Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

Be a Wok Star!

wok cooking

Iwatani Gas Stove, Best for Home Wok Cooking!

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Love Chinese food but never succeeded in getting it to taste like your favorite Chinese restaurant? 

Tried various permutations of woks and stoves and still never figured where you’re going wrong?

IT’S NOT YOU!

There are many reasons why you’ve not been successful in wok cooking at home. HIGH HEAT is one of them, I’ve resolved that with this portable Iwatani VA-30 gas stove, the other three are good ingredients, the right technique and the right wok, that’s why I put together a WOK STAR KIT.

As a cooking teacher and entrepreneur, it’s important to recommend tools that function efficiently and help to solve problems. I remember growing up in Hong Kong, everyone in Asia uses a gas stove for wok cooking, so this was an AHA moment and it will be for those of you who’ve tried every permutation to fry up your favorite Asian dishes at home and not succeeded.

You don’t need a 40,000 BTU gas stove for home cooking, that’s an overkill. If you have a residential gas stove at home, make sure it’s at least 10K or else you won’t be successful. Check this post how to figure out the best burner to fit your wok.

This Iwatani portable gas stove together with my WOK STAR KIT has basically transformed wok cooking at home.

Advantages of this Wok Gas Stove:

FOCUSED HEAT – 2 3/4″ diameter burner where heat is needed most.

TASTY FOOD – high heat gives your food FLAVOR, TEXTURE & COLOR.

TRAVELING KITCHEN – together with my WOK STAR KIT, this stove has its own carry case. It is perfect for boating, RVs, tailgate parties, picnics, entertaining friends poolside or just out on your balcony.

CONTROL – switching to high or low heat is instant.

FIT – snug fit with my 15” lightweight, round bottom, thin walled cast iron wok.

SAFE – good for indoor use, caterers and restaurants use them.

STURDY – steel casing and compact. 

WINDGUARD – prevent flames blowing out when you use it outdoors. 

PRACTICAL – cheaper than piping in gas, it’s light to move around. A stir fry takes very little time, so you will get many meals from one refill. Gas cartridges last about 1 hour and cost about $2-$4.

CONVENIENT – leave out on your counter or on top of electric stove so you’ll use it for cooking everything. Has rubber feet so it won’t scratch your electric stove. You’ll have BEST OF BOTH heat sources, gas for wok cooking, electric for flat pan cooking.

LIFESAVER – during hurricanes and power outages, you’ll rely on this stove to make coffee, lunch & dinners.

Always, always get backup gas cartridges so you don’t run out of gas in your Wok Star moment!

I am an Amazon affiliate, I will get a commission if you use this link to order gas cartridges and I hope you will. 

Here’s a short video how to install a gas cartridge in this stove and a longer, detailed version on Youtube. 

Enjoy! Happy to answer questions in comments below.

How to install gas cartridge in Iwatani VA-30

How I learned to Cook Like a Wok Star from my Mom!

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  • Mom, pianist
  • Eliza Hoh
    Mom, Eliza Hoh
  • Mom, Teacher

I learned to cook from my mom, whose instructions were, “it’s just a little bit of this and a bit of that.”  Who knew, decades later, what she taught me became my mantra too. 

My mom was born in Singapore and met my Dad in Malacca.  When my parents moved from Malaysia to China, then Hong Kong, she had to make do because she couldn’t find many Malaysian ingredients. 

  • Cub Master
  • Malaysian Kebaya
  • Kimono, gift from Japanese neighbors

It was fascinating and hilarious to hear mom’s stories of chickens laying eggs on her pillow. She didn’t learn to cook till after she got married and she didn’t enjoy cooking at the beginning. My mom was multi talented, I don’t know how she juggled 5 kids, taught at a Boy’s School, gave private tuition, was a Cub Master, as well as taking lessons in crochet, ikebana, cooking and piano. She had such an infectious laughter, she would set off and get us all in hysterics.

Mom looked gorgeous in a Chinese Cheong Sam as well as in western outfits.
Mom enjoyed entertaining with lavish dinner parties and decorating.
I think my sisters and I picked up many of her talents.

