The Everything Stir-Fry Cookbook Part 1

THE EVERYTHING STIR-FRY COOKBOOK.

300 fresh and flavorful recipes the whole family will love.

by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson

Acknowledgments.

I would like to thank my husband, Anthony, for his support and encouragement. Thanks also to my agent, Barb Doyen, and my project editor, Kerry Smith, for their guidance throughout this project.

Introduction.

THE ORIGINS OF STIR-FRYING, or chao, may date back as far as the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - A. D. 220). Chronic fuel shortages meant that people needed to find a way to cook food without using too much oil. Stir-frying - quickly stirring food in a pan that has been heated with just 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil - fit the bill perfectly. Today, stir-frying has become China's most well-known cooking technique.

Over time, stir-frying caught on in other parts of Asia. Thailand's signature dish, pad Thai, is a flavorful combination of stir-fried seafood, vegetables, scrambled egg, and noodles, finished with a tangy sauce. Stir-frying is also a popular cooking technique in Korea, which shares a northern border with China.

History credits Cantonese immigrants who worked on the American railroads in the mid-1800s with introducing North Americans to Chinese cuisine. Despite this early influence, stir-frying didn't take hold in North America until the health-conscious 1970s. Suddenly, it seemed that everyone was buying a wok and tuning in to watch TV-celebrity chefs like Stephen Yan prepare mouthwatering stir-fries in mere minutes. In California, skilled chef Madame S. T. Ting Wong and restaurateur Madame Sylvia Wu attained minor celebrity status.

Unlike wheat germ, cod liver oil, and other health-food fads that came and went, stir-frying has proven it has staying power. One reason why stir-frying has remained so popular over the years is that it is quick. In today's fast-paced society, many families find it difficult to fit family dinnertime into their hectic schedule, let alone spend hours preparing a meal. A stir-fry can make its way from stovetop to dinner table in as little as fifteen minutes.

Once you've tried a few dishes, you'll quickly find yourself falling into a rhythm - marinating the meat, then cutting and preparing the vegetables, then combining ingredients for a sauce while the meat continues to marinate. The total time for preparing dinner - from cutting and chopping to serving the final product - will nearly always be under thirty minutes.

Stir-frying is also healthy. The short cooking time means that vegetables retain more of their nutrients than they do when prepared using longer cooking methods. Furthermore, the amount of oil listed in the recipes is a general guideline only - the amount of oil you will actually need for stir-frying depends partially on the type of wok or skillet you are using and how well seasoned it is. Experienced Chinese cooks know that a properly seasoned carbon-steel wok develops its own nonstick coating after just a few uses. If you do decide to purchase a carbon steel wok, be sure to follow the instructions on how to season a wok (page 6).

Stir-frying is a great choice for vegetarians and anyone wanting to prepare a vegetarian meal. Studies show that the boundary between strict vegetarians and nonvegetarians is dissolving - even people who wouldn't cla.s.sify themselves as vegetarians are choosing to incorporate one or two vegetarian dishes into their diet each week. Stir-frying makes this easy. Often it's just a matter of replacing the meat with tofu (skipping the marinating stage) and adding the tofu to the pan near the final stages of cooking.

Finally, stir-frying is easy. For anyone new to cooking, stir-frying is one of the simplest cooking techniques to learn.

Stir-Fry Essentials.

IN today's fast-paced society, many families barely have time to sit down to a meal together, let alone spend hours in the kitchen preparing it beforehand. So it's no surprise that fast cooking techniques like stir-frying are more popular than ever. The average time for stir-frying a dish is only five to seven minutes. Better still, stir-frying is one of the simplest cooking techniques to learn. All it takes are a few cooking tips and the right ingredients, and you're ready to start stir-frying! today's fast-paced society, many families barely have time to sit down to a meal together, let alone spend hours in the kitchen preparing it beforehand. So it's no surprise that fast cooking techniques like stir-frying are more popular than ever. The average time for stir-frying a dish is only five to seven minutes. Better still, stir-frying is one of the simplest cooking techniques to learn. All it takes are a few cooking tips and the right ingredients, and you're ready to start stir-frying!

The Art of Stir-Frying.

