Stir Fry Tips - Lindah

1. Make sure you have all the ingredients you need ahead of time.

2.  Make sure all the food is cut according to directions before you
start. Never try to prepare food while stir-frying.

3. For even cooking, cut all the ingredients the same size.

4. If not following a recipe, cut all the ingredients into bite-sized
pieces.

5.  Heat the wok on medium-high to high heat for at least a minute
before adding oil. (You may want to skip this step if you have a
nonstick pan - it can damage the coating.)

6.  Add the oil (up to 2 to 3 tablespoons depending on the dish;
peanut, canola or other vegetable oils are good) drizzling it so that
it coats both the sides and the bottom of the wok. The oil heats
faster this way.

7. Before adding other ingredients, season the oil by cooking a few
pieces of garlic and ginger. (Note: you may want to reduce the heat
at this point to keep them from burning).

8. If the recipe calls for meat and vegetables, cook the meat first
and then set it aside. Add the meat back when the vegetables are
almost cooked. This ensures that the meat is not overcooked, and that
the meat and vegetables retain their individual flavors.

9. Meat is normally stir-fried on high heat to seal in the juices
(individual recipes can differ).

10. Never add more than a cup of meat at a time to the wok. Lay the
meat out flat to cook.

11. Remove the meat from the wok when it changes color - for example
the redness in the beef is gone.  At this point the meat is
approximately 80 percent cooked. 

12. Stir-fry vegetables according to density, with the densest
vegetables being stir-fried first and for the longest time. Denser
vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and eggplant require more
cooking time than green leafy vegetables such as bok choy.

13. If you're uncertain about the order in which to stir-fry
vegetables, the simplest solution is to stir-fry them separately, one
at a time.

14. If possible, wash the vegetables ahead of time to ensure that
they have drained and are not too wet.

15. Alternately, if the vegetables are too dry, try adding a few
drops of water while stir-frying.

17. When stir-frying meat, wait a few seconds before tossing so that
it has a chance to brown; when stir-frying vegetables, begin moving
them immediately.

18. When adding sauce to vegetables and/or meat, form a "well" in the
middle by pushing the ingredients up the sides of the wok. Add the
sauce in the middle and stir to thicken before combining with the
other ingredients.

19. Once the dish is completed, taste and adjust seasonings as
desired.

20. Serve the stir-fried dish immediately.

Finally, a few words about cooking temperatures.  Some recipes give
instructions on whether to cook a dish at high, medium-high, or
medium heat, but others don't. In Chinese Home Cooking, Helen Chen
suggests starting to cook at medium-high heat and then adjusting the
temperature up or down as needed on your model of stove. Another
option is to have a second burner set on medium heat that you can
quickly move the wok to if you feel the food is cooking too fast.