Despite the fact that I am a huge fan of Asian cuisine, I usually leave the dim sum and fried rice to the experts. Why cook at home when you can eat affordably at a plethora of Asian restaurants in China Town, or consume endless parcels of deliciousness at Ping Pong?
My attitude soon changed when I discovered the School of Wok – a cookery school teaching the art of Asian and Oriental Cuisine. Located in the heart of Covent Garden, the school is just a stone’s throw away from bustling Chinatown where the chefs source most of their ingredients.
The School of Wok offers a wide range of classes covering many cuisines including Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese. Catering for the beginner to the more advanced, the School of Wok is perfect for anyone seeking to improve their cooking techniques or learn a new skill. I decided to pick the cuisine I was most uncomfortable with, which also turned out to be one of the most challenging – the “Dim Sum Masterclass”.
The owner and head chef, Jeremy Pang, started the School of Wok in 2009 as a mobile cookery school specializing in teaching people to cook in their own homes. Opening in Covent Garden in May this year, it’s now one of the leading Asian cookery schools in London. Being raised by a generation of foodies, Pang has an infectious passion for food and was the perfect host for the evening being both educational and entertaining, bringing fun and good humour to the table.
The three-hour evening class had a packed schedule, focusing on four varieties of dim sum. Most of the preparation and slicing and dicing was done for us so we had more time to concentrate on the important stuff – the technique.
We started with the char siu (BBQ pork puffs), which was a perfect introduction to dim sum wrapping. Small teaspoons of the pre-prepared belly pork filling, marinated in a bath of sweet and salty flavours, were placed in squares of puff pasty, folded delicately then glazed with egg and sesame seeds.
Next was the black bean rib, freshly bought from Chinatown, which we marinated in a bed of rich flavours including soy sauce and rice wine. Pang offers useful tips throughout the evening and explains that adding black beans while marinating rather when steaming, gives the beef a more distinct flavour.
The crispy wontons were prepared with a filling of tiger prawn paste, a selection of fresh Chinese herbs and a generous lashing of light soy sauce, salt and sesame oil. We then had a chance to practice our wrapping techniques with the wonton pastries in preparation for the next dish.
The dish of the night, (also the trickiest!) without a doubt, was the har gau (crystal prawn dumplings), which took an hour and a half of careful and often painstaking handcrafting to prepare. The pastry was comprised of a surprising mix of wheat starch, tapioca flour, boiling water and lard. We had the chance to master the technique by making two batches of pastry. It was quite the process; kneading the pastry quickly while it was still warm to keep its elasticity, rolling each pastry into a symmetrical circle (not as simple as it sounds) and the most difficult – the wrapping.
During the class we learned a number of different wrapping techniques. “It is important not to be heavy handed while wrapping since it ruins the shape of the dim sum” Pang explains. After several attempts (and fails) I finally got the folding technique right and the ‘sad goldfish’ shape result. The great thing about Pang, he makes you feel completely comfortable with his honest practicality and his real desire to help people.
My stomach was starting to rumble so I was delighted to hear that we had successfully completed all the dishes and now it was cooking time! Pang and the team placed the wontons in the deep fryer, the BBQ pork puffs in the oven and the har gau and black beans ribs in the steamer.
And the best thing? We could enjoy our own food at the end with the team over a glass of wine. I was rather impressed with what I had achieved. The BBQ pork puffs were delicious, with a soft outer crust and a sweet spicy centre. The har gau, my personal favourite had a lovely texture and combination of flavours. The pastry even achieved the translucent appearance required of crystal dumplings. Let’s just say I will appreciate the work behind dim sum next time I eat it. It’s definitely an art which takes a while to master but I can’t wait to get in to the kitchen and try this delicacy again.
Classes at the School of Wok start from £45 for a quick fire one-hour class.
Find me on: Web
Looks WOW! Thanks for sharing this. I love wok and am looking for best wok to buy.
Usually I never comment on blogs but your article is so convincing that I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great job Man, Keep it up. check my blogs
Get the mastering art from the experience school.
google
We studied a variety of wrapping techniques during the workshop. “When wrapping the dim sum, it is vital Buy Coursework not to be too heavy-handed because this can destroy the shape of the dim sum.”
I am working, I didn’t have time to write the test, it’s good that I turned to Essaysprofessors on time. They saved me, helped me a lot. We did the test perfectly, I’m so glad!
Hello. I am very happy to use the https://elitewritings.com/nursing-writing-services.html nursing essay writing service. This is a very useful service for me. I am very happy to be able to get what I need. I have used such services many times.
Give the best task to your teacher and read it to your quality task, using the help of the online assignment service. Because in the current framework of education more here it is an extraordinary challenge – to honor your teacher.
Thank you for this spicy dish. I will cook it but before I have to prepare my already written essay and hope that it’s will be so good like you describe.
The term “jacket” may seem straightforward, but it actually encompasses a vast variety of different styles and designs. As such, choosing the men black biker jacket witch detail stitching, from topcelebsjackets.com may help you to get the best for your personality.
Nobody wants to start the day discovering that their car’s air conditioning is not working, the bad air-conditioning not only effect your driving comfort it also affect your car performance as well? Depending on the make and model of your car, a broken belt in the air conditioner can cause more problems for your vehicle. Do not wait until it’s too late! If it’s as simple as recharging the refrigerant or installing a new compressor, then ALSA Automotive Repair will help keep you cool and your care cool.
Rather than excavating an entire site and replacing the wet soil with one that has an optimum level of moisture, soil modification is a reliable, time-saving and cost-effective solution for improving the workability of the soil. In fact, by modifying the soil directly on the worksite, you save precious time on having to haul it away and replacing it with imported quality fill material. Recycling on-site material will, therefore, save you time, money, and it will also reduce the environmental impact.
I love cooking blogs, it is a great chance to add a new recipe tomy cooking journal. I have collected some recipes for a festive table. The only thing I need is time for cooking. I will have more free time when I finish writing essay samples for http://creative-essay-writers.org/ then I will enjoy my cooking time on the kitchen
A natural aphrodisiac Epimedium in dubai that gives you energy and relief from erectile dysfunction and enhances both female arousal and male performance
We install tile to the walls with adhesive using grout between the tiles keeping them in place and moisture out. However, water and moisture can damage the sealant over time, particularly in older homes where silicone caulk was not used. Modern day caulk was invented in 1896, so if your home is older than that, you will have problems with tile staying in place.In the 1920s, acrylic, butyl, and silicone polymers were first developed and used in sealants.
We provide services to help you improve and grow your business. For many years, we’ve offered a full responsive web design service company range of responsive website design services to our clients.
This post is really helpful to me keep posting such type of lovely informative post I always read your posts.
to make sure it’s original and has references assignment service online that are properly cited.
If you’re in need of a foundation repair Edmonton, then you’ve come to the right place. At Rammafoundation, we know just how important it is to have your beautiful face looking its best, no matter what the circumstances. That’s why we offer the highest quality foundation repair Edmonton services available, backed by a team of skilled professionals who are dedicated to making you look and feel your best. Contact us today and let us help you restore your foundation to its former glory!
Download Kinemaster Ruby Mod APK in a single click and enjoy the new interface and unique designs of this app. You can also. https://apkchew.com/kinemaster-ruby/
digital marketing agency florida
Vacuuming the interior of the passenger compartment, thorough cleaning and removal of stains from the seats, headrests and armrests, door panels, carpets, the roof of the passenger compartment and the boot. We also have a carpet replacement service; this Mobile Car Wash Ottawa service will always be on demand and after consulting the availability of brands and models.