Stir-fry Cooking
- Apr 27, 2016
- 3 min read
(Video courtesy of Felipe Lima.)
The term "Stir fry" (Chinese: 炒; pinyin: chǎo) is a Chinese cooking technique in which ingredients are stir fried in a high heated wok with small amount of cooking oil.
In my recent Summer trip to Singapore, I was fortunate to sample the different stir fry entrees whether in an upscale Chinese restaurant or a street "hawker center". Chinese chefs achieve the "Wok Hay" effect in their stir fry by having a very hot wok before adding a small amount of cooking oil. The simple secret is "Hot Wok ~ Cold Oil". "Wok Hay" is an exclusive Cantonese expression that describes capturing the "hot breath" of a seasoned wok. "Hay" means "breath" or "energy". The flavors are concentrated with meat being tender and almost appeared grilled or smoky. The vegetables are crisp and the dish overall has a seared taste.
(NAPSI)—Here’s delicious news: You can enjoy great meals that are high in flavor yet low in calories when you turn to the stirring tastes of stir-fry cooking. The key is in the preparation.
As with any method of cooking, it is still possible to make a dish that is high in fat and calories with stir-fry cooking if you’re not careful. By working with a small amount of cooking oil and sticking to lean meats and lots of vegetables, however, you can do stir-fry cooking that’s a quick and easy way to prepare healthy and flavorful meals.
“Asian-inspired cuisine is one of the major food trends today because of the fresh ingredients and exciting flavor combinations available,” explained one expert on food, Jason Abelkop of Buffets, Inc.
Popular restaurants that are owned by Buffets, such as Ryan’s® as well as HomeTown® Buffet and Old Country Buffet®, are helping to lead the trend with made-to-order Mongolian Stir-Fry, now available for lunch and dinner at most locations. Guests choose from chicken, beef or shrimp to create the combination that’s just right for them.
To kick-start stir-fry cooking in your kitchen, check out this recipe from the restaurants’ chefs:
Garlic Ginger Mongolian Chicken
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 4-oz. chicken breasts
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. chopped ginger
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 cup peapods
1 cup cabbage, shredded
½ cup ¼” julienned onions
½ cup matchstick carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
2 sprigs cilantro
2 servings unconverted rice (cooked according to recipe)
Directions:
Cut chicken into ½” strips. Mix vegetable oil, ginger and garlic together. Rub mixture on the chicken breast strips, place in refrigerator for a minimum of two hours. Mix vegetables together in bowl.
Place oil in the already heated "wok" or sauté pan over medium heat. Add chicken strips and sauté for five minutes. Toss frequently to evenly brown. Turn up heat to “high” and add fresh vegetables. Toss frequently. Cook for one minute. Vegetables should be crisp in texture.
Add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and the cilantro sprigs to taste. Quickly toss to coat, then remove from heat. Top rice with hot fresh stir-fry and enjoy.
Learn More
For locations and other information on Buffets restaurants, visit www.Ryans.com as well as www.HomeTownBuffet.com and www.OldCountryBuffet.com.
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