Chop chop!
If you are into quick and dirty
no prep time cooking, then stir
fry Sunday might not be for you.
Sure stir frying itself is quick and
straightforward—cut up/toss up /fry
up, but getting to the stage where
you can start stir frying demands
technique and proper prep.
It’s not so much about ingredients
since you can toss in pretty much
any combination of vegetables and
meat you have lying around for this
mosaic dish. Nor is it about utensils
since you don’t need a proper wok
to get your stir fry stir fried. It is
about having dexterity with your
knife though. For a perfect tasting
and good looking stir fry, you need
You can toss in
pretty much any
combination of
vegetables and
meat you have
lying around for
this mosaic dish.
to get regular bite size pieces.
Uniformity is key. If your peppers
are unevenly cut then they will cook
unevenly which will result in some
pieces being perfectly crunchy while
others will be soggy. Try your hand at
chopping onions; that way you can
practice your skills before moving
onto the more fiddly stuff.
Timing and attention are also key
because the stir fry cooking oil has
to be high and the cooking time is
short. Remember to have all of your
ingredients at your fingertips. You
are going to have to stand in front
of your stove and - unless you are
a professional multitasker, not go
on a WhatsApp break. Arrange each
ingredient in a different bowl in
the order in which they need to be
cooked; not only will you need to
similar size pieces, you’ll also have
to know in which order to fry them.
Hard veggies like carrots should go
in first, soft ones likes spring onions
last. If you are using meat, then cook
that first and reserve until after the
vegetables are cooked.
Happy chopping!
Ingredients to have on hand for
happy Chinese cooking:
Chilli, garlic, ginger, peanuts or
sesame paste, soy sauce and toasted
sesame oil if you like stronger
flavours.