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