Topic: Don't wash your pans !

[emin-j]

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 .

[Secret Santa]

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).

[DalPuri]

Never going to work with a tomato based cuisine

[Unclefrank]

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.

[pap rika]

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.

[tempest63]

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

[Les]

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

[Unclefrank]

I cook curries nearly everyday for my customers so the oil really isn't in the pan long enough to be called old  ;D

[Les]

I only use mine about twice a week...lol

[Secret Santa]

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   http://www.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.