Sonoko Sakai, author of "Japanese Home Cooking," suggests learning from others. AAPI-identifying or Asian cookbooks are a resource.
Sakai cooks with Japanese Santoku knives. Our kitchen knife guide includes this Victorinox santoku knife. The 7-inch stainless steel blade has a granton edge.
Santoku knife by Victorinox
A mortar and pestle may pulverise herbs and spices into pastes for Indian curries, Chinese sauces, & more. Cole & Mason's Mortar and Pestle is made of non-porous granite.
Cole & Mason Pestle
Sakai advocated using a Japanese grater to mince items. Sharp teeth grind turmeric, garlic, ginger, wasabi, etc. The grater is coupled to a tray that catches finely sliced food & liquids.
Yakcam-Grater
A wok is useful for learning to stir-fry. Daniel Su, executive chef of SBE's Disruptive Restaurant Group, says the wok's deep circular shape is ideal for stir-frying at high temperatures.
Carbon Wok
Kuan recommends wok spatulas for tossing food in a wok. The rounded edge better suits the wok than the straight edge of Western spatulas.
Wok Spatula
Besides a wok, a fry pan is useful for many Asian dishes. You can cook meat in a fry pan while stir-frying veggies in a wok. Chef Anastacia Song recommends All-Clad cookware.