Stir fries are a common type of cooking technique here on Maui, go to any a local's house, and you're bound to find a wok sittin on the stove. Why is stir frying really popular on Maui? Well, the Chinese immigrants used the wok, and from there all the other people from other parts of the world that came to work here in the plantations decided, "Hey WTF, that wok is really easy to use."
Hence stir frying is a huge part of cooking here on Maui, and in a wok you can cook anything, from entrées, to soups, stews, desserts even, the wok is universal in its application. Just remember when you use a wok, to use one that is the right size for your particular project. If you use a stove in your home be it electric or gas, a flat bottom carbon steel or cast iron will suffice. You see ones with the round bottoms 12 inches to more in diameter, well those are made for really high BTUs gas stoves or pits where the flames can reach tremendous temperatures. A 10-12 inch wok is good for small families, you don't cook stir fries in huge amounts, usually limiting the wok to about 10 to 12 oz. of thinly sliced food items so it cooks quickly.
What's the proper technique for stir fryiing?
1. Your proteins (meats) should be thinly sliced, if using grain influenced cuts like flank or flap, slice them thin across the grain for easier chewing, and you'd want to marinate the meats for a few minutes to infuse some flavors. Be it soy sauce, fruit juices, herbs, spices, let it sit.
2. Use a vegetable oil, a couple of tablespoons per session, make it hot hot!
3. Some chefs will cook the protein first, then set it aside, to cook the thinly sliced vegetables such as onion, carrots, celery etc., then returning the cooked protein to the wok, and then adding a sauce to it, cooking all the cooked items together for the final stir fry session, usually 1 to 2 minutes.
Note: In a professional Chinese Kitchen, a dish should not take more than 3 minutes to cook.
www.gourmetproject.ca/?p=181
This is what a nice plate of chow fun should look like, the noodles are made out of rice flour, or wheat, some have eggs infused in it, so shop around if you have allergies you can make your own noodles, and cut in different thickness and widths.
Go to the Asian aisle of your local grocer and you should find chow fun, if it is sold in the dry goods section you'll need to cook them like pasta, and when done just right, remove them and strain them under cold water, and squeeze some vegetable oil over it and mix so it does not stick together. Just add the noodles to a hot wok to cook, or rather re-heat.
I won't give you recipes but what should you have on hand on your counter for a good Chinese stir fry?
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Sesame Oil
Peanut Oil
Pepper flakes
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger
Fermented Chinese black beans
Toasted sesame seeds
Chinese 5 spice
Cumin
Turmeric
Coriander
Sugar or honey
Sherry or white wine
Vinegar
Salt and pepper
Thinly sliced, onions, green onions, celery, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, radish, gobo (burdock root), bamboo shoots (canned), water chestnuts (canned), and many other veggies you can get creative with. "Learn to create!"
Aloha Ron
Hence stir frying is a huge part of cooking here on Maui, and in a wok you can cook anything, from entrées, to soups, stews, desserts even, the wok is universal in its application. Just remember when you use a wok, to use one that is the right size for your particular project. If you use a stove in your home be it electric or gas, a flat bottom carbon steel or cast iron will suffice. You see ones with the round bottoms 12 inches to more in diameter, well those are made for really high BTUs gas stoves or pits where the flames can reach tremendous temperatures. A 10-12 inch wok is good for small families, you don't cook stir fries in huge amounts, usually limiting the wok to about 10 to 12 oz. of thinly sliced food items so it cooks quickly.
What's the proper technique for stir fryiing?
1. Your proteins (meats) should be thinly sliced, if using grain influenced cuts like flank or flap, slice them thin across the grain for easier chewing, and you'd want to marinate the meats for a few minutes to infuse some flavors. Be it soy sauce, fruit juices, herbs, spices, let it sit.
2. Use a vegetable oil, a couple of tablespoons per session, make it hot hot!
3. Some chefs will cook the protein first, then set it aside, to cook the thinly sliced vegetables such as onion, carrots, celery etc., then returning the cooked protein to the wok, and then adding a sauce to it, cooking all the cooked items together for the final stir fry session, usually 1 to 2 minutes.
Note: In a professional Chinese Kitchen, a dish should not take more than 3 minutes to cook.
www.gourmetproject.ca/?p=181
This is what a nice plate of chow fun should look like, the noodles are made out of rice flour, or wheat, some have eggs infused in it, so shop around if you have allergies you can make your own noodles, and cut in different thickness and widths.
Go to the Asian aisle of your local grocer and you should find chow fun, if it is sold in the dry goods section you'll need to cook them like pasta, and when done just right, remove them and strain them under cold water, and squeeze some vegetable oil over it and mix so it does not stick together. Just add the noodles to a hot wok to cook, or rather re-heat.
I won't give you recipes but what should you have on hand on your counter for a good Chinese stir fry?
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Sesame Oil
Peanut Oil
Pepper flakes
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger
Fermented Chinese black beans
Toasted sesame seeds
Chinese 5 spice
Cumin
Turmeric
Coriander
Sugar or honey
Sherry or white wine
Vinegar
Salt and pepper
Thinly sliced, onions, green onions, celery, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, radish, gobo (burdock root), bamboo shoots (canned), water chestnuts (canned), and many other veggies you can get creative with. "Learn to create!"
Aloha Ron
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