Although recipes can vary from one to another, there are some basic elements to stir-frying. Most stir-frying recipes follow these basic steps:
2. Add seasoning. When the oil begins to bubble, add some salt. Stir it once or twice. Then add garlic. The hot oil will bring out the the garlic flavor and aroma. Stir fry constantly and watch that you don't burn it. At this point you can add sliced scallion stalks, ginger roots or any other seasonings that your recipe requires (eg. black beans, brown bean sauce). Once these begin to brown and the aroma from the seasonings begins to fill the room, you can add your meat.  3. Prepare and add meat. The meat is always the first main ingredient that is stir-fried. The meat should be dry and not moist. If the meat is too moist it will cause a layer of steam between the meat and oil. If you're meat is too moist, toss it in a cornstarch paste first to give it a tight dry coating. Stir-fry the meat one pound at a time. You do not want to add a large quantity of meat all at once because it will lower the temperature of the pan too quickly. This will interfere with the searing process which seals in the meat and keeps its juices. Toss the meat around vigorously until it is partly cooked. When beef is partly cooked it begins to turn brown. Pork and chicken will turn white, while shrimp turns pink. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little more oil by drizzling it from the side and swirling the pan in a wide circular motion. However, do not pour the oil directly over the meat. You want the metal of the pan to heat the oil before it reaches the meat. Another method of adding oil is to make a well in the center of the pan. Push the meat aside, and pour the oil into the center pan.4. Add liquid seasonings. Make sure that the meat is partly cooked before adding any liquid seasonings, such as soy sauce or cooking wine. If the meat is too raw, then the liquid will toughen the meat. Liquid seasonings should be added in small quantities. The liquid seasoning will allo the meat to keep cooking at high temperatures without burning it. They also bring out the natural flavors and juices of the meat. Similar to adding more oil to your pan, you the liquid seasoning should be slightly heated before coming into contact with the meat. Therefore,drizzle the liquid from the side and swirling the pan in a wide circular motion. Remember not to pour it directly over the meat. Another method is to make a well in the center of the pan. Push the meat aside, and pour the liquid into the center pan. 5. Add vegetables. Vegetables are usually added after the meat is partly cooked. You do not want the juices of the vegetable to toughen the meat, so you should add them in when the meat is partially cooked. Usually vegetables require less heat then meat, however they take a slightly longer cooking time. The coarser the vegetable, the longer the cooking time and therefore coarser items should be put in first before any other vegetable. Pork is usually left in the pan to cook with the vegetables, while beef is temporarily removed and then added back towards the end. Stir-fry the vegetables quickly but gently so that you don't break them or become mushy. Add the vegetables a fistful at a time, so that they hit the pan at its highest temperature. Note: Fragile ingredients (such as bean curd) should not be stirred, otherwise they will break apart. Tilt or shake the pan to coat them with the hot oil and seasonings or push them aside with your spoon and expose all its surface to the hot oil. 6. Add stock, if needed. Add a little stock or water to the vegetables to soften them. This will also blend all the flavors together. Remember, like with any liquid during stir-frying, do NOT add it directly onto the ingredients. The exact amount of stock varies from dish to dish. Some dishes do not require any stock at all. Stir-fried dishes are better dry than wet, so if you add stock, it should only moisten the dish. If you add in too much liquid, then pour out the excess before it is served. Check your recipe to ensure the amount of liquid you should be adding. 7. Add cornstarch paste, if desired. Adding cornstarch paste should be added at the end of the cooking cycle. It is used to thicken the sauce. In order to prepare some cornstarch paste, blend together some cornstarch, a little cold water and seasonings. This enables the sauce to adhere, coat and flavor the ingredients. It also gives your dishes that shiny, glistening, savory appearance. Gradually add the pate to the hot liquid and continuously stir it until the sauce becomes thick, smooth and velvety. 8. Serve dish. Stir-fried food is best served immediately after it is cooked. Therefore, it is wise to calculate ahead of time when you should begin preparing your dish(es). Need a simple wok? We offer three (3) types of woks:
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