At some point, you have probably watched an expert chef on a culinary television show stirring and tossing around a variety of exotic-looking vegetables and other ingredients in a bowl-shaped Chinese wok. You may wonder what exactly he or she is doing.

Basically, stir-frying involves cooking food at high heat in a small amount of oil. With a few exceptions (such as allowing beef to sear briefly when it is first added to the pan), it's important to keep the ingredients moving constantly during stir-frying. The constant stirring motion ensures that all the food comes into contact with the bottom surface of the pan, where the heat is most intense. It also keeps food from sticking to the pan.

Like stir-frying, sauteing also involves cooking food at high heat. The major difference between the two is that food is normally cut into bite-sized pieces before stir-frying, while sauteed food is left whole.

Getting Ready to Stir-Fry.

While the technique of stir-frying is quite straightforward, there are a few basic principles that make the process of stir-frying go more smoothly. It's important to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time. As noted above, on average, it takes only five to seven minutes to stir-fry a dish. You'll be too busy stirring to have any extra time for chopping an onion or measuring out ingredients for a sauce to add at the end. Always double-check the recipe to make sure you have all ingredients prepared before you begin stir-frying.

Most stir-fry recipes call for meat, poultry, or seafood to be marinated prior to stir-frying. A marinade helps tenderize meat, and it's a great way to add extra flavor to a stir-fry. Always cut and start marinating the meat before doing anything else. Once the meat is marinating, you're free to complete the remaining prep work, such as chopping vegetables, preparing a sauce, and cooking rice.

Whenever possible, try to cut the stir-fry ingredients into uniform-sized pieces so that they will take approximately the same amount of time to cook. Many of the vegetables will need to be washed or rinsed prior to stir-frying. It's important to make sure vegetables are thoroughly dry before adding them to the stir-fry; wet vegetables won't cook properly and can cause the hot oil to splatter. To avoid this, you can wash the vegetables and leave them to drain earlier in the day (for example, in the morning before you leave for work), which gives them more time to dry.

Organization is key when it comes to stir-frying. Keep the sauces, prepared vegetables, and aromatics near the stove so that you'll be able to add them quickly when you start cooking. Have a colander or paper towels set out to drain the meat or seafood if needed.

The Basics of Stir-Frying.

The process of stir-frying will unfold smoothly if you follow these basic guidelines: Make sure that all the ingredients for the stir-fry are near the stove, so that you can reach for them quickly.

Add the oil to a preheated pan, tilting the pan so that the oil drizzles along the sides. Stir-fry ingredients don't just sit at the bottom of the pan, so the sides need to be oiled as well.

Before adding the main ingredients, add the aromatics such as ginger and garlic to flavor the oil.

If the stir-fry includes meat or poultry, add that first. Let it sear briefly, then stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through. (The beef should have no trace of pink and the chicken should have turned white.) When adding vegetables, add the thicker, denser vegetables first, as they will take more time to cook. Feel free to add a small amount of water or soy sauce if the vegetables begin to dry out during stir-frying.

Keep these instructions in mind as you try out the recipes in the following chapters.

Wok Versus Frying Pan.

Selecting the wrong equipment can turn stir-frying from a quick and easy task into an exercise in frustration. The right equipment, on the other hand, will help ensure a successful result. When it comes to cooking equipment, the most important decision you'll need to make is what type of pan to use. Asian cooks traditionally use a wok for many types of cooking, from steaming to stir-frying. With its high, sloping sides and rounded or flat bottom, the wok's unusual design is perfect for stir-frying. Unlike with a standard frying pan, in a wok, you can stir and toss food with ease without worrying about it winding up on the floor. The wok bottom also rests directly on the heat source, allowing food to cook more quickly.

While most people prefer a wok for stir-frying, the frying pan has its fans as well. Unless you live near an Asian market, a good carbon steel wok can be hard to find. Furthermore, many cookware shops carry stir-frying pans that are specifically designed both for stir-frying and other types of pan-frying. The learning curve for stir-frying may be shorter with a frying pan - as with any other piece of cooking equipment, you will probably need to use the wok a few times to get used to it.

