What is Stir Fry?
As people are learning to eat healthier foods, they are also
learning healthier ways to cook. One way is to stir fry. Stir
frying is a technique that cooks foods quickly, using only
a small amount of fat. Anyone with a large skillet and a spatula
can master the stir fry technique.
Stir fry is an older cooking technique, most often seen in
Asian cooking. However, it has gained popularity over the
past 30 years or so, as its advantages of fast, healthy cooking
have become apparent. Stir fry is also an easy technique for
the beginning cook.
The first rule of thumb in stir fry is to remember to think
smaller. Meats and vegetables should be cut into small pieces
before cooking. Actually, thinking thumb-size for the chunks
is a good way to remember the ideal size. Stir fry also emphasizes
fresh flavors and textures, so nothing is overcooked.
A cook attempting stir fry for the first time may want think
about getting a seasoning packet especially for stir fry foods.
These are often mixed with soy sauce and include detailed
instructions, as well as recipe ideas. They are often found
in the Asian foods section of the supermarket. Buying frozen
vegetables marked for stir fry is a good idea too, and will
help the cook get a good idea of the best size for cutting
stir fry veggies.
Easily-cooked meats such as chicken breast or stew meat make
a good meat foundation for the stir fry. The cook starts by
cooking the meat in a small amount of fat, about 2 teaspoons,
over medium-high heat, until it is cooked through. Then, the
cook can pour in a small amount of the sauce to deglaze the
pan and mix it in with the browned bits from the pan. The
vegetables go in next, and the cook stirs them around with
the meat as they cook.
Most vegetables will cook in about five to seven minutes,
and then the cook can pour in the stir fry sauce. Pre-cooked
noodles may be added at this time as well, or the cook may
want to serve the meal with hot rice. Cold cooked rice can
also be stirred in to make a fried rice dish. The variations
for stir fry are endless. A cook can use chicken, beef, pork,
tofu, an array of spices and preferred vegetables to make
an individualized entree.
(article from : www.wisegeek.com)
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