The beauty of Chinese stir fry is that is a healthful style of cooking that is flexible and uses the ingredients that you have on hand.
I am not Chinese, but did used to have a Chinese friend who owned a Chinese restaurant. My friend and I made many wonderful stir fry dinners that had an authentic Chinese taste.
So, by this admittedly limited authority, here are some “how to” guidelines on making authentic Chinese stir fry.
Stir fry is great for cooks, like me, like to who are comfortable with instructions like add a pinch of this and a handful of that. Chinese cooks truly use the ingredients that they have available. When you make your own stir fry, you can customize it to add more of the flavors that you like, or that you have available.
China is a country where food is at a premium and hunger is a problem. They use whatever ingredients they have available. If they have little meat and a lot of vegetables they go with that and make a dish that is mostly vegetables with a meat flavor. If they have a lot of meat and less vegetables, the reverse will be true.
Making stir fry with friends and family members is a fun project that you can do together. As long as there is enough space in the kitchen, you can stand side by side and create a dish together. One person can be in charge of chopping, while the other is in charge of seasoning and frying. The meal Can be a true collaboration. Truly, I do not find cooking stir fry by myself nearly as enjoyable as cooking alongside a friend.
A good wok is an important stir fry tool The Chinese wok has a bowl shape curve, so the highest temperature is at the bottom. The Chinese use this curve continually while cooking, moving the ingredients that they want the highest heat on to the bottom of the wok, while moving the already cooked ingredients up along the sides. This technique is better demonstrated in person then in writing, but hopefully this article will give you a little idea that there is a certain amount of finesse to Chinese cooking.
Once the frying starts, the actual cooking goes very fast, so it is a good idea to have ingredients out and chopped ahead of time. If you do cook with a friend, you will probably get into routine where one chops while the other cooks quite comfortably.
Keep safety in mind while cooking with high heats. Although you may be having fun, approach cooking with a degree of respect and care as you are using high heats and sharp knives.
Here is a list of suggested ingredients:
Protein: beef, chicken, shrimp or tofu
Vegetables: bok choy, celery, carrots, pea pods, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, bean sprouts
Garlic, fresh ginger, onions, scallions
Soy sauce, corn starch, salt, pepper
Oil: peanut or sesame suggested
Rice: suggest long grain, it takes longer but is worth it. However you can use whatever rice you want.
Now you are ready to start cooking.
Before you start the stir fry, You will probably want to time it with the rice. If you are using long grain rice, it can take about 45 minutes to cook. You can cook the rice while preparing the meat and vegetables. The total cooking time for the stir fry will be 10 to 15 minutes, less if you are fast and have a high heat on the wok.
1. Heat the wok.
2. Add oil. One or two tablespoons should coat the bottom of the wok. Use a wooden spoon to swirl the oil and make sure the bottom of the wok is coated.
3. Add one or two cloves of chopped garlic. Saute the garlic for a minute so that the garlic will flavor the oil. Take the pieces of garlic out of the pan, because pieces of garlic can taste bitter and unpleasant if bitten into. By flavoring the oil with garlic, the dish will have a pleasant garlic taste and smell.
4. Add slices of fresh ginger and chopped onion. The amount of ginger and onion you use depends upon how much you like them I would usually use about an inch of fresh ginger root and one small onion. Saute for a minute or two, until just tender.
5. Add the sliced up, or cubed, meat of your choice. The amount of meat you have depends upon how much you have and how many people you are serving. A rough guideline would be to use a quarter to a third of a pound per person. Saute the meat until browned. Cook it about half way through, as it will continue to cook while you are adding the vegetables.
6. Add the chopped vegetables, stirring constantly. The meat and vegetables are now cooking together.
7. Mix together a paste of water, cornstarch (about a tablespoon), soy sauce, salt and pepper. Before finishing the dish, sample it to make sure it is seasoned to your taste. It is easier to start with less seasoning and more more if necessary.
8. Make a hollowed out area at the bottom of the wok. Add about a cup of water and allow to heat. Add the cornstarch paste, which will thicken the water as it bubbles.
9. Mix the contents of the wok together, so that the sauce coats the meat and vegetables.
10. Serve the stir fry over cooked rice.
As you can see, there is a lot of flexibility in these guidelines. You can season to taste and use whatever combination of meats and vegetables you enjoy. You can also add almonds or cashew nuts or chow meain noodles to the stir fry as a garnish.
Enjoy your fresh, home made stir fry in good health.
