Written by Julie Paiva, CHHC
If you have a busy lifestyle, then stir frying is the way to go because it is one of the quickest cooking methods. It is originally a Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking the ingredients at a high temperature in little or no oil. It doesn’t require lots of fancy equipment. If you have a large, thick, frying pan or wok and a wooden spoon, you will have everything you need to start stir frying tonight.
Stir frying is versatile.
Now that we have an extra hour of sunlight each night, who wants to spend extra time in the kitchen at the end of a long day? Whether you’re enjoying the beautiful spring weather at your child’s baseball practice, putting in those extra hours at the office, or are unable to make another trip to the grocery store, there’s nothing quite as easy as throwing together a quick stir-fry. Stir frying is very versatile. You can tailor your recipe to match various cuisines and flavor palates. You can literally put anything in them, and they’ll taste great. All you need is some protein, vegetables, spices and a little oil, and you can be serving stir fry tonight.
Stir frying is healthy.
Stir frying has benefits beyond its simplicity and speed. Your vegetables stay bright in color and crisp in texture which enhances their appeal. The high temperature required to stir fry the foods cooks the food quickly and helps it retain the nutrients. Stir frying allows you to choose a broad range of ingredients (vegetables and meat) so you can have a great mix of the essential micro nutrients.
Stir frying is easy.
For stir-frying, you simply need to chop all the ingredients in bite-sized pieces and then toss and turn the ingredients in very little hot oil over high heat. It usually takes no more than 5 minutes for the vegetables/meat to become crisp and succulent. Cut the vegetables into thin, small pieces so that they cook quickly. If the pieces are not evenly thick, they will cook unevenly. Once the food is in the pan, you need to flip it regularly to avoid burning and sticking it to the bottom of a pan. Use a spatula to scoop the food efficiently.
Marpe has some great stir fry recipes. Give some of these a try – They are sure to be enjoyed by all.
Ginger Beef with Kale and Mushroom Stir Fry