Here are a few basic features you should look for when choosing a frying pan for stir-frying: Heavy material. Heavy material. A frying pan made of cast iron or heavy-gauge aluminum (such as Calphalon's hard anodized pans) can handle heat without scorching. If you try stir-frying with a pan made of lighter material, such as Teflon, you may ruin the pan. A frying pan made of cast iron or heavy-gauge aluminum (such as Calphalon's hard anodized pans) can handle heat without scorching. If you try stir-frying with a pan made of lighter material, such as Teflon, you may ruin the pan.

Deep sides. Deep sides. While it won't have a wok's deep, sloping sides, a frying pan with deeper sides will make stirring easier. While it won't have a wok's deep, sloping sides, a frying pan with deeper sides will make stirring easier.

A tight-fitting lid. A tight-fitting lid. Even stir-fry recipes sometimes call for the food to be covered and briefly steamed or simmered in addition to stir-frying. Even stir-fry recipes sometimes call for the food to be covered and briefly steamed or simmered in addition to stir-frying.

In the end, whether you use a wok or frying pan for stir-frying is really a matter of personal preference. In the end, whether you use a wok or frying pan for stir-frying is really a matter of personal preference. You may want to start out stir-frying with a frying pan, and wait to purchase a wok until you are sure you'd like to continue stir-frying. You may want to start out stir-frying with a frying pan, and wait to purchase a wok until you are sure you'd like to continue stir-frying.

A Stir-Fry Cook's Best Friend - the Wok.

While a frying pan can be used, when it comes to stir-frying, there's really no subst.i.tute for a good wok. Definitely consider purchasing a wok if you're planning to stir-fry on a regular basis.

When purchasing a wok, factors to consider include the wok's size, design, and the type of material it is made from. Most important is whether the wok is made of a type of material that can handle high heat. While the original woks were made of cast iron, today the majority of Chinese chefs favor carbon steel. Carbon steel is lightweight, durable, and a good conductor of heat, so food cooks evenly. Better still, carbon-steel woks are inexpensive - a good wok can often be purchased for under $25.

How to Choose a Wok.

Cast iron still has its fans, particularly since its conduction of heat is superior to carbon steel. However, the heaviness of cast iron makes it more difficult to drain food or quickly clean out the wok before stir-frying the next batch of ingredients.

Originally, all woks were round bottomed, designed to sink into the pit of a Chinese woodstove. While round-bottomed woks are still commonly used on gas stoves, their shape makes them a poor choice for Western electric stoves. Not only does the food cook unevenly, but the rounded wok can reflect heat back on the stovetop element, causing permanent damage. When stir-frying first took hold in the West, designers attempted to solve the problem by creating a collar for the wok to rest on that would be placed on the stovetop element. A more recent innovation is the flat-bottomed wok, which can sit directly on the stovetop element. However, some people still prefer to use a round-bottomed wok with a collar - the choice is yours.

While Chinese restaurants can use woks up to three feet wide, twelve to fourteen inches is a good size for most families. A larger wok won't fit comfortably on a Western stove, and it will be difficult to cook a meal for four people in a wok that is too small. However, college students or anyone living alone may prefer a smaller wok, between nine and twelve inches in diameter, particularly if s.p.a.ce is an issue.

In theory, an electric wok seems like a great way to ensure even heating during stir-frying, while freeing up a stovetop element. In practice, however, electric woks may fail to generate enough heat for stir-frying (although they are good for keeping cooked food warm). Generally, higher-end electric woks tend to perform better than less-expensive models.

How to Season and Clean a Wok.

A carbon steel wok must be seasoned in order to perform properly. Seasoning a wok replaces the sticky protective coating put on by the manufacturer with an oil coating that protects the surface, and it also helps keep food from sticking to the pan. Over time, the wok will develop its own nonstick coating and will require less oil for stir-frying.

The first step in seasoning a wok is to wash it in hot water and scrub it with a scouring pad to remove the manufacturer's coating. (Unless you need to reseason it at some point, this is the only time you should use a harsh cleanser on the wok.) Rinse the cleaned wok and dry it on a stovetop element over high heat. Once the wok is dry, remove it from the element, and use a paper towel to rub a small amount of oil around the inside. Heat the wok over medium-low heat for ten minutes, and use a clean paper towel to wipe off the oil. You will probably find black residue on the paper towel. Keep repeating the process - rubbing oil over the wok, heating, and wiping - until the paper towel contains no black residue.

