Cooking tips for stir frying

April 29, 2009
 Curry stir frySpring is coming. I can smell it in the air. With any luck, it’s the charge of lightening and not the next snow storm.) At any rate, if you’re not there yet, chances are you’re thinking spring training (running, cycling, bathing suit season), which leads to lighter, healthier food. PTFE Coatings That’s not to say you haven’t been eating healthfully all winter long <wink, wink> … yeah, you know who I’m talking about.
OK, so how do you go easy on dinner especially after a workout that leaves you famished and in search of the nearest snacks while you’re cooking? Try a stir fry.
You probably have stirred up a few fries in your days, but have you gotten them just right? You know: cooked but juicy protein, hot but crispy vegetables, more than soy sauce seasoning.
Here are a few tips to get you on the right path.
1. Cut all the food first, keeping meats and vegetables separate, and cut them all about the same size for even cooking.
2. If you’re using a regular wok, heat it on medium high for 2 minutes before adding oil.
(If you’re using a non-stick wok, only heat it a few seconds – pre-heating without oil in it can ruin the non-stick coating.)
3. Swirl the oil around in the pan to coat the sides.
4. Drop in a few slices of garlic and ginger to season the oil and cook them for about 1 minute.
5. Turn up the heat to high and cook the protein/meat first until it changes color (meat will lose its pink, chicken will turn white, tofu will get brown).  High heat will seal in the juices. Remove it before cooking the vegetables.
6. Cook the vegetables in the following order: dense vegetables (broccoli, carrots), soft vegetables (peas, mushrooms), greens. PTFE Spray Coating Stir the vegetables constantly to cook through.
7. Return the meat to the wok and add your sauce. Stir to coat, reduce the heat to medium, and cover for a few minutes to allow the meat to finish cooking and the vegetables take on the sauce but not become one flavor.
Oh, and if you’re too hungry to wait for this quick cook dinner, cut up some extra veggies and snack on them as you go.
For more info: Looking for some tried and tested stir fry recipes? Click here.