’ll be 4 stir fry combinations savored with Gancia Prosecco and Fiji Water.

If you love to express yourself, show off to your date, or learn a new approach to making weeknight dinners, this class is for you! Cooking is more than just about food, it’s about creating experiences and memories with family and friends…

Anyone can be a Wok Star!

Click to book your class, buy a Mother’s Day gift certificate, view menu and more class details

Celebrate Mother’s Day on Miami River
Wok Star Class
$55 per person
Saturday, May 8: 12pm-3pm
Miami River Wall
129 NW South River Drive, Miami
Celebrate Asian Heritage Month at the following venues:
Saturday, May 15: 12pm-3pm
Whole Foods Market, Pinecrest
FREE DEMO

Wok Star class
$55 per person
Saturday, May 22: 12pm-3pm
Mia Cucina, Aventura

Wok Star class
Miami River Wall
Sunday, May 30: 12pm-3pm
Look forward to meeting you at a class soon…
Happy Mother’s Day and Asian Pacific Heritage Month…
Eleanor

Filed Under: chilies, Eleanor Hoh, Gift, herbs, miami, Mother's Day, vertical garden wall, wok star cooking class

Yin and Yang (updated)

September 24, 2008 By Eleanor Hoh 3 Comments

Malaysian buffet table at Rasa Sayang Hotel.
We had a FEAST and a blast.
We didn’t stop talking about it for days.

I chose the topic of yin and yang, hot and cold, the balance in Asian food. So, hot spicy chilies and cold toufu.

Lady snipping red chilies with her bare hands! I asked her how her hands didn’t burn and she said she’d been doing it for 25 years and used to it, ouch. After dealing with chilies, wash your hands IMMEDIATELY and do NOT touch your eyes or go anywhere near your face. My mom used to put chilies on her thumb and when my sister and I didn’t eat our dinner fast enough, she’d put that thumb in our mouth. Boy, it sure made us eat a lot faster, we forgave her. It also taught us to eat spicy at an early age, ha, ha. Oh, I have some good photos of my sisters and mom. So many to share with you.

This lady was incredibly deft at making up whatever curry paste you wanted on the spot. As you can see, she had pots of garlic, shallots, ginger and chopped chilies and all sorts of spices like cumin, turmeric (by the way, I just realized in Asia, we pronounce it tur-meric, not tu-meric). I took great shots at the Tropical Spice Garden. More later. Now, I really appreciate CurrySimple even more, it’s quite a trick to balance all the right spices.

Fresh toufu, soft on the left and firm on the right. The texture was so creamy and yummy. My sister, Lynette (who lives in England) loves the way I stir fry toufu till crispy. As mentioned, the non-stick was HORRIBLE, I had to be patient, it took forever and needed more oil than I was used to using! Ugh… I just added a splash of tamari, lime juice and Lingham’s hot sauce (or your favorite chili sauce) and crisp up some more, the juices help to carmelize. Ralph (my hubby didn’t come, someone had to take care of cat and business) and I prepare toufu like this quite often for lunch and add on top of field greens, delish!

This stupid non-stick pan pretending to be a wok
was too shallow and small.
Now, I understand why so
many folks cannot get the hang of wok cooking.
Between the non-stick wok and gas stove with
wrong flame distribution,
this was one of the most
frustrating cooking experiences in my life.

Cooking in my lightweight, cast iron wok and gas stove at home is a breeze compared to that ridiculous non-stick. If people only knew what a DIFFERENCE cast iron makes. Because you cannot use non-stick above medium heat, you cannot crisp up anything. My sister loves the way I make Crispy Toufu, so I wanted to please her but it was just NOT possible. The handle kept tipping over making it very dangerous so I had to keep holding it the whole time! The other problem was the flame from the gas stove was flaring wide instead of being focused in the center like my Iwatani 10,000 btu stove. On my website, I get into this subject in-depth and also mention the many uses for a non-stick wok because it’s useless for stir frying! One is to use it for salad which we did everyday.

Toufu is delicious if you treat it right, just needs a little TLC. Most think it’s bland but that’s the beauty of it, it absorbs the flavors of whatever you’re cooking it in. There are many different varieties in the Asian markets like baked, puff, flavored, try some.

Sorry, the presentation was really bad but it’s all we had. Everyone was sick of me saying, “don’t eat yet till I take the photo!” This Quai Teow is the 3rd best after my mom’s and Lynette’s. It was so ridiculously cheap, only $3 US for the whole plateful, not much shrimp but quite eggy. We had it twice from the same stall, it was so good.

I will post Lynette’s Quai Teow she made when we were visiting my other sister, Valerie in Asheville, NC! It’s so much work. They claimed it took all day because the bean sprouts had to be topped and tailed.

I promise I’ll work on adding more Penan
g
food journeys. Our favorite was at Rasa Sayang, a Shangri-La Hotel which was conveniently across from where we were staying in this northern coastal village called Batu Ferringhi (many different spellings.) I took this photo of Rasa Sayang from my bedroom window of our rental apartment.

I must have taken 30 shots, the presentation and quality of food was INCREDIBLE and so worth it! Well, our friend Rose had a 20% discount card which made it even more affordable. Dirt cheap at $20 compared to a buffet in a classy hotel in USA.

And if there’s anyone who knows more about Penang it is Bee at Rasa Malaysia, I asked her where to visit when I was going to Penang. She does a fantastic job of promoting Penang, her hometown. Her blog is just one of the most beautiful ones I’ve come across. Full of wonderful and amazing dishes from all over Asia, she’s even started a new blog for Nyonya food (mix of Chinese Malay.) I’m not sure if Bee ever sleeps.

I’m trying my best to take shots to illustrate my story. My emphasis is showing that weeknight dinners can be easy, no recipes required. Use what you have, always making sure you have a good balance of protein and carbs and Keep Cooking Simple and Tasty.

Check the Travel section for more of my food journeys in Asia…and here’s another of my post on Penang Food Stalls.

Filed Under: chilies, Nyonya, Penang, Rasa Malaysia, Rasa Sayang, spices, toufu, turmeric, yang, yin

Primary Sidebar

Wok Star Supper Club at Hutong

Blog/Reviews

  • Wok Star Supper Club collaborates with Ghee Wynwood for a One-Night-Only Indian 13-dish Feast
  • Slow Food Miami Snail of Approval Tasting Party at Eden Roc: A Night of Delicious Bites Under the Stars
  • Wok Star Supper Club x Hutong: A Flaming Hot Night!

Subscribe to Wok Star Newsletter

Get first dibs to attend Wok Star Supper Club events, receive food updates & restaurant reviews.

Top rated products

  • Wok Star Kit to help you succeed Wok Star Kit
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $159.00
  • Wok Mitts Wok Star Mitt
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $35.00
  • Wok Star Online Classes Wok Star Online Classes
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $27.99

Join Wok Star’s Community

FacebookInstagramPinterestRSSTwitterYouTube

Footer

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Wok Star Eleanor Hoh. All rights reserved.