Ching He Huang

Enjoy cooking Chinese at home, but want to take your skill set to the next level? Then get yourself one of China's most integral cooking tools: a wok.

"A wok is essential to Chinese cooking," said Ching-He Huang, host of the Cooking Channel's brand-new Easy Chinese: San Francisco. But, she warned me, it's just as important to find the right version for you, as there are many different selections on the market. Here's what to look for.

When the Cooking Channel first launched last year, I was thrilled to find that the lineup included a show called Chinese Food Made Easy — up until that point, the only Chinese cooking shows I'd seen were reruns of Martin Yan's Yan Can Cook. Its host, a fresh, upbeat face named Ching He Huang, had appeared in a slew of cooking shows in the UK, where she's widely recognized for reinventions of her favorite Chinese dishes.

Today marks the Cooking Channel premiere of Huang's second season for the show, which is now titled Easy Chinese: San Francisco. In preparation, Ching spent six weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area. I caught up with her in the heart of San Francisco's Chinatown, and in between cups of medicinal herbal tea, she shared her thoughts on why China's multifaceted flavors will be the next big thing. See more when you keep reading.

When it comes to Chinese cuisine, don't be scared to try cooking it at home — you don't need much in your pantry to experiment with China's flavors. I asked Ching-He Huang, host of the Cooking Channel's Chinese Food Made Easy and the forthcoming Easy Chinese: San Francisco, to rattle off some of the ingredients she couldn't do without in her kitchen. Along with tea and rice — fundamentals of the Far East cuisine — she also mentioned the following food items. See what they are when you read on.