Master this Asian cooking technique with the help of these simple, easy-to-follow tips and become the king/queen of The Perfect Stir-fry!
Stir-fry is one of the fastest, easiest and tastiest techniques for making a well-balanced dinner. I want to encourage you all, to stir-fry a little more in your kitchen, and make healthier recipes in a fraction of the time our european traditional recipes often require.
You can keep it simple by using 2-3 vegetables and a protein of your choice, but with stir-frying you can go further and experiment creative combinations, vegetarian / vegan versions, and have a new exiting recipe each time you cook!
Follow these simple tips and get a crunchy and tasty stir-fry every time:
1. Have your ingredients all prepared and ready to go before you start cooking (otherwise called “mise en place”).
2. Make sure you use a large pan to ensure the ingredients have enough room. A wok is highly recommended but a regular frying pan will do the work just fine.
3. Swirl the oil around the pan to ensure it’s greased evenly.
4. Stir-frying is a fast cooking method, so you need to choose tender cuts of meat such as beef fillet, pork fillet or chicken breast. Prawns, scallops and salmon work well too, careful to not overcook them.
5. Meat is normally stir-fried on high heat to sear in the juices, cook it first, then remove from the pan and stir-fry the vegetables.
6. Always stir-fry the firmer vegetables first. Broccoli and carrots require a longer cooking time than softer veggies such as mushrooms or green leaves.
7. While stir-frying, move a spatula through the wok, tossing the ingredients every few seconds.
8. Start cooking over medium-high heat, then adjust the temperature up or down as needed.
Now you’re ready, grab your wok and follow the perfect stir-fry recipe:
- 200gr/8oz beef/chicken/pork fillet, cut into strips
- 1 medium-large carrot, cut into strips
- 2 cups/200gr small broccoli florets
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 red chili pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped cashew nuts (optional)
- ½ tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsbp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground green pepper
- Place the meat into a plastic container, add 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of water. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cover and store in a cool place.
- Heat 1 tbsp. peanut oil in a non-stick skillet until hot.
- Add the meat in a single layer and cook without until browned.
- Flip each piece and brown the cook for another minute.
- Take the meat out of the pan and store in a warm place.
- Add ½ tbsp. sesame oil to the pan.
- Add the broccoli florets and stir-fry, keeping the food moving constantly, until tender.
- Move them alongside the pan, forming a crown.
- Fold carrot sticks into the center and stir-fry for a min.
- Add cashew nuts, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for 30 seconds
- Reduce the heat to medium and fold the meat back in.
- Pour in 1 tbsp of water and a splash of soy sauce and cook over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Mix in spring onions and chili pepper, then remove from the heat.
- Serve with your favorite steamed rice.