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by Nancy Gerlach, Fiery-Foods.com Food Editor Emeritus
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Recipes: Kung Po Chicken Southwest Jalapeño Pork Stir-Fry Hot and Sour Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry Garlic Vegetable Sticks Lemon Cashew Chicken |
There are a number of reasons why choa or stir-fry cooking is popular. So popular, that this method of cooking is being used in a number of cuisines, not just Asian. One reason is that stir-frys cook quickly so that food retains its color, flavor, and nutrients and, if done properly, uses very little oil so they’re great for people who are watching their fat intake. Because this type of cooking is fast, it’s a good choice for busy people. Stir-frying recipes are easy to adjust, making them perfect when cooking for one or two people.
Stir-frying can appear to be more difficult than it really is, probably because once you start cooking, it moves very fast. But if you break the process down to the basic components—preparation and cooking–it’s simple.
With stir-frys, the preparation is as important as the cooking. All the ingredients, whether meats or vegetables, need to be cut or sliced into small pieces in order to have maximum surface area for quick, even cooking. Although this can be time consuming, in most instances this can be done a day in advance. It’s also important to divide the ingredients into bowls in the order of adding, i.e. meats, vegetables, aromatics, and sauce ingredients. Having everything assembled, organized, and ready to be added before the cooking starts is the real secret to successful stir-frying.
This type of cooking gets its name from the method of handling the ingredients when cooking. The basic technique is to use a tossing movement where the food is lifted up out of the oil and then allowed to fall back to the bottom of the pan. As some of the ingredients are lifted up, the remaining ones fall into the oil, thus achieving uniform and rapid cooking. This same technique is used for cooking both vegetables and meats.
A strong heat source is needed as it’s imperative that the oil be very hot. Both gas and electric ranges can be used, but gas is the preferred fuel because you can achieve higher temperatures. If using electricity, a heavy, flat bottom pan is preferred over a wok because it will heat up quicker. With this type of pan you will probably have to use more oil because of the larger cooking surface. I like to use a stir-fry pan which is deep with sloping sides and a flat bottom, rather a cross between a wok and a skillet, and it’s a good choice for both gas and electric ranges.
It’s important to always heat the wok or pan before adding the oil. Any good vegetable oil, with the exception of olive, will work. Olive oil will impart a strong flavor and will breakdown at a lower temperature, which makes it a bad choice as much of the success of stir-frying depends on the heat of the oil. If the oil is too cold, the food will absorb too much and become soggy and if it’s too hot, ingredients such as garlic will burn. Personally, I prefer the flavor of peanut oil and it has a high smoke point, or the temperature at which the oil starts to breakdown.
When the oil reaches 350 to 375 degrees, throw in the aromatics. These are ingredients such as garlic and ginger that will add flavor to the oil. Add any whole chiles at this time to spread the capsaicin throughout the oil. Stir-fry for 10 to 15 seconds or until fragrant. Then, if your recipe calls for meat, add it now and stir-fry until it is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the meat or push it to the sides of the pan to slow the cooking.
Vegetables are added next. Depending on the quantity, you may have to add them in batches so that the oil remains hot. Add the denser, thicker vegetables that need to be cooked longer, first. Then add the smaller, faster cooking ones so that nothing will overcooked or underdone. This should take an additional 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
Finally add the sauce ingredients and stir and toss until it has thickened and the stir-fry ingredients are evenly coated. If you are using a precooked, breaded item (either meat or fish), now is the time to add it to the wok.
That’s all there is to stir-frying. Once you’ve mastered the technique, you can follow any recipe or you can improvise and develop your own signature dishes. Be creative and inventive; just don’t forget to add some chiles for both flavor and heat!
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Seven Easy Steps to Perfect Stir-Frys
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Recipes
This classic Sichuan stir-fry dish can be made with shrimp, pork, beef, or even tofu as well as chicken. It’s a simple dish with just a few ingredients combined with crunchy peanuts for texture. The complex flavors come from the marinating and seasoning sauces.
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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces
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2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, peanut preferred
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4 to 6 whole dried red chiles, such as piquin or cayenne
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1 tablespoon chopped garlic
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2 teaspoons grated ginger
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1/2 green bell pepper, cubed
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1 small onion, cubed
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2 teaspoons sesame oil
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½ cup roasted peanuts
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Garnish: 1 green onion, chopped including some of the green
Marinating Sauce:
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1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
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1 tablespoon light soy sauce
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1 teaspoon sugar
Seasoning Sauce:
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1/4 cup chicken broth
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2 tablespoons Asian chile sauce
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2 tablespoons hoison sauce
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1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian hot bean sauce
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2 teaspoons light soy sauce
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2 teaspoons rice vinegar
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2 teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper*
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2 teaspoons sugar
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1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Combine all the ingredients for the marinating sauce along with 1 tablespoon of water in a large bowl and stir to mix. Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the seasoning sauce, stir to mix and set aside.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add the oil. Add the chiles and stir-fry for a couple of minutes or until they start to blacken. Push them to the side of the wok, add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant.
Drain the chicken and add to the wok. Stir-fry the chicken for a couple of minutes until the chicken changes color. Remove, drain and keep warm. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir-fry until they just soften.
Add the seasoning sauce to the wok and cook until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken and toss to coat. Heat until the sauce forms a glaze over the chicken. Add the sesame oil, peanuts and toss until coated.
To serve, mound the chicken on a serving platter and garnish with the chopped green onions. Serve with plain white rice.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Medium Hot
* If Sichuan peppercorns are unavailable, substitute with equal portions of anise and allspice.