When my sisters and I were shipped off to boarding school in England, circa 1970’s, we were at a loss how to imitate her delicious dishes we grew up eating. We would call her up and I’ll never forget a simple thing as using the right vinegar could make or break a cucumber, tomato, onion pickle!  She served that with Spicy Malaysian Chicken Curry or Char Quai Teow to cool us down. We were hooked on that pickle and to this day, I make this whenever I’m making a spicy dish. 

  • Malaysian Chicken Curry bowl
    Malaysian Chicken Curry
  • Malaysian Chicken Curry on banana leaf and newspaper setup
    Street Food Style
  • Rempah and curry paste for Malaysian Curry Chicken
    Rempah and curry paste

Some of my fondest and best childhood memories were of cooking with mom and my three sisters. What a blast, there was so much giggling and silliness going on, we wondered how we ever got dinner made. To this day, those memories come up whenever I cook. Certain smells of curry leaves, sour tastes from tamarind, sounds of a sizzling hot wok and even the way I peel and score down the cucumber to make a pattern and release its flavors bring back such vivid associations of food I grew up with. 

  • Char Quai Teow
  • Banana fritters
  • Singapore Noodles

Just the act of preparing dinner for my husband and myself makes me feel I’m taking care of our health and our well being and my mind goes into a state of a relaxation. Being in the moment, appreciating the action of chopping vegetables or stir frying in my cast iron wok, the wok my mom introduced me to using all those years ago!

My wedding day with mom.

Now, decades later, whenever my sisters and I have our reunions, we always cook together and reminisce about how fun it was cooking with mom.  And now, I get to share everything I learned from my mom to help you cook at home the same way I learned from her, except easier and faster. 

I’m telling you this story because if you knew how cooking with your family can bring such joy, such creativity, such happiness, such incredible memories, you’ll be inspired to start your cooking journey and experience those feelings I have when I cook.   

Induction Wok Stove, Greatest Invention Since Fire!

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As a cooking teacher, I talk about four ESSENTIAL elements to successful wok cooking: a good wok, the right technique, quality ingredients and most importantly, HIGH HEAT.

For the past 20 years,  I’ve recommended the 12K Iwatani butane gas stove. It is the most efficient and practical heat source for wok cooking and the best value. Setting the gas stove on top of your electric cooktop with your wok and you’re ready to go.  A gas stove also comes in handy during hurricanes and power outages. However, there are issues as some buildings prohibit their use (open flame) and you have to remember to order refills so you don’t run out in the middle of a stir fry.

Showing how to install a gas cartridge in the Iwatani gas stove during my cooking class.

My experiences with different heat sources…

GAS

I’ve used both residential and commercial gas stoves. I’ve found the three main issues:

  1. Many residential gas stoves still don’t generate enough high heat. 
  2. The burner rings are too wide since they are designed for flat pans. The heat is not focused on the base of the wok so the sides of the wok and handles become hot.
  3. They’re expensive. Industrial, high end gas stoves cost upwards of $4-6K.

Electric Glass Flat cooktops

These are the most common stoves installed today.   Their “modern and clean” design might be the reason for their popularity, but for me this was NEVER an option.  The surface contact area between the round bottom wok with the flat cooktop is too small to transfer enough HIGH HEAT.   The propensity of the wok to scratch the glass top also makes it impractical and would void the warranty from the manufacturer.  

I solved the problem of not enough heat generated by the electric cooktop with my wok by using an Iwatani gas stove ON TOP of an electric cooktop. Photo: Yanni Georgoulakis

INDUCTION…

Induction means generating a magnetic field which causes the wok to heat. No outside heat is applied to the wok. The heat is generated within the metal.  If there’s no wok on the stove, no heat is generated.

I’ve followed the induction technology over the past 20 years. Cost and size were the biggest obstacles to the technology becoming a consumer item.  The units I experimented with were heavy and bulky (took up too much counter space), noisy (extraction fan),  power challenged (220 voltage required), and expensive (all units priced $1-4K).

Now, there’s a perfect unit for the home kitchen…the Nuwave Mosaic Precision Induction Wok Stove!

It meets ALL my requirements…it’s light, attractive, and retails for under $100.   My 14” cast iron wok fits the unit perfectly and together they have such a small footprint that it’s always out on my counter top.   

I believe so strongly in this product I want to be an affiliate and offer it as an option in my WOK STAR KIT BUNDLE. 

