Wok Cooking

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
I finally got into Wok Cooking with the help of Hillbilly. We made the journey to Santo Domingo and bought the Wok and other supplies. He showed me how to use dried mushrooms and driend black fungus and other ingredients. I made a few dishes and was not so impressed. I was trying to get something close to Thai food. Then I added just enough Szechuan Style Hot Sauce and a little Pickled Ginger on the side and whammo I hit paydirt. I was in heaven.

We shopped in ChinaTown on a side road off of Duarte. The prices were great. My wok, thin steel that gets hot fast, cost me 180RD.

So if you get tired of Dominican food and want to spice up your dinner table...try the Wok. You want to get several flavors in the dish you make. You want it to be spicy yet sweet. You want crunchy vegetables and the texture of soft mushrooms and black fungus. All in one dish. Of course those living in Santo Domingo can just go to one of the many restaurants.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Sheet, Snuffy: We make it better then all them restaurants!!

Please call me? Got some coffee for youse!!

HB :D:D:D
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
2,239
168
63
-Is there a place where I can find it in Santiago ???
 

macocael

Bronze
Aug 3, 2004
929
10
0
www.darkhorseimages.com
Snuffy, if you want something more Thai, the wok is great, but the ingredients are what counts. In those same Chinese stores on Benito Gonzalez off Duarte you will see that they stock little 4oz cans of Red, Green and Yellow curry paste.

In addition you need the meat: beef, chicken or pork. Basil, chicken broth, Thai fish sauce (funky smelling stuff, but it adds something), a large can of coconut milk (or the real stuff, ifyou are patient), and whatever crunchy type of vegetable you would like to add. Red bell pepper is good; Eggplant is also excellent.

First you heat the coconut milk and the curry paste in the wok. The Thais will put the whole can in, but most people can only tolerate a half can (and most Dominicans cannot tolerate any!). you toss in about a tablespoon or two of brown sugar, put in the meat (1.5 lbs), then add a cup or so of broth. A few squirts of the fish sauce, wait until the meat gets cooked and add the veggies (your peppers should retain a bit of crunch, so dont overcook them; you dont have to worry about the eggplant). Add a bunch of basil,a nd you have a real Thai meal.

You can also make Masamun, which is the yellow curry paste with peanut butter added in. Do NOT use fake PB; I get the Haitian stuff which is natural and mixed with malagueta peppers to make it a bit picante. Delicious!!!

There is not a single restaurant in this country that can give you this, and it will knock your sox off. Plus it is very easy to make and cooks up in about 30 minutes total, maybe less. For some reason, in hot countries I always crave very spicy food.

Brazilians make something you might like to try too: they call it "pimenta" but basically it is either a bottle of vinegar or olive oil (I prefer the latter) that has had malagueta peppers soaking in it for a long time. It gets hot, but not too hot, and it adds a lot of flavor to your rice and beans.
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
Oh, I tried to buy a wok in Santiago from the one Asian store I know of. They kept telling me they were going to order me one, but never did. Besides, they don't have the inventory that you will find in Santo Domingo. Simply get on the bus and make a fun day trip of it. Bring a nice big heavy duty bag to carry all your goods back in. You will be able to find a great soy sauce without MSG. You will find pickled ginger that Rolands cannot match. You will find Hosen Sauce...well, I should leave it to Hillbilly to tell you what to get. He knows more about this. It is important that you season your wok before using it. You can find how to do that on the internet. There is a process to wok cooking that you can easily get the hang of. You can find it on internet.

What is nice is that this place spoke English and they were very friendly. I will find the biz card and post it. You can ask how to make most anything I assume.
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
Yes, Maco I am just getting into it. thank you for the recipes. I have a great book on Thai food. You guys in Santo Domingo are at an advantage. But you tell me exactly what to buy and I will have my wife pick it up for me on her trips to SD.

thanks.