Working the Wok

29Apr10

Once upon a time, I taught myself to “cook.”  I made rice, then heated up some frozen pre-cooked chicken and frozen vegetables in a skillet with soy sauce.  When I felt fancy, I added black beans.  It was reasonably healthy, easy, and I could eat it several times a week.  I called it a “stir-fry,” although that usually involves actually cooking things instead of just heating up frozen food.  It became my staple.

After I left my roommates and had a kitchen to myself, I learned how to cook from recipes, then started playing with flavors, then found joy in actually creating my own meals.  Stir-fries, though, have remained a staple.  Once the ingredients are chopped and ready, the actual cooking takes only a few minutes.  Sometimes (ok, often) I revert back to my frozen vegetable days and it’s even faster.

The best thing about stir-fries is not their speed, but the infinite variation.  You can mix and match the grains, proteins, vegetables, and seasonings of every skillet meal and never get bored.  Here’s how:

Choose your grain.  This might take awhile if you choose brown rice, but you can use quinoa, couscous, or noodles.  Start cooking your grain before you start the rest of your meal if it takes awhile.  Or, if you’re in a hurry, use Dan’s suggestion of microwaveable rice.  You can even wrap your stir-fry in a tortilla if you want. 

"Pad Thai" style

Choose your protein.  Slice meats thinly so they cook well in the high heat.  Cut tofu into bite-size pieces.   In Asian-style dishes I like to beat in an egg at the end of cooking for a fried-rice style.

Choose your vegetables.  Chopping vegetables can be the longest part of the stir-fry process.  Fresh vegetables taste better, but I always keep frozen veggies on hand just in case.  Guess which pictures on here contain frozen vegetables?  I bet you can’t tell.

Choose your seasonings.  Yes, you can mix and match the protein, grains, and vegetables all you want, but here’s where the real variety comes in.  Here are a few flavors I like:

• Asian, one or a combination of the following: soy sauce, sesame oil, Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, chile garlic sauce, peanut sauce.
• Southwestern, one or a combination of the following: chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, any jarred salsa or picante sauce
• Indian, one or a combination of the following: curry powder, garam masala, turmeric
• Mediterranean, one or a combination of the following: Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, olive oil

Garnish.  You can add ingredients after you are done cooking.  Top your stir-fry with sesame seeds, avocado, cheese, olives, or salsa, depending on what flavors you chose. 

My advice is to prepare all your ingredients before you start throwing things in a skillet.  Once the cooking starts, you need to be able to stir often. 

Tofu, Edamame and other vegetables, Brown rice

Plus, the cooking only takes a few minutes if you sliced your meat thinly enough.  Just a few steps.

1.  Heat a skillet over high heat and add oil.  Use a neutral oil, like vegetable or corn, unless you want to use sesame oil for Asian dishes or olive oil for Mediterranean.  You can also use cooking spray.

2. Add your vegetables.  Stir immediately, then every 30 seconds until they begin to soften and char.  This will take 3-5 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

3.  Add a touch more oil.  Add the protein to the skillet.  If you are using garlic or fresh ginger as a seasoning, add this too.  Stir often, until protein begins to brown. 

4.  Add vegetable back to skillet with protein.  Throw 1/4 cup water or broth, plus any other seasonings.  Cook, stirring often, until liquid is almost gone.

5. Remove from heat and serve over cooked grain.  Top with garnishes.

Quinoa, Black Beans, Vegetables, and Avocado

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Tags: Stir-fry