I know many of you have been waiting for this review, so share your concerns and ask any questions in comments below. 

CONCLUSION:

The wok cooking experience is the same whether you’re using the NuWave Mosaic Precision Induction Wok Stove or Iwatani Gas Stove.  I like having both heat sources because gas is a reassuring backup for emergency situations like hurricanes and power outages. 

When I said, “the induction stove was the greatest invention since fire,” I wasn’t exaggerating because many people aren’t allowed to have open flame stoves in their buildings, so induction would be their only choice! 

Update: I know many have already bought the Nuwave Induction Wok Stove with their wok.

You can purchase just the stove on its own HERE! And still get my WOK STAR KIT HERE! Now, you’ve really got the best of both worlds.

I’m trying to be a reseller so you can have the one-stop shop experience. I’ll keep you posted.

NOTE: I was not paid by Nuwave to write this post.  

Different ways I’ve used Nuwave Mosaic Precision Induction Wok Stove…

Stir Fry Chinese Broccoli and colorful bell peppers.
Steaming tamales.
Blanching Yu Choy.
Husband frying omelet.
Frying bacon.

Dream Dish: Steamed Ribs in Brown Bean Sauce

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Do you ever dream about a dish you like?  For me Steamed Spare Ribs in Black Beans is one of them. It’s a mystery to me why it’s only served as a dim sum lunch item and never on the dinner menu?  

Addictive Dream Dish! Every riblet is so tender and tasty.

Note: I have an Amazon affiliate store for those who cannot get seasonings and products easily. I will get a fee when you click on these links.

This is what makes being a Wok Star so fun, because we don’t follow rules, we swap out ingredients and often get better results than the original dish PLUS get a nice surprise! 

When I came across pork riblets at Costco recently, I immediately thought of making Steamed Spare Ribs in Black Beans for dinner. 

Video coming soon!!! I’m learning how to edit.   

About Pork Riblets
I’ve only seen pork riblets at Asian supermarkets and Costco only has St.Louis Ribs, not Spare Ribs which have more marbling. If your market or Costco don’t have riblets option, tell butcher to cut ACROSS the ribs to bite size chunks. It’s more versatile, you can make so many kinds of stews, soups and curries. I’ll share more soon.  

The secret to getting these little pork riblets tender is to steam long and on low heat in your wok. Yes, another way of using your cast iron wok. Choose a dish that’s wide and can hold some sauce! 

About Brown Beans
Steamed Ribs in Black Beans are typically made with fermented black beans but I didn’t have any and I find they are too salty and overpowering. Don’t confuse these fermented black beans with the Latin Caribbean Frijole.

The Koon Chun Brown Bean Sauce I use are more mellow and easier to prepare. They come ready mashed in a saucey consistency. This is the same sauce that comes in your Wok Star Kit. I also use this sauce in my cooking class to poach Tilapia and it’s always a big hit.

NOTE: Fermented Black Beans come in a sack and will take you a year to get through them, ha, ha. They have to be rinsed and mashed. If interested in its origins and want to try them, Chef Norman Van Aken does a great job explaining.

What to pair with?
Because Steamed Ribs in Brown Beans has quite strong flavors, it’s best to pair with a simple stir fry or blanched vegetable to complement each other. I chose Baby Bok Choy and brown rice, yum. My hubby raved about my traditional Chinese dinner, a rather rare occasion! He slurped down all the sauce with rice.

Here’s how to make this dish so you can have it anytime, it’s SUPER EASY and what a WINNER..

Serves 2 
Ingredients:
6 ribs cut across
2 scallions cut diagonally

Brown rice 

Ribs marinade:
TSPC…
Koon Chun Brown Bean Sauce
Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce
Toasted Sesame Oil
Garlic and Ginger Chopped 

Vegetable:
6-8 Baby Bok Choy bunches, split lengthways
Garlic and Ginger thwacked
Grape Seed Oil

Seasoning:
San-J Tamari
Medium drinking sherry wine (from your local supermarket, NOT sherry vinegar)

Method:

  1. Start with cooking brown rice.
  2. Marinade ribs in wide dish.
  3. Put steamer rack OR pair of wooden chopsticks in your wok, add water to just reach top of rack.
  4. Put dish of ribs on rack and close with wok lid, switch stove to high. As soon as water boils, switch to medium low. Check every 15 minutes and add more water if needed. 
  5. After ribs finish steaming, sprinkle chopped scallions and cover to keep warm. Remove rack and empty any water. Wipe wok clean and dry.
  6. Start with blanching Bok Choy with a drizzle of grape seed oil. When tender, use colander to scoop out to plate. Empty any water. Wipe wok clean and dry.
  7. Fire up wok on high. Drizzle 3 rounds of Grape Seed Oil, add garlic and ginger, add Bok Choy.  Drizzle San-J tamari and sherry. Done.

ENJOY! 

Garlic & Ginger (aka G&G)
Start with TSPC; add Koon Chun Brown Bean Sauce, Kadoya Toasted Sesame Oil and Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce.
Use metal or bamboo rack to set dish of ribs. In my video, I show how to use a pair of wood chopsticks set apart to balance the dish. Do NOT use disposable wood chopsticks.
My wok lid is stainless steel but very light.
TA DA! Taste better than it looks. You’ll want to drown your rice in this sauce!
Look how simple this Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry is!
Split Bok Choy lengthways, they’ll cook faster!
Self Explanatory!
Blanche, empty water. Fry up with oil, sprinkle San-J tamari & sherry, DONE!

Best Ground Turkey Weeknight Dinner Ever!

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Seriously, this easy Ground Turkey dish for a weeknight is the BEST!  And so EASY.  You can adapt it to whatever diet you’re on…Weight Watchers, Keto, Paleo, South Beach, etc.  Vegetarian or vegan, no problem!  Try with kidney, red or black beans, chick peas, butter beans, lentils or tofu. This delicious Ground Turkey dish was inspired by a conversation I had with my sisters, isn’t it funny the power of association?

Ground Turkey with multi-colored, mini sweet peppers, tomatoes and a handful of peas on a bed of soba noodles. Add some chili oil for extra heat if you like.  I did, yum!

For 2019, I wanted to reintroduce you to my approach to cooking without recipes or measuring and use what you have in your fridge and pantry. It’s what I teach in my cooking classes in Miami and in my online Udemy course (click for your discount!). So, be prepared because I may not include specific measurements.

Cook this way and you’ll be less stressed AND you’ll start enjoying coming up with surprise dishes of your own! It’s a meal that can stretch for big families, for one tray of ground turkey, it gave my hubby and I enough for 3 meals. 
Go wild with variations and combinations! You can keep it even simpler and use only ONE veggie like frozen peas. No need to defrost, just throw in a couple of minutes when you’re doing recombine, easy, DONE!
Try with just one veggie like tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, you get the gist!
About the meat…
If you stick with using Ground Turkey, don’t use breast cause it’ll be dry and tasteless.  Ground Pork is not common at western supermarkets but it’s very popular in Asia.  Get your butcher to grind the pork for you. The best cuts are pork butt or shoulder, you need marbling of fat so it’s not dry.

Use this cooking process…
– cook soba noodles first
– prep veggies
– make sauce, using TSPC, my 4 basic seasonings for marinade and sauce..
T: San-J tamari; S: Sherry (medium);  P: Pepper (white pepper); C: Cornstarch 
+ 1 tblsp. Koon Chun Brown Bean Sauce + 1 heaped tsp. Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce
– marinade meat with same TSPC 

Use same stir fry process…Wok Stars, check your Stir Fry Crib Sheet!
– fry veg
– fry ground turkey in 2 batches, flip over when it’s golden brown one side and cut into crumbles
– heat sauce
– recombine veg + meat in sauce

It”ll be your GO-TO dish you’ll want often!  Don’t forget to invite your kids, family and friends to chip in with prepping and cooking. Cooking together makes it less lonely and you’ll find it’s a great time to bond!  Most of my food memories are of cooking with my mom and sisters and I KNOW those moments have contributed to our close relationships to this day!

Here are my complete step by step process for the BEST Weeknight Ground Turkey dish ever!

 


 


 

 
Here’s another great dish using Ground Turkey, my famous, signature Rainbow Lettuce Wrap Appetizer I make this in my cooking class and is a big hit!