~----------WOK AROUND THE
CLOCK------------------------------------- Spr
spatulas toss food high into the air above the pot.
Tie a tea towel around your head and make noises like
a samurai warrior. You'll have your family or friends
laughing hysterically, but chances are you won't be
cooking effectively. Speed and control are the keys to
a successful stir-fry. The ancient Chinese invented
stir-frying as one of their more than 50 methods of
food preparation. However, many recipes now use the
technique for many non-Asian dishes. It's quick,
requires little fat, and leaves food with a toothsome
texture we enjoy today. While it's possible to adapt
many recipes to stir-frying, oil rather than butter
should be used. Dairy solids in butter burn at a very
low temperature--about 250F--so it can only be added
as a flavoring agent once food is cooked. Oil, on the
other hand, doesn't begin to smoke until more than 400
degrees, so it's a better choice. Another key
principle: Never place too much food in a wok or
skillet at a time. Food must be able to be seared all
over, without steaming from being buried under a layer
of food. Stir-frying itself is a very quick process,
so the food must be sitting in bowls or dishes placed
within arm's reach, ready to be cooked. Cut all the
pieces the same size, have your seasonings at hand,
and make sure that any partial cooking of
vegetables--such as blanching broccoli or carrots--is
complete. If your grocery store has a salad bar, it
can save a lot of preparation time. Go through the
salad bar and measure out just the ingredients needed
for a recipe. Place the wok or skillet over a high
flame, and heat it very hot. Listen for the sound of
sizzles. If a few drops of water evaporate
immediately, the pan is ready. Add the required amount
of oil to the pan, and swirl it around gently to coat
all sides. At this point, it's time to add the food,
and keep it moving in the pan. If stir-frying in a
wok, use a wire mesh spoon designed for the job. If
stir- frying in a skillet, use a spoon that will reach
to all places on the bottom, and with which you can
keep food moving. It's important to add ingredients in
the order given, and stir constantly. In some recipes,
liquid is added and the pan is covered for a brief
time. In other recipes, it's fry and eat. Whatever the
method--wok or skillet--you can stir-fry dinner in
less time than it takes to watch a commercial on the
evening news.