When cleaning a wok, the two most important things to remember are to avoid using a scouring pad or abrasive cleanser and to dry the wok thoroughly. Scouring pads and harsh cleansers can remove the protective coating, and wet woks can rust.

Cooking Utensils.

You're probably already familiar with many of the cooking utensils used in stir-frying: a sharp knife for cutting meat, measuring cups and spoons for measuring out ingredients, bowls for mixing everything together. You'll be putting all of these to use when preparing stir-fry recipes. However, you may also want to consider stocking up on a few less-common items, some of which are specifically designed for stir-frying.

Wok spatula. Wok spatula. A wok spatula has a wider base than a regular spatula, making it easier to lift and stir food during stir-frying. A wok spatula has a wider base than a regular spatula, making it easier to lift and stir food during stir-frying.

Wok lid. Wok lid. In addition to covering the food during simmering or steaming, the interior of the wok lid comes in handy for transferring food from the preparation area to the wok. In addition to covering the food during simmering or steaming, the interior of the wok lid comes in handy for transferring food from the preparation area to the wok.

Mandoline. Mandoline. A mandoline is a cutting tool that is handy for cutting vegetables into thin matchsticks (also called cutting the vegetables "julienne style"). A mandoline is a cutting tool that is handy for cutting vegetables into thin matchsticks (also called cutting the vegetables "julienne style").

Colander. Colander. Investing in a good colander will keep you from going through an endless supply of paper towels to drain meat after stir-frying. Investing in a good colander will keep you from going through an endless supply of paper towels to drain meat after stir-frying.

Cooking chopsticks. Cooking chopsticks. Longer than regular chopsticks, cooking chopsticks are used for everything from stirring food and lightly beating eggs to separating long noodles in a pot of boiling water. Longer than regular chopsticks, cooking chopsticks are used for everything from stirring food and lightly beating eggs to separating long noodles in a pot of boiling water.

Slotted spoon. Even stir-fries sometimes call for the meat to be immersed and cooked in hot oil, or for vegetables to be blanched before combining them with the other ingredients in the stir-fry. A slotted spoon makes it easier to remove the food from the hot oil or boiling water. Even stir-fries sometimes call for the meat to be immersed and cooked in hot oil, or for vegetables to be blanched before combining them with the other ingredients in the stir-fry. A slotted spoon makes it easier to remove the food from the hot oil or boiling water.

Don't worry if you can't find stir-fry utensils in a kitchenware store and a trip to an Asian marketplace isn't practical. Many Chinese cooking utensils are available on the Internet (see Appendix B, "Online Shopping Resources").

Essential Ingredients for Stir-Frying.

There are a few basic ingredients that you'll want to keep on hand so that you can whip up a stir-fry on short notice. While some of these, such as rice vinegar or hoisin sauce, may be new to you, most are readily available in the ethnic or international section of local supermarkets.

Sauces and Seasonings.

There are a number of sauces and seasonings that lend flavor to stir-fry dishes. Soy sauce is an indispensable ingredient in Asian cuisine, from j.a.panese shoyu to Indonesian kecap manis, which is a thick version of soy sauce sweetened with palm sugar. Since stir-frying is most closely a.s.sociated with Chinese cuisine (and to a lesser extent, Thai cuisine), most of the recipes in this book are made with Chinese soy sauce. The two main types of soy sauce used in Chinese cooking are light and dark soy sauce. Both are made from fermented soy beans. However, while light soy sauce (usually referred to in recipes simply as "soy sauce") is quite salty, the addition of mola.s.ses gives dark soy sauce a darker color and a richer texture and flavor.

If you can't find Chinese light soy sauce in the supermarket, Kikkoman soy sauce can be used as a subst.i.tute. Persons on a low-sodium diet may prefer to use Kikkoman, because Chinese light soy sauce brands are typically quite high in sodium. If you're not watching your sodium intake, be prepared to add a bit of salt (or a seasoning subst.i.tute) when using Kikkoman instead of Chinese light soy sauce in recipes.

