What You Need to Know
Bamboo steamers transfer heat at the boiling point of water (~100 °C) while the porous walls adsorb moisture, preventing protein denaturation above 70 °C and preserving volatile aromatics. Wok stir‑frying relies on rapid conductive heating (>200 °C) that polymerizes oil and initiates Maillard reactions within 2–5 min, producing the characteristic “wok‑hei” flavor and volatile esters from added Shaoxing wine.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Heat transfer by convection and Maillard reaction