Southwest Jalapeño Pork Stir-Fry
East meets the Southwest in this recipe, which illustrates the fact that the basic stir-fry technique can be applied to just about any cuisine.
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1/2 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced and cut into strips
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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1 clove garlic, minced
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2 jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed, sliced in rings
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1 poblano chile, stem and seeds removed, cut into strips
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1 small onion, cut into thin wedges and separated
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1/2 7-ounce can baby corn
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1/2 cup nopalitos (available in Latin Markets)
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Garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro
Marinating Sauce:
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2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh preferred
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2 teaspoons tequila (optional)
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2 teaspoons cornstarch
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1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Seasoning Sauce:
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1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
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1/4 cup Southwestern salsa (your choice)
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
Combine all the ingredients for the marinating sauce in a large bowl and stir to mix. Toss the pork in the marinade and marinate for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the seasoning sauce along with 2 tablespoons water, stir to mix and set aside.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add the oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
Drain the pork and add it to the wok. Stir-fry the pork for a couple of minutes until the pork is browned. Remove, drain and keep warm.
Add the jalapeño, poblano, and onions and stir-fry until they are just softened; everything should still be slightly crisp, and the chiles should be bright green. Stir in the corn and nopalitos and stir-fry. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan.
Add the seasoning sauce and cook until the sauce thickens. Return the pork and toss to coat. Heat until the sauce forms a glaze over the meat and vegetables.
To serve, mound the pork and vegetables on a serving platter and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with plain white rice.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Mild to Medium (depending on the salsa)
This is one of my favorite stir-frys because it is very quick and simple to prepare. To vary the dish I sometimes add fresh pineapple chunks, bell pepper, and/or green New Mexico chiles.
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2 tablespoons chile oil
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1 tablespoon minced ginger
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1 teaspoon minced garlic
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3/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
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1 small onion, cut in wedges and separated
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1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
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Garnish: Chopped green onions, including some of the green
Seasoning Sauce:
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3 tablespoon rice vinegar
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2 tablespoons pineapple juice
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2 tablespoons catsup
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1 tablespoon soy sauce
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1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
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2 teaspoons sugar
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1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed piquin chile
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1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine all the ingredients for the seasoning sauce in a bowl, stir to mix and set aside.
In another bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water, stir to mix and set aside.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the shrimp and stir-fry for about 30 seconds or until they turn pink. Remove, drain, and keep warm.
Add the onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Push the onions to the side of the pan.
Add the seasoning sauce and cook until the sauce starts to thicken. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer until thickened. Return the shrimp and toss to coat. Heat until the sauce forms a glaze over the shrimp and vegetables.
To serve, mound the shrimp on a serving platter and garnish with the green onions. Serve with plain white rice.
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Heat Scale: Medium to Hot
Stir-Fry Garlic Vegetable Sticks
Although this dish was developed as a way to prepare zucchini from my garden, you can substitute fresh asparagus and/or thinly sliced green beans in this recipe. The toasted garlic tastes like nuts when sprinkled on top of the vegetables. This elegant dish is a great accompaniment to just about any meal so don’t limit yourself to Asian or Chinese.
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3 to 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons chile oil
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2 serrano chiles, stems removed, minced
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1 teaspoon minced ginger
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1 zucchini squash, cut julienne in match-stick size pieces
Seasoning Sauce:
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1/4 cup rice wine
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1 tablespoon hoison sauce
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1/2 teaspoon sugar
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1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
Combine all the ingredients for the seasoning sauce in a bowl, stir to mix and set aside.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, and add the oil. Add the sliced garlic and stir-fry until slightly browned, being careful that they don’t burn. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
Add the ginger and chile and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the zucchini and stir-fry until done but still crispy. Push the squash to the side of the pan.
Add the seasoning sauce and cook until the sauce thickens. Toss the squash until the sauce forms a glaze over the vegetables.
Place the zucchini in a serving bowl, crumble the toasted garlic over the top, and serve.
Yield: 2 servings
Heat Scale: Mild to Medium
Just about any type of citrus fruit will work in this recipe. Try tangerine, orange, or even a combination such as lemon-lime. Adding habaneros with their sweet heat compliments the citrus flavor of the sauce.
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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
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2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, peanut oil preferred
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2 tablespoons lemon zest, divided
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2 teaspoons minced garlic
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2 teaspoons minced ginger
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1 fresh habanero chile, stem and seeds removed, minced or substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground habanero
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½ cup roasted cashew nuts
Marinating Sauce:
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1.5 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
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2 tablespoons light soy sauce
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1 egg white
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2 tablespoons cornstarch
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1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Seasoning Sauce:
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1/2 cup chicken broth
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1/4 cup lemon juice
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3 tablespoons sugar
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2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
Combine all the ingredient for the marinating sauce in a large bowl and stir to mix. Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the seasoning sauce, along with ½ the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons water. Stir to mix and set aside.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, and add the oil. Add ½ of the lemon zest, garlic, ginger, and chile and stir-fry until fragrant.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, add to the wok and stir-fry until lightly browned. Remove, drain, and keep warm.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the seasoning sauce and cook until it starts to thicken. Return the chicken and toss to coat. Heat until the sauce forms a glaze over the chicken. Add the cashews and toss to coat.
To serve, mound the chicken on a serving platter, garnish with the remaining lemon zest, and serve. Serve with plain white rice.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Hot
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