Every meat marinade needs an acidic liquid to help tenderize the meat, and rice wine plays that role in Chinese stir-fry cooking. It is also splashed on meat during stir-frying, and it is sometimes added to sauces. Rice wine can be difficult to find without making a trip to an Asian grocery store. Fortunately, dry sherry makes an acceptable subst.i.tute.

Like rice wine, rice vinegar is made with fermented glutinous rice, but it goes through a more extensive fermentation process. Rice vinegar is frequently used in sauces, particularly in sweet-and-sour dishes.

Rice vinegar can often be found in the international or ethnic section of local supermarkets. If it is unavailable, try subst.i.tuting a mellow flavored vinegar such as cider vinegar instead of regular white vinegar. With the exception of sweet-and-sour sauce, the sharply acidic taste of regular white vinegar is too harsh for most stir-fry recipes.

Chile paste is a spicy condiment made with chilies, vinegar, and other seasonings. If you're not a fan of handling hot chili peppers, chile paste makes a convenient subst.i.tute.

Made from toasted sesame seeds, Asian sesame oil has a wonderful nutty flavor. You'll recognize Asian sesame oil by its rich dark color - Kadoya sesame oil from j.a.pan is a good brand. Sesame oil is used in marinades and added to stir-fries at the end of cooking for extra flavor. A little goes a long way though, so be sure to use it sparingly.

While not a stir-fry staple, another ingredient made from white sesame seeds is sesame paste. Used in Chinese cooking for more than 2,000 years, sesame paste lends a thick texture and nutty flavor to Strange Flavor Chicken Salad (page 42), a popular restaurant dish. Many supermarkets do not carry sesame paste. Smooth peanut b.u.t.ter makes a convenient subst.i.tute.

Made by combining soybean paste with chilies, garlic, and other seasonings, hoisin sauce has a sweet and spicy flavor. In stir-frying, the thick brown paste is frequently added to sauces and sometimes to marinades as well. Hoisin sauce is sometimes called duck sauce because it is spread on the pancakes that are traditionally served with Peking duck.

While it is the most well known, hoisin sauce is not the only soybean-based sauce used in stir-fries (and Chinese cooking). Black bean sauce is made with soybeans that are fermented with garlic and other seasonings. Several popular stir-fries use black bean sauce or the fermented black beans themselves. Depending on where you live, finding black bean sauce may require a trip to the Asian grocery store or shopping online.

Essential Fresh Ingredients.

Sometimes called the "holy trinity" of Chinese cuisine, garlic, ginger, and green onion have a particularly important role to play in stir-frying. Both garlic and ginger are added to the heating oil to help prevent an oily flavor from being imparted to the other ingredients. Green onion (also called spring onion) lends a mild onion flavor to stir-fries. It may be added to the oil with the garlic and ginger, stirred in with the other ingredients during stir-frying, or sprinkled on the dish at the end as a garnish. All three are sometimes added to marinades to give meat or seafood extra flavor.

Unless a recipe specifically calls for powdered ginger, always use fresh ginger in stir-fry dishes. You can peel the ginger or leave the peel on as desired. When using green onion in stir-fries, cut off the ends and cut the green onion on the diagonal into the size called for in the recipe. Normally, all of the green onion is used. However, you can also use only the green or white parts to enhance the appearance of the dish.

Canned Asian Vegetables.

For many people, their first introduction to Asian vegetables came when they ordered a stir-fry dish made with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. The popularity of these two vegetables stems partly from their easy availability - bamboo shoots and water chestnuts (along with baby corn and straw mushrooms) are readily available on local supermarket shelves. Always rinse canned Chinese vegetables after opening or blanch briefly in boiling water to remove any taste from the can. Like all canned vegetables, Chinese vegetables are heated to kill any bacteria before canning, so they need to be stir-fried only long enough to heat them through.

While canned vegetables are convenient, nothing beats fresh Chinese vegetables for flavor. Fresh water chestnuts have a sweet flavor that canned water chestnuts lack. Both water chestnuts and bamboo shoots are available year-round in the produce section of Asian markets. Feel free to use them in place of canned vegetables in any of the recipes.

Rice, Noodles, and Cornstarch.

