PRINCIPLES OF STIR- FRYING CAH II 6.02 Mrs. Rebecca Benners

What is Stir-frying?  Stir-frying is cooking food in a wok or similar pan at high heat for a short amount of time by stirring it very quickly.  An assortment of thinly cut vegetables and meats can be stir-fried

Cuts Common in Stir-Fry  Most cuts are completed with a chef knife, which is all purpose.  Julienne: 1/8 th inch matchstick cuts; this cut is used for almost all vegetables, especially longer and denser vegetables.

Cuts Common in Stir-Fry  Bias cut: to cut a 45 º angle against the grain of a tubular vegetable, like carrots. this increases surface area and decreases cooking time; also looks pretty.  Round CutBias Cut

Vegetables Used in Stir-Frying  Bulbs  Onions: come in a variety of colors; become translucent when stir-fried  Garlic: distinct flavor in Asian cookery; breaks down when minced to distribute flavor more evenly  Flowers  Broccoli: green, tough stemmed plant; can buy in stalks, crowns, or florets. Flowerets or florets are used.  Cauliflower: white and fluffy (but actually tough), “flowers” are more dense

Vegetables Used in Stir-Frying  Fruits of the plant include:  Squash: some common types are yellow summer squash, butternut and acorn; come from the gourd family  Zucchini: type of summer squash that is green with a white flesh  Pepper: bell varieties (green, yellow, or red) add flavor; spicy peppers add heat  Leaves include:  Cabbage: thinly slice (Chiffonade) this leafy vegetable; comes from the same family as brussel sprouts; has waxy leaves

Vegetables Used in Stir-Frying  Root vegetables include:  Carrot: member of the parsley family with lacy green foliage and long slender roots; will add color to stir-fry  Turnip: also a root vegetable; white skin and a purple tinged top; one type of rutabaga, milder than radish  Radish: small with pinky-purple skin and white flesh; spicy  Tubers: like water chestnuts add crisp flavor

Vegetables Used in Stir-Frying  Vegetable seeds – used in stir-fried rice  Corn: called maize by American Indians; comes in white and yellow varieties;  Peas: small, round, green seed  Green beans: long, slim green colored beans  Snow peas: legume that has an thin, green edible pod  Stem vegetables – cut on the bias  Asparagus: long, tender shoots with fluffy tips  Celery: stringy unless peeled, light colored, very watery

Apply it: Name a  Stem vegetable  Flower  Fruit of the Plant  Bulb  Leaf  Root Vegetable  Vegetable Seed

Meats and Such Used in Stir-Frying  Meats:  each type has its own minimum internal temperature  Must select tender cuts because stir-frying is a dry heat method  Should be added first when stir-frying because they will take longer to cook than the vegetables

Meats and Such Used in Stir-Frying  Meat:  Beef: usually prepared with green peppers and onions; cook to 145  Pork: tenderloin is best cut to use; cook to 145  Poultry:  Chicken: most frequently used and cut into strips; cook to 165  Seafood:  Shrimp: may be stir-fried whole; cook to 145

The Stir-frying Technique  Determine which meats and vegetables have to cook the longest and add them first.  Stir foods quickly, do not let them rest or stick.  To thicken stir-fry, use corn starch and water to make a thin paste (this is called a slurry) which adds a gel-like thickness.  After the slurry is added it needs to be cooked for several minutes to remove the starchy taste  Serve and enjoy

Equipment  Sauté pans: cookware with long handles and straight sides  Sloping sided skillet: saute pan with sloped sides is used to mix food or push cooked food to the side  Wok: piece of cookware with very sloped sides, often cast iron or other metal; can be very large or small  Wooden spoons and spatulas: for stirring and lifting foods

Safety and Sanitation  Wash your vegetables before you cook them!  Avoid cross contamination of raw meats and vegetables  Clean and sanitize equipment after each use  Use caution with hot food and when handling hot pans and equipment