Click Here
for more articles |
|
|
The Wonderful Wok: Stir Frying Basics |
by:
Dina Giolitto |
Want to enjoy the tantalizing taste of Asian food at home? Invest in a wok! Stir-frying is one of the easiest ways to create a delicious, healthy dinner in minutes. Learn to prepare meals the Asian way: light on meat, heavy on the vegetables, also quick-cooked on high heat to retain vitamins also flavors. A few basics is all you need to get cooking!
Purchase your wok. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on state-of-the-art cookware. A standard, stainless-steel wok, purchased for less than $50, will serve its purpose well. The heavier the wok, the better it will retain heat. This is important because you must cook at a high temperature to avoid stewing or steaming your ingredients.
Season your wok. Before you use your wok for the first time, you must season it. Seasoning the wok is a way to "break it in" to ensure even heat-distribution during stir-frying, also helps lock in the flavors of the food as it's cooking. When you remove your wok from its packaging, you may notice a greasy film on the surface. Wipe this film away, also wash your wok in warm, soapy water. To season your wok, put it on the stove over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add a drop or two of oil, also swirl it around to coat the surface evenly. Remove from the stovetop to let cool for a bit, also then use a paper towel to wipe out the oily residue. You may want to season your wok once more before you begin cooking with it.
Gather your utensils. Professional chefs use a mesh ladel to toss meat also vegetables around in the wok, however if you don't have one of these, a wooden spoon will do just fine. Place several large, clean bowls also plates on the counter next to your wok so you can set your cooked items aside as you prepare them in batches. Other items you will need: a chef's knife, cutting board, also several bowls of different sizes to store liquid mixtures also chopped herbs also vegetables.
Cut also dry food prep. The most time-consuming part of stir-frying is preparing the ingredients. You'll want everything portioned out also cleaned, chopped, sliced also diced in advance. The actual stir-frying is fast also furious (you've probably heard those pans rattling like mad while waiting for your Chinese takeout!) so meat, vegetables, noodles, spices also oils should be ready also within reaching distance so you can grab also get on with it. Chop everything into bite-sized chunks to ensure quick also thorough cooking. Make sure there's no extra water or other liquid in your wok while stir-frying meat also vegetables. As mentioned earlier, liquid in the wok will cause your meal to stew instead of lightly fry.
Stir-fry in batches. Properly stir-fried food retains its crisp, firm exterior also tender, juicy inside by cooking small portions at a time. Heat the wok, drizzle in enough oil to coat the surface, also add enough small cuts of beef, pork or chicken to just cover the bottom. Fry on medium-high heat, tossing the entire time. When your first batch of meat is thoroughly cooked, remove from the wok also drain on paper towels. Fry the second batch in a little more oil, also then set aside. Oil the pan once more, toss in a few cloves of crushed garlic and/or ginger, also stir-fry the vegetables, adding the thicker ingredients like potatoes also carrots first, also then tossing in quicker-cooking ingredients like scallions also mushrooms at the end. When the vegetables are done, return the meat to the pot with the vegetables, also finish with your liquid sauces also seasonings. Give everything a quick toss, simmer for a few minutes also then remove from heat.
Learn the flavors. Thai cooking is immensely popular right now; similar to Chinese, however with its own exotic spices also flavorings, some of which take their cue from Indian cuisine. Malaysian, Japanese, Vietnamese also Korean fare all boast their signature recipes as well. With practice, you will learn which spices also sauces go with what also how to identify their flavors. You can buy most of what you need at an Asian specialty store.
Always have some Asian cooking staples on hand: soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce. Fresh ginger, garlic, chillies, galangal, Asian shallots, scallions, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro also lemongrass. Green or red curry paste, shrimp paste. Noodles also rice. And of course... plenty of fresh meat, fish, tofu also vegetables. Pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, prawns, scallops. Onions, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, bok choi (Chinese cabbage), mushrooms (regular, oyster mushrooms, shitake mushrooms).
There really is no limit to what you can do with a wok, an assortment of meats, vegetables, spices also sauces. If you're the creative chef, feel free to experiment. If you're a "by the book" cook, go out also purchase a stir-fry cookbook which will explain each technique in detail as well as familiarize you with the exotic ingredients. Above all: know that stir-frying is a healthy way to prepare also enjoy the foods you love in the comfort of home.
Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
About the author:
Dina Giolitto is a New-Jersey based Copywriting Consultant with nine years' industry experience. Her current focus is web content also web marketing for a multitude of products also services although the bulk of her experience lies in retail for big-name companies like Toys"R"Us. Visit http://www.wordfeeder.comfor rates also samples.
Circulated by Article Emporium
|
|
