Wok Hei

I’m frustrated with my mom. She says I have to eat the food right away after it’s cooked, but I don’t want to eat it hot. Am I wrong?

Every time she cooks, I tell her I’ll wait 5 minutes before serving it, and then she gets angry. But the food is really hot! My stomach isn’t good, and I don’t want to get esophageal cancer. I’ve explained the reason for my late eating, and I really don’t want to eat the food right out of the pot. But she still always attacks me because I eat a few minutes late.

Many conflicts cannot be resolved because people lack the skills and strategies to find a win-win solution. Therefore, a person who wants to create value must not be incompetent. This ability is not limited to “making money,” “being strong,” or “passing exams.” It also includes a large number of practical skills.

Washing clothes and making beds, repairing and manufacturing, frying, singing and playing musical instruments… You should have a wide range of interests and explore a broad range of areas.

Skills are a bit like training data for a large language model. Not only are many skills not redundant, but the more skills you have, the more you will find that many things can be applied in a similar way.

Take eating as an example.

When adding rice, you can use a little technique to stir the rice grains, which can release the rice fragrance while quickly evaporating some of the water to cool it down. When eating, be sure to always scoop the top layer to eat, which will naturally ensure that the rice you eat is not too hot.

Even porridge can be quickly cooled down using the action of “scooping up and pouring back,” then scraping off the top layer and blowing it down to obtain the best eating temperature.

Any food can be torn, hollowed out, or picked up with chopsticks to create cavities and dissipate heat. It can then be cut into small pieces and allowed to cool down.

This should be a basic dining skill for Chinese people. That’s why Chinese cuisine pays particular attention to “wok hei” and serving food as soon as it’s cooked.

This is a sign of trust that diners should have received good training and know how to control the temperature at which they enter their mouths. Whether to eat hot or cold is up to the diners themselves, so the chef doesn’t have to worry about it.

However, if the food is served late, it will often miss the peak of aroma and the crunchiest texture. Those who want to choose this stage of taste will have no choice. The chef’s skills and labor will be wasted.

Therefore, controlling the temperature at which you enter your mouth is originally the obligation of the diners themselves. Diners also express their respect and appreciation for the chef by assuming this obligation.

Refusing this obligation is an unspoken act of wastefulness and a sign of lack of family education in China. It means that your parents have not properly passed on the cultural connotation and necessary living skills of being a Chinese to you. It also suggests that your family’s legacy is insufficient and that you lack a deep understanding and adaptation to the Chinese cultural environment.

To be honest, Chinese culture is very profound. There are countless details that can hinder you from enjoying the benefits that this society provides you with in the most relaxed and comfortable way. It can also affect your life satisfaction.

These aspects are often hidden in some etiquette. They are basically the best practices for social life. However, many people only know the facts and not the reasons behind them. They cannot enjoy the subtle benefits in them. This requires you to pay more attention and reflection.