Learn to Make Your Own Stir-Fry

Stir-Frying is a Chinese method of cooking food, that uses a small amount of oil or fat over relatively high heat. Ingredients are usually cut into pieces or thinly sliced to facilitate fast cooking. Food that is stir-fried is browned while preserving its texture, moisture and flavor. If meat, chicken, or fish is stir-fried it is often finished by deglazing the pan's residue to make a sauce.  The result is a combination of meats and vegetables usually served over rice that has been a favorite of billions of people in China and around the world.

Stir-frying is traditionally done in a Wok (a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel originating in the Canton region of China) over a very hot open flame.  The wok is heated and a small amount of cooking oil is then poured down the side of the wok (a traditional expression in China regarding this is "hot wok, cold oil"), followed by dry seasonings, then as soon as you smell the seasonings meats are added and tossed. Once the meat is seared it is set aside and vegetables along with liquid ingredients (for example often including premixed combinations of soy sauce, vinegar, wine, salt, sugar and cornstarch) are added. The wok then may be covered for a moment so the water in the liquid ingredients can warm up the new ingredients as it steams off. The you put the meat back right before vegetables are done.  This is all done very quickly without stewing the vegetables or meat which makes for a unique blend of flavors and textures.  The meat is tender and the vegetables are crunchy.  The bouquet of flavors results from caramelization, the partial combustion of oil that come from charring and searing of the food at very high heat, and something called the Maillard reaction.

The Maillard reaction results from a chemical interaction between an amino acid and a sugar when heated (for instance the crust of most breads or pancakes is golden-brown due to the Maillard reaction).  In the process of heating proteins and sugars, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. It is these same compounds flavor scientists use to create new flavors for food manufacturers.

You may not have all the equipment to make an authentic stir-fry but, as a practical matter, the same principles can be applied to make your own delicious stir-fry at home.  Here are the keys to success:

• Prepare all the ingredients in advance (i.e. cut vegetables and meats, mix up spices and liquids etc.)
• Use very high heat in a shallow pan
• Cook the meat first then set it aside
• Deglaze the pan with vegetables (it helps brown them and give them a delicious flavor (remember the Maillard reaction)
• When the vegetables are tender add the liquids in and stir until thickened and well coated
• Add back the meat and serve

Once you learn the principles of stir-frying the combinations of meats, vegetables, nuts, liquid flavorings, spices etc. are virtually unlimited.  Here is a simple recipe for a chicken stir-fry you can use to get started.

How to make Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry

• 1 stalk Broccoli - chopped
• 2 medium Carrots - cut in short sticks
• 1/2 Onion - chopped
• 1 cross-slice Cabbage - chopped (I used "Red Cabbage" though it looks purple to my eyes)
• 2 stalks Celery - chopped
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger - grated
• 1 bulb Roasted Garlic - squeeze out all the bulbs and chop roughly
• 1 Chicken Breast - cut in small strips
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 cups Water

Prepare the vegetables and chicken as directed above.  Mix together the soy sauce, corn starch, brown sugar, and water, and set aside.  Melt coconut oil in a pan on high heat and fry chicken for 2 minutes.  Set aside and immediately add the ginger and vegetables.  Stir or toss until lightly browned and tender.   Now add back the chicken and pour in the soy sauce mixture.  Bring to a boil and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Serve over warm rice (I use whole-grain brown rice for the health of it).  Try out this stir-fry or make up your own!