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Author Topic: Don't wash your pans !  (read 27,340 times)

AI Summary
The discussion centers around the practice of not washing cooking pans with soap, particularly in relation to achieving authentic flavors in Chinese and Indian cooking. Some participants argue that the unique taste of takeaway dishes comes from techniques like high-heat cooking and wok hei, rather than the seasoning of pans. While there is a consensus that avoiding soap helps maintain the patina of pans, opinions vary on whether this practice significantly impacts flavor, especially for home cooks. Overall, the community acknowledges that while proper pan maintenance is beneficial, replicating takeaway flavors at home remains challenging.

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Offline emin-j

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Don't wash your pans !
« on: July 25, 2017, 10:40 PM »
Not posted for a while but thought this worth a mention.
Had a new guy start work next to me his mother and father run a Chinese takeaway where he also works in the evening, the conversation eventually got around to curry and he was surprised at my passion for Indian, anyway, I also showed interest in Chinese cooking and asked how they get the lovely flavour that you can't seem to emulate at home ( as per Indian  ::) ) and he said we don't wash our pans  ??? Not with washing up liquid anyway just hot water and a wipe around with kitchen roll, this keeps the pans seasoned and is good for the flavour of the cooked food.
Of course they cook every day so I doubt any bacteria has much of a chance to get a hold but if you only cooked once a week it might not be a good idea!
Anyway could this be another % towards that final 5% we all been trying for .
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Offline Secret Santa

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2017, 11:25 PM »
I reckon that's just a myth. The Chinese take away taste is from the huuuuge burners they cook on and the wok hei technique where the food is tossed through the flame. No need for magic wok theories here!  ;D

By the way I've seen the cloths they use to wipe down the woks with after use. Let's just say it's just as well a very high heat is used to cook the food (and kill bacteria).
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Offline DalPuri

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2017, 11:30 PM »
Never going to work with a tomato based cuisine
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Offline Unclefrank

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2017, 10:25 AM »
I have a tap with a sprayer and i never use washing up liquid to wash my pans. Once dish has been cooked and placed in a serving dish i just use sprayer and get all the residue off the pan and then place back on the heat until all the water has evaporated and then place about 1 tbsp of oil in pan and swirl it round to coat all the bottom and half way up the pan and leave to cool then store away in my pan draw.
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Offline pap rika

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2017, 12:19 PM »
The golden rule is to avoid using soap. It is generally considered to remove the patina from the pan. This being a light coating which builds up each time the utensil is used, forming the non stick qualities seen on many woks and steel pans. Uncle Frank's method is considered the correct way. Not only does it add to the patina, it protects the utensils  from rust.
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Offline tempest63

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2017, 05:56 AM »
Quote from: Unclefrank on July 26, 2017, 10:25 AM
I have a tap with a sprayer and i never use washing up liquid to wash my pans. Once dish has been cooked and placed in a serving dish i just use sprayer and get all the residue off the pan and then place back on the heat until all the water has evaporated and then place about 1 tbsp of oil in pan and swirl it round to coat all the bottom and half way up the pan and leave to cool then store away in my pan draw.

I use Lodge cast iron skillets/frying pans and clean them the same way. If anything is stuck to them I have a square of chain mail that came with a pan to scrub it off.

T63
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Offline Les

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2017, 09:03 AM »
Same as UF, But I never ever put oil on the Wok before putting it away, My Wok is black and shiny and free of rust. Don't really care for the old oil that's on there next time I come to use it. ;D
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Offline Unclefrank

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2017, 09:08 AM »
I cook curries nearly everyday for my customers so the oil really isn't in the pan long enough to be called old  ;D
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Offline Les

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2017, 10:02 AM »
I only use mine about twice a week...lol
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Offline Secret Santa

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Re: Don't wash your pans !
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2017, 12:09 PM »
Here's a great example of why you're never going to reproduce the take away flavour at home. This is the wok hei technique ... watch how he tosses the food right through the flame (at 1.52 onward). Unlike BIR cooking there's no mystery here, the wok hei technique is the last 5% you're missing to get the true take away taste. (EDIT: Having just seen Big Boaby's outdoor burner which looks like a single chinese style burner I think it might just be possible to do this at home, albeit in the garden!  ;D   https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=14731.msg128808;topicseen#msg128808)

https://youtu.be/sgzT7vcvVD8?t=113

P.S. anyone know how to get the video to start at the right time? I pasted -https://youtu.be/sgzT7vcvVD8?t=113- (without the dashes) but it still starts at the beginning.
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