Stir-fries are frequently meant to be accompanied by rice. Rice is a staple grain in southern China, where it is frequently consumed at every meal. While long-grain white rice is the rice of choice throughout much of China, the type of rice you use is really a matter of personal preference. Feel free to use other types of rice, such as medium grain or healthy brown rice.

The main difference between white and brown rice is the level of processing that takes place. All rice is hulled, but in white rice the brown or reddish layers of bran underneath the hull are removed as well. Besides giving brown rice its darker color, these layers of bran are a rich source of B vitamins, making brown rice more nutritious than white varieties.

A number of popular stir-fries, including pad Thai, are made with noodles. While Asian noodles may not come in the variety of shapes that characterize Italian pasta, there is more variety in the basic ingredients used to make the noodles. In addition to standard wheat-based flour, Asian noodles are made from rice flour and mung bean starch. The unusual ingredients give these noodles specific properties: both are superabsorbent, soaking up the seasonings and sauce they are cooked with. They also puff up nicely when deep-fried.

Cornstarch, made from the starchy substance contained inside corn kernels, plays a major role in stir-fry cooking. It is used in marinades to seal in the other ingredients and protect foods from the hot oil, and added to sauces as a thickener.

While cornstarch is a popular thickener in North America, starches made from tapioca, arrowroot, and even water chestnut are used throughout Asia. When a recipe calls for a cornstarch and water mixture to thicken the sauce, feel free to experiment with replacing the cornstarch with one of these other starches. Just remember that each has slightly different properties: for example, tapioca starch thickens more quickly than cornstarch, and arrowroot starch will actually thin out again if overcooked.

Dried Ingredients.

While they are more commonly found in long-simmering dishes such as soups and stews, dried ingredients are regularly used in stir-fries. Depending on where you live, it may require a trip to the Asian market or going online and surfing the Web (see Appendix B, "Online Shopping Resources," page 303) to buy them. But you will find it is well worth the effort to have these items in your culinary repertoire.

Dried Chinese mushrooms are ubiquitous in Chinese cuisine, lending a rich flavor that fresh mushrooms lack. Like other dried ingredients, dried mushrooms need to be reconst.i.tuted through soaking in hot water. The strained soaking liquid from these mushrooms is frequently added to the sauce.

Dried lily buds are the dried buds of unopened tiger lilies. The dried lily buds lend a yellow color and earthy flavor to soups and stir-fries. Also called golden needles because of their length (about three inches), dried lily buds are found in the popular restaurant dishes mu shu pork (see Restaurant-Style Mu Shu Pork, page 184) and hot-and-sour soup. Like dried mushrooms, the dried lily buds need to be reconst.i.tuted in water before using.

Dried shrimp are tiny shrimp that have been preserved in salty water and dried. The tiny shrimp add a strong salty flavor to dishes such as Shrimp and Spinach Stir-Fry (page 133).

Putting Together a Stir-Fry from Scratch.

While you'll usually be following a recipe, sometimes it's fun to create your own stir-fry. At other times you'll want to adapt a recipe to use ingredients you already have on hand. When doing so, feel free to look beyond the Asian pantry. After all, Chinese cuisine has a long tradition of borrowing ingredients from other cultures. For example, chili peppers, which help give Szechuan cuisine its spicy flavor, are not native to China. Stir-frying is a great way to take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables in season in your area.

Most important is to choose ingredients that won't melt under high heat or fall apart under the constant stirring and tossing needed for stir-frying. Choose food that is firm and will hold its shape well. Quick-cooking sh.e.l.lfish are a great choice for stir-frying, as are firm-fleshed fish such as whitefish, cod, or salmon. When it comes to tofu, steer clear of silken and soft dessert tofus, and stick to tofus with a firm texture. Pressed tofu, which is regular tofu that has been pressed and drained to give it an even firmer texture, is perfect for stir-frying and saves you the work of draining the tofu. When it comes to meat and poultry, choose cuts that are tender and also quick cooking.

It's hard to imagine a vegetable that would be unsuitable for a stir-fry dish. Even lettuce, the staple salad ingredient in the West, is stir-fried with seasonings in Asia. Some types of vegetables will require a little extra care. Hardier, thicker vegetables are often blanched prior to stir-frying, and it's important not to overcook delicate vegetables such as mung bean sprouts.